I stayed here this summer as a base for visiting different areas in the region of Provence. Aix is not the picture of Provence that it is made out to be. The old town and the commercial area are ok but I think the concentration of backpackers takes something away from the experience. I strongly recommend spending more time exploring outside of A-e-P than in.

Aix-en-Provence is a beautiful town situated at some 30 km north of Marseille in the region of Provence in the in the department of Bouches-du-Rhne. The town has some 140,200 inhabitants. In France it is known as the "Paris d'ete" or Paris of the summer. The French jet set used to move from Paris to Aix-en-Provence over summer owing to its Mediterranean climate. The town is certainly worth visiting. The picturesque market place, cours Mirabeau, Cathedral, many fountains. It is also known as the "ville des fontanes et platanes" which means the town of fountains and plane-trees. I was lucky to spend three months in the magic city whose environs are one of the most beautiful places in Europe.