Page 516 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

16 Aix is still a centre of art and HIDDEN GEM
learning, and its museums
Aix-en-Provence include the Musée Granet of Going to Market
fine arts and arch aeology in Aix-en-Provence is
! F6 ⌂ Bouches-du-Rhône the Palais de l’Archevêché. famed for its astound-
£ @ n Les allées proven-
çales, 300 av Giuseppe Aix has been called “the city ing variety of markets:
sample fresh, seasonal
Verdi; www.aixen of a thousand fountains” and produce daily at place
provence tourism.com three of the best are on cours Richelme, snack on
Mirabeau. On one side are
EXPERIENCE Provence and the Côte d’Azur in AD 477, later by Lombards, cafés. The Old Town is centred Musée Granet
delectable Provençal
some 17th­ and 18th­century
Founded by the Romans in
cuisine at the Grand
103 BC, Aix was frequently
buildings with wrought­iron
Marché, or get literary
balconies; on the other are
attacked, first by the Visigoths
at the city’s monthly
book market.
on place de l’Hôtel de Ville,
Franks and Saracens. Despite
this, the city prospered. By the which has a colourful flower
market. The Caumont Centre
end of the 12th century it was
the capital of Provence. A cen­
d’Art, in one of the city’s most
tre of art and learning, it
"= ⌂ Pl St-Jean de Malte
stunning mansions, is an art
gallery and cultural centre.
# Noon–5:30pm Tue–Sun ¢ 1
reached its peak in the 15th
century during the reign of
Aix’s most famous son is
Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec ∑ musee
granet-aixenprovence.fr
“Good King” René. He is shown Paul Cézanne (1839–1906).
The Atelier de Cézanne has
in Nicolas Froment’s Triptych
of the Burning Bush in the
13th­century Cathédrale St­
"-= ⌂ 3 rue Joseph
died. Montagne Ste­Victoire,
Cabassol # Oct–Apr 10am–
inspiration for many of his
Sauveur, also noted for its
6pm daily (to 7pm May–Sep)
16th­century walnut doors,
paint ings, is 15 km (9 miles)
∑ caumont-centredart.com
east of Aix.
baptistry and cloisters. been kept as it was when he Caumont Centre d’Art
Atelier de Cézanne
"'= ⌂ 9 av Paul Cézanne
# 10:30am–12:30pm, 2–5pm
daily ¢ Dec–Feb: Sun; 1–10
Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec ∑ atelier-
cezanne.com
17
Tarascon
! F6 ⌂ Bouches-du-Rhône
£ @ n 62 rue des Halles;
www.tarascon.org
According to legend, the town
was named for the Tarasque,
a monster, half­mammal and
half­fish, which terrorized the
country side. It was tamed by
Ste Marthe, who is buried in
the church here. An effigy of
this monster is still paraded
through the streets each June.
The striking 15th­century
Château Royal de Provence
on the banks of the Rhône is
one of the finest examples of
Gothic military architecture in
The colourfully lit apse
in the Cathedrale St-
Sauveur, Aix-en-Provence
516-517_EW_France.indd 516 22/02/2019 16:22
EW Must-see / Catalogue template v1.1 – 18th May 2018
Fonts: Aptifer Sans LT Pro, Posterama Text, Soho Gothic
Pro, Soho Pro, ITC Caslon 224