Aix-en-Provence is a city in southern France, some 30 km north of Marseille. It is located in the Provence region, in the Bouches-du-Rhône département, of which it is a sous-préfecture.
FACTS AND FIGURES
- Population: 125,000
- Located just north of Marseille
- Founded by Romans in 2nd century BC as Aquae Sextiae, a reference to its thermal springs
- Was capital of Provence and an important cultural and intellectual center
- University founded in 15th century
- Aix was home to painter Paul Cézanne and nearby Mont Ste-Victoire was one of his favorite subjects
SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS
- Cours Mirabeau (tree-lined boulevard featuring fountains and cafés)
- Saint-Sauveur Cathedral (15th-century triptych, 4th-century baptistry)
- Old town architecture, fountains, squares, churches, and museums
- Granet Museum (Musee Granet) - Named after famous local painter François Marius Granet, this museum houses a collection of French paintings from the 16th century on.
- Atelier Cezanne - The studio of famous painter Paul Cézanne has been preserved in its original form.
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