Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: The 18th Phot’Aix is about to begin, both with a major exhibition and a trail which leads people around town from venue to venue. The major exhibition this year, Regards Croisés, features 5 contemporary Chinese and 5 French photographers working on similar themes: at the Cloitre …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: A Table magazine from ‘La Provence’ is a mine of information for those cooking and dining locally. This issue (Septembre-Octobre) spotlights bouillabaisse and prints recipes from various renowned chefs. I always like the section where they review new restaurants – there are 16 featured, among them: …

Aixcentric is a bit in ‘catch-up mode’ having spent the summer in cooler climes. But on my return, I was very keen to see the work of Annie Liebovitz in Arles (on until September 24th). Firstly to see the exhibition of the early work of this important American photographerbut also …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Just to say that the 64-page programme for this year’s Journées du Patrimoine, ‘Les Architectes et La Ville’, is now available at the Aix tourist office. But… for whatever reason, it isn’t out on the shelves. So if you want a copy, you have to queue …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: The Musée Yves Brayer at Les Baux-de-Provence has an exhibition of photography by Henri Cartier-Bresson, who was a friend of Brayer in Paris. Cartier-Bresson, from a well-to-do family in Seine-et-Marne was given a Kodak Brownie as a child, the beginning of his love for photography. …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Recently, I met up with local author Bernadette Murphy whose book ‘Van Gogh’s Ear – The True Story’ has been such a success. It was chosen by BBC Radio 4 as their book of the week and was also the subject of a BBC2 TV documentary. …

Peter Mayle certainly started something back in 1989 when he published A Year in Provence. What a best-seller that turned out to be, and it launched a whole genre of ‘newcomer-to-Provence-buys-old-house/olive-grove books that document the inevitable cultural differences that we all bump up against. Is there anything more to be said? Continue …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Visitors to Marseille’s MuCEM or the Musée Regards de Provence can eat in either venue, or may like to wander along the main road a little to try Les Halles de la Major which is in the vaults tucked underneath the magnificent 19th century cathedral. …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: He is not an artist I had ever heard of, but I came away impressed by this discovery courtesy of the Musée Regards de Provence. Joseph Inguimberty was born in Marseille back in 1896. Here, one of his early works captured the scenes in the …

Contributor blog post by Aixcentric: Sixty paintings by Alfred Sisley (1839-1899) went on show June 10th in Aix at the Caumont Centre d’Art’s summer show. The painter, was born to English parents in Paris, hasn’t been the subject of a retrospective since 2002. Forty per cent of this show includes paintings from private collections not …