Entertainment Guide to Aix-en-Provence

A cultural treasure trove, Aix-en-Provence has a number of places dedicated to art and painting in particular. Cézanne, the painter and eulogist of the magnificent Sainte-Victoire Mountain, is one of the most frequently celebrated. The town's natural beauty and its cultural heritage are also on display in numerous places including the cité du Roi René, whose opera targets an international audience. The nightlife, which attracts a large student population, is also rich and diverse: there are cinemas, theaters, music and dance shows and nightclubs. In Aix, sports are a very prized activity. There are also several amusement parks scattered around the town, offering other open-air activities.

Fine Art

In addition to the architectural treasures that make it one big open-air museum, Aix-en-Provence boasts numerous and varied spaces dedicated to painting and to the visual arts in general.

Named after Aix-en-Provence's own François Marius Granet, a 19th-century painter who donated many works to the museum, the Musée Granet (Granet Museum) contains major French 16th-20th century paintings. Among the collection's most important works are eight Cézannes depicting the Sainte-Victoire (a nearby mountain) from different angles and in various lights. Tapestry connoisseurs will appreciate the Musée des Tapisseries (Tapestry Museum) located on the Place des Martyrs de la Résistance, on the first floor of the Archbishop's palace. Here a permanent collection of 17th- and 18th-century works shares space with contemporary textile exhibits. Situated in a splendid 17th-century mansion, the Musée du Vieil Aix (Museum of Old Aix-en-Provence) counts among its collections a variety of objects related to local history and rural life: furniture, clothing, nativity figures, and china are on display, as are canvases from the Provençal School. Typical of the movement led by painter and Ecole des Beaux-Arts (School of Fine Arts) director Emile Loubon (1809-1863), the latter are mainly landscapes painted in the region. Located on the Cours Mirabeau, the art gallery of the Conseil Général (Regional Council) promotes past and present local artists through thematic and historic exhibitions.

Head north out of town to visit Cézanne's studio, where works of the great master from Aix-en-Provence are displayed in their authentic setting. Cézanne's workspace has been meticulously preserved, and the visit can be quite moving: you almost expect the artist himself to show up!

The Fondation Vasarely features painting and architecture by the Hungarian artist of the same name. Vasarely was particularly fond of optical illusions. The museum is located between Aix-en-Provence and Marseilles.

Nature and Science

The unique collection of the Musée d'Histoire Naturelle (Museum of Natural History), taken mainly from digs around the nearby Sainte-Victoire mountain, can be found inside the magnificent Hôtel Boyer d'Eguilles. Exhibits include fossils of dinosaurs, fish and insects.

A major archaeological site four kilometres north of Aix-en-Provence, the Entremont Oppidum sheds light on the organization of the Celto-Ligurian civilization that occupied the region until the Romans came in 122 B.C.

The Ecomusée de la Forêt south of Aix-en-Provence was founded in the early 1990s. This museum promotes protection of Mediterranean forests through a visit that is both amusing and instructive.

Other places of cultural interest

The Cité du Livre (Center for Books) features various arts including literature and video.

In an effort to promote renovation of historic façades in central Aix-en-Provence, the Atelier du Patrimoine (Heritage Workshop) hosts lectures and conferences for professionals and the public.

The town of Les Milles, just south of Aix-en-Provence, is home to the Mémorial des Milles. The Memorial sits on the site of a World War II deportation camp, which was set up in a former tile factory.