11 Best Things to Do in Aix-en-Provence

In the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the south of France, lies the city of Aix-en-Provence, birthplace of the important post-impressionist painter Paul Cézanne. In its streets you will find a combination of history and beauty, reflected in its monuments, squares and buildings.

During your stay you won't have to worry about what to see and do in Aix-en-Provence, as there is a wide range of activities on offer. You can explore the old town, discover the wine culture, contemplate the architectural displays of the Saint-Sauveur Cathedral, visit the Provençal Market or taste fresh produce, among other activities. Want to know more?

If you are an oenology lover, you must book a wine tour in Mont Sainte-Victoire where you will discover the flavours and aromas of the different vintages of reds, rosés and whites.

These tours usually include the company of an expert guide and take place in the wine region behind the mountain of Sainte-Victoire (30 minutes from the city centre), as several vineyards are located in this area. For example, Vignerons du Mont Sainte-Victoire.

You can enjoy a picturesque natural landscape, learn about the process of growing, harvesting and pruning the vines, learn how the product is created and bottled. The experience ends with a tasting of award-winning wines.

Useful information

• Price: you can find this activity for prices ranging from 84 € per person.
• Duration: the wine tour usually lasts a maximum of three and a half hours.

Another ideal plan is to book an excursion to Cassis, a fishing village of unparalleled beauty that you will discover in detail with a professional guide who will take you to the highlights of the region: the coastal road Corniche des Crêtesconocer, the cliffs of Cap Canaille or the picturesque Port of Cassis.

This activity, lasting approximately four hours, will take you to the jewel of the Côte d'Azur, where you will also have free time to walk around the village, enjoy the local gastronomy, take the best snapshots or buy unique souvenirs.

The excursion, in small groups of no more than eight people, includes return transfer by minibus.

Useful information

• Price: you can book this tour from 74 € per person.
• Duration: The tour lasts a maximum of four hours.

Among the best tours I recommend you to book a sidecar tour of Aix-en-Provence, either with an audio guide or with a local guide. You can discover the interesting history of its buildings, monuments, squares with ornamental fountains and other places of interest along the streets.

With audio guide

With the audio guide system, you will explore Aix-en-Provence with the information from your mobile phone, but at your own pace, as you can pause and resume at your own pace. Thanks to the GPS system, you will follow a route from the Town Hall of Aix-en-Provence, the city's town hall, to the Fontaine de la Rotonde, the ornamental fountain dating back to 1860.

• Price: the use of the audio guide usually costs €7,49.
• Duration: the audio guide lasts approximately 75 minutes.

With a local guide

In this type of tour, the guide will provide you with interesting facts and anecdotes that only locals can know. You will walk along the Cours Mirabeau where you will see the four famous fountains: La Rotonde, the Fountain of the Nine Canons, the Fountain covered with moss and the King René Fountain. You will discover the City Hall, the Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace, monuments, squares, terraces and much more.

• Price: the guided sidecar tours start at €123 per person.
• Duration: The average time for this guided activity is 45 minutes.

Visit the family-run Terre Ugo estate and see its beautiful lavender fields without leaving Aix-en-Provence. Just drive approximately 15 minutes from the historic centre and you will find this magical place with a long history and an eco-responsible approach.

Once you enter this countryside you will be immediately relaxed by the sweet scent of lavender and the sound of cicadas. You will be able to contemplate a truly dreamlike landscape made up of three hectares, where the protagonist is this emblematic flower. During the tour you will learn all you need to know about the organic cultivation of the lavender flower, its origin, benefits and variety of uses. You'll also have free time to take photos, lie down to sunbathe on one of the chiliennes or sit in the shade.

Before the end of the experience, you can go to the restaurant area and try the refreshing lavender ice cream or go into the product shop and buy oils, infusions or soaps. Another option to discover the lavender fields is to book an excursion to the Parc Naturel du Verdon.

Useful information

• Price: the tour of this lavender field in the heart of Aix-en-Provence costs €7 per person. Children under the age of 12 are free of charge.
• Duration: the experience usually lasts a maximum of 2 hours.

If you are interested in the life and work of the Post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne, Aix-en-Provence offers you the opportunity to discover his life and work in a tour that you can do at your own pace. Start at La Rotonde, just outside the Tourist Office, where you'll see some marks on the ground with the image of the city's coat of arms that you'll have to follow. Among the more than 30 places you will discover along the way, the following stand out:

• The Statue of Cézanne, made in bronze by Gabriel Sterk.
• The Société des amis des arts, at Avenue Victor Hugo 2 bis, known for being the place where Cézanne held two exhibitions.
• The Collège Mignet, at 41 rue Cardinale, where the artist studied.
• The town hall, where he joined his life legally with Hortense Fiquet.

You can also add to this experience a visit to Cézanne's studio, at 9 Av. Paul Cézanne. There, you will find his work tables, fruit bowls, the usual skulls, vases, clothes and all his tools. And if you want to continue to get to know Aix-en-Provence from an artistic point of view, be sure to book a Van Gogh tour.

Useful information

• Price: the circuit of Cézanne's footsteps is free of charge. However, to access the artist's studio, you will have to pay an entrance fee starting at €6.50. You can also upgrade the experience with an audio guide for an additional cost of approximately €3.
• Opening hours: The circuit is available all day long, as it is a self-guided activity. The workshop is usually open from Monday to Friday, from 9.30am to 1.30pm and from 2pm to 5pm.

