Aix is the ancient capital of Provence, and it still carries itself that way. Elegant townhouses line plane-tree-shaded boulevards, fountains splash on every other corner, and cafe terraces fill with students from one of France's oldest universities.
The city revolves around the Cours Mirabeau, a wide avenue separating the medieval Vieil Aix to the north from the 17th-century Mazarin quarter to the south. Paul Cezanne grew up here, painted the surrounding countryside obsessively, and his presence is everywhere: his studio above town, the Musee Granet with its collection of his work, and the views of Mont Sainte-Victoire that he made famous.
Markets are central to life in Aix. Three times a week the squares fill with stalls selling Provencal olives, goat cheese, lavender honey, and whatever fruit is in season. Saturday morning is the big event. Come early, buy a bag of calissons — the almond-and-melon sweets that are the city's signature — and let the crowd carry you through the old town.