Conversation Groups, Social Events & More
Member Login

The French Ignition Blog

Published on Tuesday 9th of February 2016 by Valerie

A bit of French conversation about Aix-en-Provence

As the French Ignition trip to Aix-en-Provence is approaching, how about finding out a bit more about the place? Let’s start with a bit of geography and history. Aix-en-Provence is 33km from Marseille and surrounded by the Trevaresse mountain range in the West and the famous montagne Sainte Victoire in the east, immortalised by Cezanne’s painting. Various rivers cross the region from West to East which has earned Aix-en-Provence its reputation as a thermal resort. Like many place in the south, one of the main advantages (especially if you’re from Glasgow!) is the climate: An average of 300 days of sunshine per year! We’ll just have to hope that our French conversation will not be dampened by one of the 65 days of rain but our chances are very good.

The town itself was founded in 122BC by the Roman consul Gaius Sextius Calvinus and given the name ‘Aquae Sextiae’ (Sextus’ waters). The town is then referred to as ‘Aquis in Provincia’ in 1250, hence the current name of the town officially attributed by President Paul Doumer in 1932. The town has suffered from a turbulent history of which I will spare you the detail. Suffice to say that it was occupied by the Wisigoths, then invaded by by the Francs, the Lombards and the Sarrasins. In 1189, the Dukes of Anjou and Aragon chose the city of Aix as their main residence, thus giving the town a much needed economic boost and a newly found status of capital city of Provence. Unsurprisingly, Aix-en-Provence is still a living testimony to its rich history which spreads across centuries.

If history is your thing, and even if it’s not, Aix-en-Provence won’t disappoint you. There are three distinct historical zones in the town: Quartier Mazarin, Cours Mirabeau and the old town itself. The old part of the town is essentially medieval with its narrow streets, uneven buildings and no less than 101 fountains! Let’s not forget several historical buildings such as the Saint-Sauveur church and the Archbishop palace. The quartier Mazarin is in the centre of Aix and was designed in the seventeenth century on the initiative of Archbishop Michel Mazarin. The quartier contains a large number of hôtels particuliers originally built for the nobility and wealthy merchant class. The Cours Mirabeau is a direct consequence of Archbishop Mazarin’s plans to extend the town. As his initial project involved a partial destruction of the fortified walls, wealthy people who lived closest to the walls found themselves in an open space impracticable and inundated with intense sunshine. Not too much of an issue if you ask me, but nevertheless they demanded that a passage be built dedicated to leisurely walks and easy passage for carriages. Very quickly, this became a favourite place for the nobility to stroll around, throw sumptuous parties and show off their wealth. To this day, Cours Mirabeau is a very animated part of town with shops, cafes, cinemas, etc. whilst still preserving its history with statues, hotels particuliers and a few fountains to admire. One of the most peculiar one is the ‘Fontaine du Cours’ which is alimented by a hot spring and gives out naturally hot water. In winter, you can actually see the team due to the difference of temperature between the water and the air.

Our little tour of Aix wouldn’t be complete without mentioning some of its famous inhabitants: Paul Cezanne and Emile Zola and the unmissable ‘calissons d’Aix’, a sweet delicacy that you just have to try!

Previous Blog Entries

La Famille Belier, the film at the centre of last year’s every French conversation
When ‘La Famille Belier’ came out on the French screens in December 2014, it was the topic of many French conversation. Was it the best film you could ever see?…

Read More »

French conversation over a festive table
It is well known: The French way of life is mostly about good French conversation, wine and food! Christmas and New Year provide the best opportunity to engage in all…

Read More »

French conversation: A pre-Christmas tour of France
A pre-Christmas French conversation: A little tour of France at the festive period…

As the Christmas trees light up in France and across the world, what makes a Christmas typically…

Read More »

French conversation under the stars
What could be better after some good French conversation than to go for some star-gazing? That is exactly what some French Ignition members did last Wednesday at the Glasgow University…

Read More »

Learn French through the art of wine tasting
How do you like your French wine? Are you a sip on it type or a drink it slowly but steadily type? Our French and Canadian experts from Oddbins, Ben…

Read More »

Learning French vocabulary can be fun!
Learning French means learning new vocabulary as it is an essential part of any language acquisition and will increase your confidence when you engage in French conversation. However, it doesn’t…

Read More »

French conversation over a good raclette
Nothing beats a raclette on a cold winter night! Add to it a few bottles of wine and you've got a winning recipe for a good French conversation, regardless of…

Read More »

La Galette des Rois
Any opportunity not to let the festive season fade away to soon... And what could be better than doing just that the French way with an authentic Galette des Rois!…

Read More »

La semaine du gout
And very tasty it was too! Creme brulee aux trois fromages, boeuf bourguignon accompanied by pommes de terre Dauphinoise and to finish it all, the most fantastic creme brulee a…

Read More »

Voyage a Paris
Early morning on the 9th of October and we all gathered at Glasgow International airport, full of anticipation if somewhat still glazzy eyed from the early rise. Luckily, it was…

Read More »

Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrive!
TO LEARN FRENCH IS SO MUCH EASIER WITH A GLASS OF BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU!
Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrive - November 2013

It’s the time of year every wine connoisseur awaits…

Read More »

Beginners listening skills to improve your French conversation
French conversation is a two-way process whereby receiving the language is as important as producing it. Although the Net is an incredible resource when it comes to hearing spoken French,…

Read More »

Intermediate and advanced listening skills to improve your French conversation
This article is a follow-up from the previous one but this time, with intermediate and advanced levels in mind. How can I work on my listening skills in order to…

Read More »

French conversation with a taste of Algeria
Nothing gets a French conversation going like the titillating of taste buds. A few weeks ago, French Ignition organised a Algerian cooking demonstration and food tasting at Studio 93, in…

Read More »

French conversation: The Auld Alliance in Aix en Provence
On the 23rd of September, Edinburgh airport was swarmed with a group of French Ignition members jetting off to Aix en Provence for a French exchange. Here is Moira's account…

Read More »