By aixcentric 2015 will see the production of ‘Les Insépérables’, a film on the early lives of Paul Cézanne and Emile Zola who famously met at school in Aix. Cézanne will be played by Guillaume Gallienne and Zola by Guillaume Canet when shooting starts in September. Filming will take place …

Serious athletes often push their physical boundaries to new extremes; climbing higher mountains, running longer distances, or entering Navy Seal inspired team-relays on muddy courses… Now, serious wine buffs can compete too! Connoisseurs who are looking to close their personal “wine gap” by moving beyond buying familiar labels and ‘trusted’ …

“To Joan. A loaf of bread, a jug of wine and thou, plus a house in Provence.” ~Dedication: The Provence Book. It was a perfect Provencal day, where the cobalt-blue morning sky turns white by noon under the sun’s intense rays. Nutmeg arrived at Provence Paradise, an enclave of self-catering …

Fancy a walk through lavender fields? Do you want to get away from the crowds on the coast? Did you know there are 60 kinds of orchids in one national park? In two recently published guidebooks Walking in Provence East and Walking in Provence West by author Janette Norton, you …

Glanum a Roman oppidum, protected by its fortified walls once housed a flourishing community. The settlement stood on a hillside in the shadow of the rocky, crests of the Alpilles slopes. The Franks in 260AD destroyed Glanum. The population was forced to resettle on the valley floor, giving rise to St Remy de …

By aixcentric Alan Ayckbourn is one of the UK’s most popular playwrights with over 70 plays to his name. And this weekend there is an opportunity to see one of them, direct from the National Theatre London, here in Aix. A Small Family Business tells the story of Jack McCracken, …

Philippe Goninet might be slightly biased, but according to this Provence tour guide read more here. “St Remy is the place I always recommend as a base for visitors.” Here are his top tips for a visit to Provence.  #Discover Stroll around the village and discover its hidden gems in …

By aixcentric In search of a lunchtime snack today, I happened across Columbus Café which I hadn’t seen before. It has a good array of fresh salads, filled baguettes, and toasted paninis and bagels, plus muffins which they say are made on the premises. It was a perfectly good lunch …

Ok, I’m dreaming about Starbucks. I know I know…… I should never say such a thing like that when I’m in France surrounded by the highly sophisticated coffee drinking society of Aix. It starts early with a small black (ordered as un cafe, mainly served in a cup but sometimes …

By aixcentric What a wonderful subject for next year’s show at the Carrieres de Lumieres. ‘Leonardo de Vinci, Michel-Ange, Raphael: Les Géants de la Renaissance’ takes the visitor on a journey starting in Milan. It then goes to Florence where Raphael and Leonardo were painting portraits and Madonnas, then to …