I Fell In Love With France-Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Aix-en-Provence

One of the motivations to go to Aix-en-Provence?

A movie. A French movie with English subtitles that I saw years ago. A beautiful movie, although also somewhat gruesome because it was set during the cholera epidemic in France in the 1800's. Part of The Horseman on the Roof took place in Aix.

So I wanted to go.

And see the roof tops of Aix.

Aix is a beautiful city.

There were fountains everywhere.

And cobbled streets

Stunningly beautiful streets.

And it is an old city.

We stopped at the Ministry of Tourism when we arrived and got a little information

and then just took off walking.

We meandered up and down narrow streets

and stopped where it looked interesting.

This was only my second day in France

and I was enthralled with the architecture

and the detail that went into the buildings.

We did end up eventually taking a little "train" tour

that took us to places we wouldn't have been able to walk to

(Cezanne's home and studio).

And we learned more history

and that's always interesting.

I could easily spend more time in Aix.

Doug speaking the motorcycle language. Bonding. Connecting without words.

Ogling.

Amazingly, we didn't do a whole lot of shopping.

We DID shop

(more about that)

but we spent so much time walking around and

taking it all in.

And now that I'm home I wouldn't have minded

if we'd bought a few other things while we were there.

Why does everything seem so much more charming...

...when it's French?

And these shops...

oh my...

This is a regular sight, not just a tourist set up.

This is their Walgreens:

It is beautiful. Delightful.

Every now and then we'd come upon another plaza.

It would seem that the French love their plazas.

And the plazas pretty much always had a fountain.

And they were beautiful. And clean.

The social hub. The place to relax between shops.

The narrow, meandering streets full of shops

would open up onto a plaza

with multitudes of cafes

which were always busy, no matter the time of day.

Well, here's a Horseman on the Roof moment.

This was such an old apartment building

with a fountain

and it was so cool.

The motorcycles are a little incongruent

(but realistic for 2009).

It was a really great day in Aix.

I only wanted to buy one thing in Aix.

I wanted Provencal fabric.

We had to ask around and find a fabric shop,

but we found one.

And I bought fabric in Provence.

We also bought lavender and some lavender sachets

since Provence is famous for its lavender fields.

And scented soaps.

These were actually made in Marseille.

Doug told me that the soap of Marseille is famous.

But it is all Provencal.

And a market basket.

Do I need another basket?

No.

But I sure love this one.

This is Doug on our little train ride

with our basket full of our purchases.

And our self-portrait on the train

back to Marseille.

I'm going back to Aix.

Anyone wanna come?