By aixcentric This blog normally welcomes initiatives in town, but today must report on two closures, a hotel and a book-shop, both longstanding family businesses; and their demise says a lot about the way things are going in Aix. The hotel is the 3-star Le Manoir, in rue Entrecasteaux, which …

By aixcentric Just a quick call- out for Chez Jo, an institution in Aix. We popped in there for lunch last week on a bright sunny day but the mistral was blowing its chilly passage through the streets of centre ville. Not a day for lunching on the terrace. Inside …

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 …

Abbie Spencer would tell you that in her family photographs were treasures, and maybe that is why she has ended up in the industry. She would also say that travel and meeting people are her inspiration and crystallizing those moments in images is her mission. She describes the weather in …

By aixcentric If like me you enjoy browsing in Book In Bar and appreciate their wide and thoughtful choice of books in English, spare a thought for them at the moment. Rue Joseph Cabassol is being re-paved plus there are major works ongoing to transform the Hotel Caumont opposite into …

By aixcentric It’s our annual opportunity to see films we have missed during the past year – Télérama magazine picks out the 14 they think were the best during 2014. Each will be shown once, either at the Renoir or Mazarin, from 21-27th January. If you clip the coupon out …

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, …

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 …

By aixcentric The Hotel de Ville will be the starting place for a march remembering those who lost their lives in Paris this week; it will take place tomorrow, Sunday 11th, at 15:00. Please be aware that I have been told this verbally today by the staff; I have nothing in …

Author Patricia Sands has distinct memories of Provence from her days as a backpacker in 1967. She told me that she and a friend were travelling around on Eurail passes and meeting new friends as they camped and hiked the sentiers of Provence and the Côte d’Azur. Those joyful images …