Contributor blog post by aixcentric: Anyone who has been living in Aix for the past ten years will have witnessed the strong growth of restaurants in town, and specifically the increase in casual eating. La Provence recently reported that there are now nearly 700 places to eat in the commune …

By aixcentric We locals have been watching the ongoing work on the 300 year old mansion, the Hotel Caumont, for two years now as workmen repaired the roof, stonemasons worked on the ancient façade, and lorries drove in and out of what would be the garden area. Twenty million euros …

Contributor blog post by aixcentric: Celebrating 30 years of bringing contemporary dance to Aix, there is an exhibition of photography of the Ballet Preljocaj which is running until 20th September. There will be photos from the archives but also those taken by three photographers, one of whom is Jean-Claude Carbonne …

The thing I love about Provence is that it’s not Paris. What I mean is: Paris is obvious. There’s the Tour Eiffel, l’Arc de Triomphe, a whole slew of “must-see” tourist destinations. But Provence, on the other hand, still has a lot of hidden secrets that the average tourist is …

By aixcentric That’s the question posed by the new exhibition ‘Lieux Saints Partagés’ at MUCEM. All around the Mediterranean, populations are either Christian, Muslim or Jewish, each with their seemingly different religious observances, rituals and places of worship. This exhibition argues that there are far greater commonalities between them than …

It must have been a bit of a letdown for Sarah Pernet, the founder of Discover Provence, to meet with travel guru Rick Steves one week and myself the next. It is obvious why Discover Provence (established 2012) is on Mr Steves’ radar, this young company has achieved the number …

Petit-fils Aixcentric regularly cooks at his maternelle. What a great idea to get them mastering simple recipes so early. Four-year olds can go wild with the icing and sugar sprinkles! His yoghurt cake was delicious and using the empty yoghurt pot as a measure made it so very simple. Explore …

By aixcentric Every June, there’s a must-visit exhibition in Aix from a talented local family – painter Jill Steenhuis, her sculptor husband Sergio Ruffato plus their son Serge, also a sculptor. Jill paints in an impressionistic style and usually takes her inspiration from Aix, the Sainte-Victoire and the countryside around …

By aixcentric It has started – such treats in store for music-lovers. L’Antichambre du Festival, the prelude to the July Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, began June 9th. It’s a chance for locals to sample recitals, opera rehearsals and workshops – there will be 35 in all. Explore this Post Via:: Aixcentric       

By aixcentric What a treasure trove of information this is. If you have children, grandchildren or visitors due, you need to arm yourself with this 148-page guide produced by La Provence. It not only gives you loads of ideas, but also has opening times and costings to save you researching …