A Weekend in Provence

“Provence is a country to which I am always returning, next week, next year, any day now, as soon as I can get on a train.” – Elizabeth David

Aix-en-Provence

Southern France was the destination for our group excursion this weekend, with visits to three special cities. Aix-en-Provence is an old city founded by the Romans in 123 B.C. The atmosphere in Aix is very relaxing and a nice change of pace from busy Paris. This city was home to the famous impressionist painter, Paul Cezanne, and the inspiration for many of his greatest works. You can tour the city by following the gold Cezanne emblems embedded into the sidewalks. We wandered up and down many streets; my favorite stop was the Saturday Market, street vendors selling the products of Provence, everything from flowers and produce, to cheese, seafood, clothing, and antiques.

After visiting the Saturday Market in the morning, our next stop was a trip to Cassis, a small port town on the Mediterranean Sea, known for its cliffs and sheltered inlets. We spent the afternoon meandering through the city and soaking up the sun. We stopped at a popular shop, L’Eau de Cassis, and picked up some luxury soaps. This shop has been making soaps and perfumes since 1851, using the motto, “fermez les yeux et sentez,” close your eyes and smell.



Our final day in the south was spent in Marseilles, the third largest city in France and the fifth largest port in Europe. On our guided tour we learned that this city was founded by the Greeks in 600 B.C., but unfortunately, there are no structures or remnants remaining from that time. We saw the oldest section of Marseilles and the waterfront along the old port, which is now filled with pleasure boats. We continued on to Notre-Dame de la Garde, a Catholic church that sits at the highest point of Marseilles. The local residents considered this cathedral to be the guardian and protectoress of the city, thereby earning the nickname of “good mother.” After enjoying the panoramic view, we spent our last couple of hours having a relaxing lunch and a lovely stroll of the beach, before catching a quick, 3-hour ride back to Paris on the TGV, France’s fastest train.