# Aix-en-Provence, Marseille > Aix-en-Provence is an elegant university city 30 kilometres north of Marseille, the former capital of Provence and birthplace of the painter Paul Cézanne. It's called the 'city of a thousand fountains': fountains line the plane-shaded main boulevard, the Cours Mirabeau, and one has flowed warm since Roman times. The old town has 17th- and 18th-century mansions, Saint-Sauveur Cathedral, markets and calisson shops, and beyond the city rises Mont Sainte-Victoire, which Cézanne painted dozens of times. Give Aix a day. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/aix-en-provence - City: [Marseille](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille), France - YesGo score: 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 5 h - Opening hours: Town always open; museums and Cézanne's studio by day - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Town free; museums ticketed - From Marseille: ≈ 30 km; bus ≈ 30–40 minutes - Cézanne's studio: Ticket, best booked ahead - Population: ≈ 148,000 - Duration: ≈ a day - Location: 30 km north of Marseille - Coordinates: 43.52778, 5.44556 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **123 BC** — the Romans founded the city (source: English Wikipedia) - **1409** — the university founded (source: English Wikipedia) - **34 °C** — water of the warm Cours Mirabeau fountain (source: English Wikipedia) - **300** — sunny days a year (source: English Wikipedia) ## About Aix-en-Provence Aix-en-Provence lies 30 kilometres north of Marseille, on a plain by the River Arc with a view of the white Mont Sainte-Victoire. The Romans founded it by hot springs in **123 BC**. In the Middle Ages Aix was the **capital of Provence**, a centre of art and learning; its university dates from 1409, and from 1501 it was the seat of the Parliament of Provence. Today it's one of the loveliest and calmest cities in southern France: honey-coloured mansions, shady boulevards, squares with fountains, markets and cafés full of students. **Paul Cézanne** was born here, and the city treasures his memory. ## What to see - **Cours Mirabeau** — a plane-shaded boulevard of fountains and cafés. - **The old town** — mansions, Place d'Albertas and Place des Trois-Ormeaux. - **Saint-Sauveur Cathedral** — styles from the 5th to the 17th century. - **Quartier Mazarin** — the Fountain of the Four Dolphins. - **Cézanne's studio** — the painter's last workshop. - **Musée Granet** — European painting and sculpture. ## The Cours Mirabeau and fountains Aix's main street is the **Cours Mirabeau**, a broad boulevard with double rows of plane trees following the line of the old city wall. Mansions and banks line one side, cafés the other. The most famous is Les Deux Garçons, from 1792, frequented by Cézanne, Zola and Hemingway. Aix is called the **'city of a thousand fountains'**. The Cours Mirabeau has three: at the top, a fountain of 'good King' René holding Muscat grapes; halfway down, a moss-covered **warm fountain** (34 °C) flowing since Roman times; and at the bottom, on La Rotonde, a monumental fountain of 1860. In the Quartier Mazarin stands the graceful 17th-century **Fountain of the Four Dolphins**. > **When to come** Come **in the morning**: on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays the centre fills with markets selling produce, flowers, fabrics and antiques. Be sure to try **calissons**, lozenges of almond, orange peel and candied melon, Aix's signature sweet. In July the city holds an opera festival, with tickets selling out early. ## The old town and cathedral North of the Cours Mirabeau begins the **old town**, with narrow winding streets and mansions from the 16th to 18th centuries. Look in on **Place d'Albertas** with its fountain and Place des Trois-Ormeaux, and walk on to the town hall and its clock tower. **Saint-Sauveur Cathedral** stands on the site of the Roman forum: it mixes styles from the 5th to the 17th century, and its Gothic portal has finely carved **walnut doors**. In the Quartier Mazarin are the 13th-century church of Saint-Jean-de-Malte and the **Musée Granet**, with European painting including works by Cézanne. ## In Cézanne's footsteps **Paul Cézanne** was born in Aix and worked here all his life. A **Cézanne trail** of brass markers in the pavement leads to places linked to him: his childhood home Jas de Bouffan, cafés, his school and his last **studio** on the Lauves hill. The studio has been kept much as he left it: the easel, the objects from his still lifes, his coat and hat. Beyond the city rises the white limestone **Mont Sainte-Victoire**, which Cézanne painted more than eighty times; its silhouette is instantly recognisable from the canvases. ## How to get there 1. By bus from Marseille Saint-Charles to Aix, 30–40 minutes, frequent services. 2. By train from Marseille to Aix-centre station, about 45 minutes. 3. By TGV from Paris to Aix-TGV, about 3 hours, then a bus to the centre. 4. Central Aix is pedestrian, with everything close together. ## Tips for your visit Give Aix a whole day: the market and old town in the morning, the Cours Mirabeau and cathedral at midday, then Cézanne's studio or the Musée Granet in the afternoon. Book the studio ahead, as visits are in small groups. Aix is an easy day trip from Marseille, with buses from Saint-Charles every 10–15 minutes. Afterwards, head back to Marseille for sunset at [Notre-Dame de la Garde](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/notre-dame-de-la-garde). The centre is flat and pedestrianised, good with a pushchair. Summer afternoons are hot, but the plane trees shade the boulevards. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Catch a morning market - [ ] Find the warm fountain on the Cours Mirabeau - [ ] Book Cézanne's studio - [ ] Try calissons - [ ] Look out for Mont Sainte-Victoire ## Places in Marseille: compare and choose Places in Marseille rated by YesGo. - [Old Port](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/vieux-port) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Aix-en-Provence](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/aix-en-provence) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 5 h · Free - [Cassis](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/cassis) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free - [Aubagne](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/aubagne) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free - [Martigues](https://yesgo.io/france/marseille/martigues) — YesGo score 23/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h 30 min · Free ## Don't mix it up Aix-en-Provence is the city near Marseille; Aix-les-Bains is a spa town in Savoie on Lake Bourget. ## Tips - Market in the morning. - Book the studio ahead. - Take calissons home. - Buses every 15 minutes. ## Questions ### How do I get to Aix-en-Provence from Marseille? By bus from Saint-Charles in 30–40 minutes, or by train. ### What is there to see in Aix-en-Provence? The Cours Mirabeau, the old town, Saint-Sauveur Cathedral, Cézanne's studio and the Musée Granet. ### How long do I need in Aix? A whole day. ### What should I eat in Aix-en-Provence? Calissons, a sweet of almond and candied melon. ### Where can I see Mont Sainte-Victoire? From the hill by Cézanne's studio and on the road out of town. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Prices, museum hours and transport times weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Aix-en-Provence - Aix-en-Provence tourist office, aixenprovencetourism.com --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.