Day 12 – Aix-en-Provence

Continuing our visit to Provence, we drove to Aix-en-Provence (78 km) for our next stop.

We arrived early and decided to take a quick stroll down the Cours Mirabeau, a walk street noted for its fountains.  It is named after Honore Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau, who played a major role in the French Revolution.  He denounced the evil Lettres de Cachet (a document that allowed a nobleman to have anyone beneath his rank arrested without trial).  Because he pissed off many other noblemen, he was thrown in the slammer with the Marquis de Sade for writing erotic works and naughty letters to his mistresses.  The two kinky writers disliked each other immensely.  Riqueti, known as a gifted orator, talked his way out of prison and became a leader of the common people during the revolution.

Place Charles de Gaulle and the Fontaine de la Rotonde (a roundabout) sit at the base of  the Cours Mirabeau.

Many aristocrats during the Renaissance built fabulous homes on the Cours Mirabeau.  This one is now a government building.

Many people were sitting in the sidewalk cafés people watching.  This café, Les Deux Garcons, is the place Paul Cezanne, Emile Zola and Albert Camus used to chill.

A bit of charm and whimsy stands above this café.

Jill takes a break and consults a map to get the “lay of the land.”

Now that we are in the south of France, more Italian influence can be found in the food. Pizzas are everywhere, accompanied by great fresh salads.  We ordered a nicoise salade, a local favorite.

The street is lined with high end shops . . .

…accompanied by high end prices.

Yep, this is the area where the L‘Occitane-en-Provence factory resides . . . .

. . . as well as many wines from the Rhone Valley. Veuve Clicquot, however, comes from the Champagne region, centered in Reims. (We get there about Day 22).

Some old world charm

The Aix-en-Provence Cathedrale dates to the 12th century.

More whimsy

We passed an antique shop that had an old baby carriage parked out front.  It looked as if it suffered through two world wars and a zombie apocalypse.

LA POMME [APPLE]  is a big MAGASIN.

Many street corners in the old city are adorned with religious statuary.

We guess the grass is always greener.

We learned how to avoid tourist trap restaurants.  Stay away from plaza restaurants; look on Tripadvisor; and read what the French people say.  They are far more critical; Here is #1 on Tripadvisor, Le 18. There are only 7 tables in this restaurant, run by a single married couple.

No menus here. The wife cooks a single meal; the charming husband serves it.  No English spoken here. Jill made the reservations and did the talking. Pete did the eating and drinking!

Chevre chaud (warm goat cheese in flaky crust)

Tuna mousse

Rare steak in roquefort sauce and potato gratin.  Pete was in heaven.

Wine from the couple’s hometown, where the lavender grows.

Plaza restaurants at 11:30 PM on a weekday. This week turns out to be a big vacation week in France.  BTW, May has 8 national bank holidays.

Walking back to our hotel at night might seem a bit scary. But the alleys/streets were well lit and quiet. Pete brought a flashlight, but didn’t need it.

We stayed at the Hotel Aquabella. The hotel was built on the site of Thermes Sextius baths that date back to Roman times.

Bonne soirée

P&J