It’s a pretty big honor to be the first Roman Catholic church in a region where around half of the population is Catholic. Back in the 12th century, Église Saint-Jean-de-Malte served as a hospice and chapel for the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem of the Order of Malta.  This group was formed …

Did you know that Thomas Jefferson was the American Minister to France when he travelled to Southern France in 1787? “Thomas Jefferson’s Journey To The South of France” a book written by Roy and Alma Moore details his travels. The publication is complete with copies of Jefferson’s letters, recent pictures …

By aixcentric Aix must be a paradise for archaeologists: building work in town so often yields ancient foundations and sewers, but sometimes sumptuous Roman mosaic dining room floors, everyday pottery and glass from the table, and even jewellery, oil lamps and statues. They date from around 2000 years ago when …

By aixcentric In this week of commemoration, remembering those who perished at Auschwitz, it is fitting to honour those people, living and working in Aix, who helped save Jewish families, at great personal risk. They are designated ‘Juste parmi les Nations’. There are 25,000 worldwide, 3,700 in France and more …

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 …

Dutch-born Anne-Marie Simons is a traveller. She studied in Paris, worked in Brussels and then moved to the United States where for a long time she worked only to support her travel-bug. Today, Anne-Marie and her husband Oscar reside in Aix-en-Provence where she continues to hone her writing. The following …

By Deborah In awe of the French Anytime I take a trip in France and walk among ancient Roman ruins, I am thankful to the French. In French towns and villages where the Romans used to roam, you can actually see, feel, touch and experience the places of the past. …

By aixcentric Today is the feast day of Saint Barbara – Sainte-Barbe – and in Provence, the day for planting blé d’ésperance ready for the Christmas table. If you are new to Aix, these are the corn-seeds currently being sold from makeshift stalls – and grocery shops – usually for …

By aixcentric Saturday sees the opening of the new expo at the Musée Granet: Aix Antique will whisk us back to Roman times to give us a taste of what the town must have been like in its heyday. There will be artefacts aplenty as digging out foundations for new …

Challenged to find ratatouille and timely updates on current events, Lynne Alderson took matters into her hands and launched Aixcentric. After three-years, this blog is THE go-to source for what is happening in and around Aix en Provence. From bus strikes to gallery openings, from Marseille’s shopping to the best …