Top Cafe Choices in Aix en Provence

Cafes line the streets in Aix, so you cannot go too far wrong. If you like people-watching, there is nothing like finding a seat in the sun on the Cours Mirabeau and admiring the fashionistas of Aix strolling through town. But let’s go a little off-piste and find some new experiences and, most importantly – cake! Here are some of our favourite cafés and salon de thés in Aix-en-Provence.

When I first moved to Aix, a very elderly French lady took me in hand and told me that Maison Weibel was the only place for patisserie. How right she was. It has a genteel tearoom where you can savour the meringues, calissons, colombiers, frangipane, éclairs, religieuses — all sorts of delights. There are tables outside, too, in the narrow street that leads into Place Richelme and Aix’s colourful 14th-century fruit and vegetable market. Try Happy Days Caffeé on the opposite corner to get closer to the market. No cakes, but you will have a ringside view of the locals sniffing melons and squeezing avocados to get the freshest fruit.

It is not always hot and sunny in Aix, regardless of the impression given by guidebooks. On rainy days or when the Mistral is cutting its icy passage through the streets, make for l’Orienthé (5 rue de Félibre Gaut), where I take my visitors. You leave your shoes at the door and your problems and preoccupations as you settle into the big, comfy, and colourful floor cushions. No people-watching here. Rather, it is a space for intimate or relaxing conversations between friends. Oriental teas are poured from silver pots held high in the air, and there are Tunisian sweet pastries to delight.

My third pick would be Columbus Café on Rue de la Messe. It is relatively new and serves a decent range of paninis, sandwiches, brownies and tarts – they must be good, as this chain has just won the contract to run the cafes on the TGVs.

What I like about Columbus Café is the spacious interior that backs into the former Chapelle des Augustins. During the French Revolution, the local churches were either ransacked or used for stabling horses and foodstuffs. This great Augustinian monastery was virtually destroyed, and new buildings were constructed around it. Here, a bland café exterior belies the interest inside with a lovely vaulted stone ceiling. How often can you sit and enjoy a latte watched over by a 14th-century angel?