Aix-en-Provence

Aix is a city in southern France.

It sits on a plain near a river. You can see a big mountain nearby.

The weather is warm and sunny. It has many days of sun.

Aix is known as the city of many fountains. Some fountains have hot water.

Many people go to the city to learn. There are many schools there.

It is a very pretty place to visit.

Aix-en-Provence is a city in southern France.

It sits on a plain near the Arc river. You can see the Montagne Sainte-Victoire mountain to the east.

The weather is warm and sunny. The city gets about 300 days of sunshine each year.

Some people feel the wind called the Mistral. It can be cool and gusty.

Aix is known as the city of a thousand fountains. Some fountains have natural hot water.

One famous street is the Cours Mirabeau. It has many trees and fine houses.

Many people go to Aix to study. It is a big center for learning. There are many schools and research centers there.

The famous painter Paul Cézanne was born here. He often painted the big mountain nearby. You can even visit his old studio.

Aix-en-Provence is a beautiful city in southern France.

It sits on a plain near the Arc river. You can see the Montagne Sainte-Victoire mountain to the east.

The city has a warm Mediterranean climate. It enjoys about 300 days of sunshine every year.

Sometimes the Mistral wind brings cool and gusty weather. The city is home to about 148,000 people. These people are often called Aixois.

Walking through the city feels like stepping into history. The Cours Mirabeau is a very famous wide street.

It is lined with double rows of plane trees. You will see fine houses and many beautiful fountains. The street divides the town into two main parts. The old town has narrow and irregular streets.

The newer part of town extends to the south and west. Many old mansions from the 16th to 18th centuries stand here.

This city has a very long and busy history. A Roman named Sextius Calvinus founded it in 123 BC.

He named the city after its natural springs. In 102 BC, a large battle happened nearby. During the Middle Ages, Aix was the capital of Provence. It became a great center for art and learning after the 12th century. In 1501, Louis XII set up a parliament there. This important group stayed in the city until 1789.

Aix is often called the city of a thousand fountains.

Some fountains are very old and use natural hot water. This water is about 34 °C. One famous fountain was built in 1667. It is called the Fontaine des Quatre Dauphins.

Another large fountain stands at La Rotonde. It was built in 1860 with three giant statues. These statues represent art, justice, and agriculture.

Many people visit Aix to learn and enjoy art. It has been a university town for a very long time.

A royal charter for a university was granted in 1409. Today, many different schools and research centers are here. The famous painter Paul Cézanne was born in this city. He loved to paint the nearby mountain. You can still visit his old studio today. The city also hosts a famous opera festival every summer.

Aix-en-Provence is a major city located in southern France.

It sits within the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. The city is situated on a plain overlooking the Arc river. To the east, the white limestone Montagne Sainte-Victoire rises above the landscape.

Aix is a significant urban center with a population of approximately 148,000 people. Its inhabitants are known as Aixois or Aquisextains. The city serves as a subprefecture for its local arrondissement.

The climate in Aix is classified as Mediterranean, specifically Köppen Csa. This means the region experiences warm temperatures and distinct seasons. The city enjoys an average of 300 days of sunshine each year. It receives relatively little rain, averaging only 58 days. Because it is located inland, the weather can be more extreme than in nearby Marseille. While the city is partially protected, it still feels the effects of the Mistral. This wind can bring cooler and gusty conditions to the area.

The history of Aix began in 123 BC with Roman foundations.

The Roman consul Sextius Calvinus founded the settlement. He named the city Aquae Sextiae after its local thermal springs. In 102 BC, the area hosted the Battle of Aquae Sextiae. During this conflict, the Romans under Gaius Marius defeated the Ambrones and Teutones. In the 4th century AD, the city became the metropolis of Narbonensis Secunda. Later, the Visigoths occupied the area in 477 AD.

Throughout the Middle Ages, Aix grew into a major political center. It served as the capital of Provence for a long time. After the 12th century, the city became a seat of learning and art. This growth happened under the houses of Barcelona/Aragon and Anjou. In 1487, Aix passed to the French crown along with Provence. Louis XII established the parliament of Provence there in 1501. This parliamentary body remained active in the city until 1789. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the town was the seat of the Intendance of Provence.

The layout of the modern city reflects its long history. The Cours Mirabeau is a wide and famous thoroughfare. It is planted with double rows of plane trees and lined with fine houses. This street divides the city into two distinct sections. The old town lies to the north with narrow, irregular streets and historic mansions. The new town extends to the south and west. One notable area is the Quartier Mazarin, built in the late 17th century. This district was designed for the gentry by Archbishop Michele Mazzarino.

Aix is famously known as the city of a thousand fountains.

Many of these fountains are connected to the city's thermal history. One natural hot water fountain is covered in moss and dates to Roman times. It maintains a temperature of 34 °C. The Fontaine des Quatre Dauphins was built in 1667 in the Quartier Mazarin. At La Rotonde, a monumental fountain from 1860 features three large statues. These statues represent the concepts of art, justice, and agriculture.

The city is also a major center for education and culture.

A royal charter for a university was granted in 1409. Today, institutions like Aix-Marseille University and Sciences Po are located here. The city is the birthplace of the Post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne. Visitors can walk a trail to his former studio and childhood home. Culturally, the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence is a world-renowned opera event. It takes place every year during late June and July. The city also hosts the Musique dans la Rue street music festival in June.