During your stay in Aix-en-Provence you can rent an electric bike and explore the city on your own up to the foot of Mont Sainte-Victoire, or you can do the activity accompanied by a guide who will tell you about this iconic place, which inspired the French painter Paul Cézanne.

During the route you will ride through the streets of Aix-en-Provence, getting a different perspective of them, the first kilometres being asphalted. Then you will find off-road trails and some steep hills.

You will pass a number of viewpoints overlooking the imposing mountain. You will also have the opportunity to stop to admire nature and take photographs. Definitely an activity that should not be missing on your itinerary of the best day trips from Aix-en-Provence.

Useful information

• Price: the price of the activity starts from 64 € per person.
• Duration: the guided bike tour usually lasts 3 hours.

During your stay in Aix-en-Provence, don't miss the Saint-Sauveur Cathedral. There, you will discover an incredible architectural example of great beauty and historical importance.

When you arrive at the cathedral, you will see the façade and you will immediately think that it is a Gothic building. However, when you enter the interior you will see how the Romanesque style and other architectural trends are intermingled. Along the route you will see:

• The Central Nave, with a Gothic wine cellar.
• The right side nave, which was formerly a temple for the worship of the god Apollo.
• A circular baptistery, dating from the 6th century.
• The left aisle, representative of the Baroque style.

There is also the Romanesque cloister, built at the end of the 12th century, where you can see a quadrilateral with the four evangelists (Luke, Matthew, John and Mark), twin columns and plant capitals.

Useful information

• Price: admission to the Cathedral and the guided tour of the Cloister is free.
• Timetables: The Cathedral is open daily from 8am to 7pm. Access to the cloister is by guided tour which starts every 30 minutes from 10am to 5.30pm.

A ride on Le Petit Train Touristique is another must on your visit to Aix-en-Provence. You'll feel like you've stepped back in time aboard the carriages of this small electric train as you ride through the lively streets of the old town.

To enjoy this experience, head outside the Aix-en-Provence tourist office. From there, you will set off on a panoramic tour of the town's main tourist destinations. Such is the case of Saint-Sauveur Cathedral and the town hall palace. You will also see fountains such as La Rotonde, the Fountain of the Nine Canons, the moss-covered Fountain, the King René Fountain, terraces, monuments and more.

You will also be provided with headphones in any of the 57 carriages of the train to enjoy an audio guide in several languages. This way, you will learn about the history of the city and the places you pass through.

Useful information

• Price: the entrance fee to Le Petit Train Touristique is around 10 ¤ for adults and 5 ¤ for children from 4 to 12 years old.
• Duration: the ride on Le Petit Train Touristique usually lasts about 45 minutes.

Aix-en-Provence Market is a unique experience. You will be captivated by the picturesque scene of the place and the intoxicating aromas of fruits, vegetables, spices, meats, cheeses and seafood.

You can walk around each of the market stalls accompanied by a local guide who will tell you about the history of the place, the food and products, while suggesting the best places for you to start tasting. You can also do this activity on your own.

In either case, you will taste products such as olive oil, honey, Provençal wines, cheeses, bread, cold meats, olives and fruits. You will have time to shop for lavender, flowers, Corsican meat, fashion, crafts and more. And, if you wish, enjoy a cooked meal.

Useful information

• Price: the guided tour has an average cost of €45 per person. However, if you do the activity on your own, entry to the market is free.
• Duration: The guided activity usually lasts a maximum of 2 hours, but if you do the tour on your own you will not have a time limit.

During your stay in Aix-en-Provence you can enjoy the thermal waters of the city and spend a different kind of day. Relax and enjoy the benefits of the waters that have been flowing in the town for over 2,000 years.

You can visit the Sextius baths or the Roman thermal baths, located approximately six minutes' walk from the centre of Aix-en-Provence. This is a place that combines 18th century architecture and modernity.

Although you will not be able to see the ruins of the ancient thermal baths, as they have not been preserved, you will have the privilege of soaking in the mineral waters at a temperature of 34°C, set in a beautiful fortification. You can also enjoy mud treatments, hydromassage and steam baths to relax to the maximum.

Useful information

• Price: the price of the thermal baths starts at €32 per person.
• Opening hours: every day, from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm.

The Fondation Vasarely is a must-see destination if you are an art enthusiast. Therefore, you should not hesitate to include this visit in your selection of the top 10 museums in Aix-en-Provence.

You will enjoy an astonishing artistic display of Op Art, mixing abstract and constructivist art. All this through lines, colours and shapes that try to deceive your eyes through illusions.

During your tour through the rooms of this museum dedicated to Victor Vasarely, who is considered the father of Op Art, you will discover the life of the artist and the history behind this movement. You will also see works such as Chessboard (1935), Zebra (1937), Vega-Nor (1969), Vega 200 (1968), Optical Cube (1997), among others.

Useful information

• Price: Admission to the museum starts at €12 for adults. There are also reduced prices for groups and with a guide, which you should check in advance.
• Opening hours: every day, from 10am to 6pm; except on 24 December, from 10am to 4pm. Closed on 25 December and 1 January.