Cities of France: Ex-en-Provence
One of the main historical centers of Provence – the city of Ex-en-Provenca (AIX-EN-PROVENCE, AIS De Provenca) is halfway between the mountains of Luberon and Marsela, forming with the last extensive agglomeration. At the same time, the ex-en-provence is surprisingly conservative and amazingly beautiful, there are almost no marcel of obvious signs of social inequality and industrial pollution, but as if some snobbery is observed in return to the southern neighbor. From the XII century and before the revolution, the existed the capital of Provence, in which the best poets and artists of their time were flocked, and the wealth of local landowners allowed the city to grow rapidly and good.
sights
The old city of Ex-en-Provence is surrounded by a ring of boulevards and is literally saturated with restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as the local residents themselves believe – the best markets of the region (the pride of the city are anise liqueur "Pastisa", Lavender oil I. soap!).
To get acquainted with the colorful network of small alleys and narrow streets that make up the heart of the ex-en-provence, it is worth passing north of the picturesque area and boulevard Mirabeau. Here, among the mansions of the XVI-XIX centuries and numerous small areas, the tourist will be able to see the decorated canvas of Rubens and Wang Lo Church of Madelene, Classical Town Hall, Old Bread exchange (now post office), majestic the fountain "Rotunda" and Statue of King Rene, Saint Cathedral (XV-XVI centuries.), Church of Saint-Jean de Malt (XV B., First Gothic Church of Provence), Saint-Lazar chapel, episcopal Anshera Palace (now is located here Art Museum Tapisseri, Open daily, except Thursday, from 10.00 to 12.30 and from 13.30 to 18.45; Entrance – 2.5 euros), Museum of Goblenov and superb Museum of the Old Town (Musee du Vieil Aix, open from Thursday to Sunday from 10.00 to 12.00 and from 14.30 to 18.00; Login – 4 euros).
No less well-known collections of ex-en-provence are in the quarter Mazar (Mazarin), south of the Mirabeau boulevard, which in the middle of the XVII century was a residential area for nobility, and therefore literally replete with architectural masterpieces. Saint-Jean-De-Malte is a richest complex Museum Grane (open from Wednesday Monday, with 11.00 to 18.00; Entry – 10 euros), the assembly of which covers art and archeology, and also contains objects found on the site of the excavation of the ancient capital of Ligurov – Antremont (Oppidum d’Entremont, 3 km north of the modern city). No less known Atelier-Cesann – Former Master Studio, turned into a house-museum, architectural ensemble Square d’alberta, as well as the complex Victor Vazareli Foundation (Fondation Vasarely) on the Marcel-Pagnol Avenue (4 km west of the city center) with numerous works of this famous artist and sculptor. Another center of the cultural life of the district is the complex Site du-Livr, rebuilt from the old match factory. Now there are libraries, a cinema, theater, a video card, several art exhibitions, as well as the playground of the famous Ballet Preljocaj troupe.
Around the city
East of the city you can visit the surroundings of the picturesque Mont-Saint-Victor Mountain (1010 m, "heroine" More than 50 Cezanne wastes), the castle of the XIV century with the grave Picasso in Vovenarge (Vauvenargues), Toront Abbey (XIV-XVII centuries., One of the largest in the region) between the Kabasse (Cabasse) and Kars (Carces), a beautiful castle in Anthlerge (Entrecasteaux), picturesque little city Op (AUPS), famous Verdon Gorges (Gorges du Verdon) with their picturesque fortified villages, formidable thresholds and majestic cliffs, whole fields of lavender around the village Rye (Riez) with its famous plant of a lavender essence and wonderful apieges, a huge cliff, crowned with NOTR Dam-dm-Rock, near Castellan (Castellane), spa town Dyn (Digne-Les-Bains, Administrative Center for the Alps of the Alps of the Upper Provence) and the surrounding Regional Natural Park of the Upper Provence – the largest geological reserve in Europe, as well as the Terrible Citadel Sisterone (Sisteron).
Reviews and studies of trips
French Province – Sillans-La-Cascade (Cascades Sillas)
Waterfalls can be seen from afar, but still it is worth going down to the river to see how the river forms amazing dams under green arches of trees and bushes. Read more →
Ruslanviktorov | Summer 2015
Saint-Remy de Provence – the homeland of Nostradamus and the hospital Van Gogh
We are moving on to the homeland of Nostradamus and where the great and terrible Van Gogh was treated – the city of Saint Remy de Provence, and the entrance to the city we see the field of sunflowers and cannot resist read more →
Ruslanviktorov | Summer 2015
Ex-en-Provence – the city of thousands of fountains
Say ex-city thousands of fountains, and fountains of course a lot, but the vast majority of them are more like a cobblestone, from which the flow of water flows. Read more →
