Aix-en-Provence Holidays

There is something magical about the quality of light in this part of southern France. Honey-coloured towns bathed in golden light and intense blue skies make the grey of northern Europe seem a million miles away. No surprise then that the birthplace of Cezanne has been such a draw to artists over the years.

Aix is easy to get to from London and is a great place to base yourself for a holiday in Provence. Just hop on the direct Eurostar train to Marseille, from there it’s a 30km drive to Aix. There are also regular local trains and buses from Marseille St Charles station however, if possible, rent a car as it's a major plus for exploring the area, and there is so much to see.

Discover the azure blue calanques along the coast from Marseilles or head inland to the Luberon mountains for a bit of kayaking. With the Rhone valley and the Cotes de Provence vineyards on your doorstep, you’re ideally situated to try a bit of wine tasting. Enjoy the heady Rhone reds of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas or the lighter reds and rosés of Provence.

The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest for a good reason. Everything here abounds with fresh, colourful ingredients. Bright red and yellow peppers, luscious tomatoes and bright green courgettes are at the base of most of the recipes in this area.

Top 5 foods to try in Aix

1. Tapenade – this is a paste traditionally made from olives, garlic, anchovies, olive oil and other spices. It comes in green and black versions and varies quite a lot in taste, depending on the maker. Buy from a market stall and they will let you taste before you purchase. Great for aperitifs served on bread or toast. It’s quite expensive so remember that a little goes a long way.

2. Ratatouille – vegetable stew made with peppers, tomatoes, aubergine, courgette, onions and garlic. Delicious both hot and cold, this can be quite time-consuming to make as traditionally the vegetables are all cooked separately. If you’re not a purist, live dangerously and put everything in the pot together, it will still be scrummy.

3. Calissons d’Aix – these lozenge-shaped marzipan sweets are flavoured with candied orange and melon peel and topped with white icing. You’ll find them everywhere in Aix, beautifully packaged so they make a nice gift to bring home. Definitely more of an adult sweet than for children though.

4. Olive oil – who knew there were so many different flavours of olive oil? Go to a specialist moulin or do a tasting at one of the market stalls. Sample all the different types from the younger, greener oils to the fruitier, riper ones to find your favourite. 

5. Fougasse – this is the Provençal equivalent of focaccia, a dense, flatish bread, made with olive oil and often flavoured with cheese, herbs and spices. Traditionally the dough is slashed to look like an ear of wheat, then baked to a deep, golden brown. Serve with salt and a dish of good quality olive oil to dip into.
 

The main food market is in the centre of Aix. You’ll find all the usual fruit and vegetables stalls as well as local producers selling wine, fresh goats’ cheese, honey, olive oil, salami, olives and herbs but also bags of lavender, jewellery, leather goods, clothes pottery and much more.  

Saturdays are usually the most crowded, so get there early when there is still space to move around. Then, when things get busy find yourself a seat on a café terrace for a coffee and a croissant and gloat over your purchases.

The Aix flower market takes place in the streets around the Town Hall. If you’re looking for some good photo ops, this is the place to go. It’s a riot of colour and smells and will put you in a good mood for the rest of the day. Once again, in the high season, go early before it gets too crowded.

This is a combination of a flea market, an antiques market and car boot sale. Generally everything is under 100 years old, some of it is junk, but you can also pick up some nice things.

Good bargains to look out for that are also easy to transport are old silver-plate cutlery, old-style copper pots and pans, monogrammed linen tablecloths and napkins and antique lace.