11 Best Things to Do in Aix-en-Provence

In the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southern France lies the city of Aix-en-Provence, birthplace of the important post-impressionist painter Paul Cézanne. Its streets offer 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, admire the architectural features of the Saint-Sauveur Cathedral, visit the Provençal Market or try fresh produce, among other activities. Want to know more?

If you are a wine lover, you must book the Mont Sainte-Victoire wine tour, where you will discover the flavours and aromas of different red, rosé and white wines.

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

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

Useful information

• Price: you can find this activity for prices ranging from £74 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 great detail thanks to the company of a professional guide who will take you to the region's points of interest: the Corniche des Crêtes coastal road, the Cabo Canaille cliff and the picturesque Port of Cassis.

This activity lasts approximately four hours and takes you to the jewel of the French Riviera, where you will also have free time to walk around the village, enjoy the local cuisine, take the best photos and buy unique souvenirs.

The excursion is for small groups of no more than eight people and includes return transport by minibus.

Useful information

• Price: you can book this excursion from £74 per person.
• Duration: the excursion lasts a maximum of four hours.

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

With audio guide

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

• Price: the audio guide usually costs £6.99.
• Duration: the audio guide lasts approximately 75 minutes.

With a local guide

On this type of tour, the guide will provide you with interesting facts and anecdotes that only locals know. You will stroll along the Cours Mirabeau, where you will see the famous four fountains: La Rotonde, the Fountain of the Nine Cannons, the Moss-Covered Fountain and the Fountain of King René. You will discover the Town Hall, the Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace, monuments, squares, terraces and much more.

• Price: guided sidecar tours start at £123 per person.
• Duration: the average duration of this guided activity is 45 minutes.

Visit the Terre Ugo family farm and admire its beautiful lavender fields without leaving Aix-en-Provence. Just a 15-minute drive from the historic centre, you'll find this magical place with a long history and an eco-friendly approach.

Once you enter the fields, you'll immediately relax thanks to the sweet fragrance of lavender and the sound of cicadas. You'll be able to admire a truly dreamlike landscape covering three hectares, where this iconic flower takes centre stage. During the tour, you'll learn everything you need to know about the organic cultivation of lavender, its origins, benefits and variety of uses. You'll also have free time to take photos, lie down and sunbathe on one of the deckchairs provided or sit in the shade.

Before the end of the experience, you can visit the restaurant area and try some refreshing lavender ice cream or visit the shop to buy oils, herbal teas and soaps. Another option for exploring the lavender fields is to book an excursion to the Verdon Natural Park.

Useful information

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

If you are interested in learning about the life and work of post-impressionist painter Paul Cézanne, Aix-en-Provence offers a tour that you can take at your own pace. Start at La Rotonda, outside the Tourist Office, where you will see some marks on the ground with the image of the city's coat of arms that you should follow. Among the more than 30 places you will discover along the way, the following are particularly noteworthy:

• The Cézanne Statue, made in bronze by Gabriel Sterk.
• The Société des amis des arts, at 2 bis Avenue Victor Hugo, known as the place where Cézanne held two exhibitions.
• The Collège Mignet, at 41 Rue Cardinale, where the artist studied.
• The town hall, where he legally married Hortense Fiquet.

You can also add to this experience with 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 instruments. And if you want to continue exploring Aix-en-Provence from an artistic point of view, be sure to book an excursion on Van Gogh.

Useful information

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

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

During the route , you will ride through the streets of Aix-en-Provence, getting a different perspective of them, with the first few kilometres being paved. You will then come across off-road trails and some steep hills.

You will pass a series of viewpoints overlooking the imposing mountain. You will also have the opportunity to stop and admire the natural surroundings and take photographs. This is definitely an activity that should not be missed on your itinerary of the best day trips from Aix-en-Provence.

Useful information

• Price: the price of the activity starts at £58 per person.
• Duration: the guided bike tour usually lasts 3 hours.

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

When you arrive at the site, you will see the façade and immediately think that it is a Gothic building. However, once inside, you will see how the Romanesque style and other architectural trends are intermingled. Along the way, you will see:

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

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

Useful information

• Price: admission to the cathedral and the guided tour of the cloister is free.
• Opening hours: this site is open every day from 8 am to 7 pm. Access to the cloister is via a guided tour that starts every 30 minutes from 10 am to 5:30 pm.

Hopping on Le Petit Train Touristique is another must-do activity during 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 travel through the lively streets of the old town.

To enjoy this experience, head to the outskirts of the Aix-en-Provence tourist office. From there, you will set off on a scenic route through the town's main tourist attractions. These include Saint-Sauveur Cathedral and the town hall. You will also see fountains such as La Rotonde, the Fountain of the Nine Canons, the Moss-Covered Fountain and King René's Fountain, as well as terraces, monuments and more.

In addition, each of the 57 carriages is equipped with headphones so you can enjoy an audio guide in several languages. This way, you can learn about the history of the city and the places you pass by.

Useful information

• Price: the cost of admission to Le Petit Train Touristique is around £10 for adults and £5 for children aged 4 to 12.
• Duration: the ride on Le Petit Train Touristique usually lasts approximately 45 minutes.

The Aix-en-Provence Market offers a unique experience. You'll be captivated by the picturesque scene and the intoxicating aromas of fruits, vegetables, spices, meats, cheeses and seafood.

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

In either case, you will sample products such as olive oil, honey, Provence wines, cheeses, bread, cold cuts, olives and fruit. You will have time to buy lavender, flowers, Corsican meat, fashion, handicrafts and more. And, if you wish, you can enjoy a prepared meal.

Useful information

• Price: the guided tour costs an average of £45 per person. However, if you do the activity on your own, admission to the market is free.
• Duration: the guided activity usually lasts a maximum of 2 hours, but if you visit on your own, there is no time limit.

During your stay in Aix-en-Provence, you can enjoy the city's thermal waters and spend a different kind of day. You will 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 with modernity.

Although you won't be able to see the ruins of the ancient baths, as they have not been preserved, you will have the privilege of immersing yourself in these mineral waters at a temperature of 34ºC, set in a beautiful fortification. You can also enjoy mud treatments, hydromassage and steam baths for maximum relaxation.

Useful information

• Price: the price of the thermal baths starts at £32 per person.
• Opening hours: every day from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Fondation Vasarely is a must-see destination if you are an art enthusiast. So don't hesitate to add this visit to your list of the 10 best museums in Aix-en-Provence.

You will enjoy an amazing artistic display of Op Art, which blends the abstract and the constructivist. All this through lines, colours and shapes that aim to deceive your eyes through illusions.

During your tour of the rooms of this museum dedicated to Victor Vasarely, 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) and Optical Cube (1997), among others.

Useful information

• Price: admission to this museum starts at £12 for adults. There are also reduced prices, group rates and guided tours, which you should check in advance.
• Opening hours: every day from 10 am to 6 pm, except 24 December, when it is open from 10 am to 4 pm. It is closed on 25 December and 1 January.