Belle was wrong, there isn’t more than this Provençal life…

Day: 5 - 10 (Aix-en-Provence)
Km travelled: 954.68km
Steps: 62 478

September 11th-15th 2017

I am in love!  I’ve been seduced.  I’ve fallen head over heels.  I’ve found my soul mate.  As I write this my heart is racing and there are butterflies in my stomach.  The minute I laid eyes on my beloved, I knew my search was over.  Sorry mom, I’m not coming home!

Let me start at the beginning.  While I enjoyed my time in Normandy, the dreary temperature was having an effect on my spirits.  After a quick look at the weather map, I somewhat impulsively made the choice to head south to Provence  to bask in the warmth of the mediterranean sun.  After a day of traveling on the TGV (first European train journey = check ), I hoped on a shuttle bus to bring me into the centre of town.  And that’s where it happened.  Love at first sight. I caught fleeting glimpses through the window.   Warm and golden like the sun.  Inviting.  Alluring.  As soon as I got off the bus, I ran to greet my new love.  I was immediately wrapped in a warm embrace and felt my knees go weak.  This was it.  This was where I belonged.  I could feel it.  I just knew.  I was ready to proclaim loud and proud: Aix-en-Provence, I love you!
                                                                                                                          me too!

At 25 degrees and sunny (& dry!), this was paradise!  I gladly walked the 2 miles to my hotel, doing the good old front/back backpack carry.  I settled into my room, exhausted after a long travel day yet exhilarated as to the possibilities that lay ahead.

I awoke early the next day with one thing in mind: market day!  Aromas of fine lavender, earthy cheeses and fresh bread filled the air.  A plethora of colours was laid out before more me like a welcome mat, guiding me from one stall to another.  I filled my non-existent basket (aka my arms!) with lavender honey, fruits, cured sausage and bread.  I was ready for a feast!  A quick trip back to my hotel to unload my market treasures and it was back out discovery this amazing city filled with beautiful fountains and endless possibilities.

Formerly the capital of Provence, this city with approximately 145 000  resident boasts 300 days of sunshine per year with an average of only 91 days of rain.  As I said, paradise!  Locals do warn that it isn’t alway so as a strong northwesterly wind, known as the Mistral, cools things down, especially in winter.  Refusing to give in to such ‘glass half empty thinking’ I vowed to make the most of this Mediterranean climate.  By the afternoon, the weather was a balmy 25 degrees with none a cloud in the sky.  As I strolled back into town, I noticed a curious particularity that would lead anyone to quickly identify me as a tourist: while I was strolling around in my short sleeve and skirt (a skirt that had, up until now, only dreamt of being unrolled and worn on this trip) the locals were strutting around in their best fall fashion!  I’m talking  boots, scarves & jackets.  All I could think of was: what is wrong with these people?  It’s beautiful out!  

Aix-en-Provence has much to offer, from gourmet food, local wines, a historic art scene (Cézanne is a local lad and painted it often) and breathtaking landscapes at every turn.  However, what I loved most about Aix (pronounced ‘ex’, it took a while for me to stop calling it “axe”) is hard to describe; it’s what I call a lifestyle city.  While there’s many things to do and see, it’s the vibe, the energy of the city that is intoxicating.  

Cour Mirabeau

Aix also has a rich history, going back to its Roman origins in 123 BC!  King René is likely one of its most well-known historical figures.  The king of Provence, then a kingdom separate from France was at the same time titular king of Jerusalem, Naples & Sicily.  *Interesting fact: Provençal and catalan dialect are virtual the same for this reason!*

I strolled along the Cour Mirabeau, accordion music wafting through the air, and soaked in the scene: students excitedly milling about, merchant hawking their wares and locals quietly enjoying an afternoon digestif of one of the terraces.  The quintessential Provençal day! 

I spent the next day or so enjoying a Provençal life of leisure; strolling through narrow streets to explore historic areas and multiple fountains, stopping at a cafe for an afternoon glass of pastis or rosé, indulging in local cuisine (moule et frites!) and basking in the sunshine.

My time in Provence was short and I vowed that I needed to return before the end of my yearlong adventure!  Aix-en-Provence was calling my name and I was going to answer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Pastis: anise-flavoured liquor mixed with water, typically Provençal                   A moss-covered warm water fountain

Thought my time in France, the feeling of being in a Disney movie had been a recurrent theme.  That couldn’t be more true here in Aix as the animated classic ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is set Provence.  However, Belle had it wrong: there is nothing more than this Provençal life!