Aix en Provence is also known as Aix in short, and the ideal location of this commune in the south of France makes it perfect for summer holidays. There is a wonderfully warm climate there with an average of 300 days of sunshine per year.
With Aix en Provence car rentals you can easily drive to the Mediterranean coast of Southern France and explore spectacular beaches. Thanks to its early Roman conquerors this is a place replete with history. It has been visited in the past as a spa for its healing properties as hot springs are located there.
Aix en Provence Mini Guide
Aix en Provence is in the south east of France and situated inland from Marseille. The Provencal town of Aix was where the famous French artist Cezanne lived and it has a reputation for being one of the wealthier and more expensive cities in France - not a backpacker’s destination by any means. This includes the fantastic restaurants of Aix en Provence which cost a pretty penny, though there are quite a few options to eat cheaper fast food.
This charming town is home to many farmers markets and three universities making it a picturesque yet lively place to go on holiday. Everywhere you turn you will be confronted with magnificent fountains and the largest of these is on the main avenue through town – known as the Cours Mirabeau.
Two things which you must see in Aix en Provence are the Place de l'Hotel de Ville where the colourful flower market is held on Saturdays and the Place Richelme where the main food market is located. If you want to really fit in with the locals then bowls is the popular French game played in this quiet town. A game of billiards in one of the pubs is also great fun.
Because of the position of Aix en Provence you can drive to and from there from neighbouring Spain on the A9 road. The route is especially beautiful though if you come from Italy as you will pass Nice and the French Riviera affording you some stunning views. This is one of the only toll routes where the scenery is still great. Otherwise save yourself the money and avoid the motorways for an altogether more pleasurable journey.
To get to Aix en Provence from Lyon take the A7 motorway via Marseille, joining the A8 at junction 27. It is possible to drive quickly to Aix en Provence from Marseille as it is only half an hour away. As the city centre is quite small you may want to park up and stroll around to relax and enjoy the atmosphere of the clean and comfortable city. This will save you the trouble of having to find somewhere to park in the centre which can get crowded. You will also get more of a chance to appreciate the fine architecture which includes the wrought iron bell towers which were built to allow strong Mistral winds to blow through them without causing damage.
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