In the soft golden light of Provence, where fountains gurgle beneath stately plane trees and the scent of lavender mingles with the tang of ripe tomatoes at vibrant street markets, Aix-en-Provence beckons. This elegant jewel of the south, once the capital of Provence, offers not only elegant charm but a rich cultural legacy shaped by its most famous son, says Janine Marsh takes a walk in the footsteps of Cezanne in Aix-en-Provence.
Paint your own memories of Aix
The colourful, vibrant city wakes early, and by 8 am, the markets are in full swing. The market in Place Richelme bursts with colour and life: pyramids of tomatoes, pots of tapenade and crusty loaves still warm from the oven. Locals chat in Provençal-accented French, filling baskets with fresh produce, olives and goat cheese. The scent of roasting chickens mingles with fragrant blooms at the next-door flower market. In the evening, this quaint square is the perfect spot for an aperitif and a popular place for locals to gather.
Cours Mirabeau, Aix’s leafy central boulevard, is ideal for lingering. Moss-covered fountains flow gently, and chestnut trees offer cool shade. The sun-warmed ochre walls of the magnificent baroque mansions are adorned with sculpted facades, and tables spill out onto the pavement for diners to sit and watch the world go by.
Wander up the Cours Mirabeau and you’re walking straight through Cézanne’s childhood. His parents ran a hat shop here once (the faded sign can still be seen on the wall), and just a few doors down is the legendary café Les Deux Garçons, where Cézanne and his friend the writer Emile Zola used to while away the evenings. It’s currently closed due to a fire, but there are rumours it will reopen in 2026.
It was at the nearby Mignet school that young Cézanne stood up to bullies to defend Zola, who repaid him with an apple. Some say it’s what inspired the humble fruit to become one of Cézanne’s obsessions, appearing again and again in his still life paintings. The church where Cezanne was baptised a month after his birth in 1839, the town hall where he married French artist’s model Hortense, and the modest apartment on rue Boulegon (marked by a plaque) where he died on 22 October 1906. There are memories on every corner; the city feels like a living, breathing museum of his life.
His atelier on Lauves Hill is a short walk from the city centre. In the two-roomed studio, surrounded by aromatic pine trees, olive orchards and vineyards, Cezanne worked from 1902 until his death. Upstairs, it feels as though he has just stepped out, his easel, paint-stained smock, and even some of the original still life objects he painted are bathed with soft light from the tall windows. You feel Cezanne’s presence. It’s a haunting, intimate glimpse into the artist’s world. To be inside his studio and see his possessions, the spots in his garden where he chose to paint different facets of the landscape of Provence, choosing different shades at different times of the year. It feels like being part of his life in this beautiful, secluded area. A restoration of the ground floor kitchen, as it was in Cezanne’s day, is ongoing and due to reopen gradually from the summer of 2025.
Just ten minutes further on, you’ll find the Jardin des Ateliers, with one of the most iconic views in all of France, the Montagne Sainte-Victoire. This jagged, moody mountain was Cézanne’s muse and obsession. The scene changes hour by hour, rose hues at dawn, shimmering in the noon heat of a summer’s day, golden at dusk. From here, you can appreciate and understand why Cezanne had such an obsession with the mountain.
Then there’s the Bibémus Quarries, a childhood playground turned lifelong inspiration. You can still see the little stone hut where Cézanne stored his paints and canvases. The ochre cliffs and arches are frozen mid-collapse, like ancient sculptures holding their breath. Take a guided tour just before sunset to admire the radiant colours – it’s utterly transporting.
Cezanne’s inspiration was the palette of the world he saw before him – earth tones and red ochre, olive green, vibrant orange, carmine and burnt Sienna, cobalt blue and ripe plum. What fascinated him wasn’t just the beauty of Provence, but its structure. He saw buildings as blocks of colour, trees as vertical strokes, and landscapes as puzzles of light and form. His style laid the foundations for Cubism and earned him the admiration of Picasso, who famously called him “the father of us all.”
But during his lifetime, few recognised his genius. In fact, he hardly sold a painting and rarely signed his work, considering it unfinished. Towards the end of his life recognition came from fellow artists, Monet was the first to buy a Cezanne – for 50 Francs (about 8 euros). But when the city’s museum Musee Granet was offered paintings after his death, director Henri Pontier sniffily declined, stating that Cezanne’s art would enter the museum only over his dead body, a policy which was followed for decades. There are now some of the great painters artworks in the museum.
Well worth a visit is the 18th-century mansion, Jas de Bouffan, purchased by Cezanne’s father in 1859. By then he had made a fortune in banking, having abandoned the hat business. Here Cezanne painted some of his earliest works – on the walls of the Grand Salon. Those murals were later cut out and sold (for a pittance), and the walls were papered over.
Now owned by the city and lovingly restored the house reopened in June 2025. You’ll be able to see projections of his original paintings on the walls of the grand salon, and wander the gardens that once saw Cézanne hunched over his sketchpad. It’s here that Cezanne painted his card player series, one of which sold for a whopping $250 million in 2011 – a far cry from Monet’s 50 Franc bargain. Book ahead for guided tours of the interior of the elegant mansion with its typically Provencal blue-grey shutters. And leave time to visit the gardens, which though smaller than in Cezanne’s time, are full of reminders of his paintings, from the square pond to the statues.
And if all that art appreciation leaves you peckish, I recommend the glorious Villa Gallici just a short walk away. Chef Christophe Gavot dishes are as inspired as they are delicious. Think rich, sun-blushed flavours that Cezanne adored, and the kind of plating that deserves a round of applause.
Aix has a timeless quality, perfect for a hefty dose of rich culture, joie de vivre and outstanding gastronomy – a city that satisfies your soul.
Find out more at: aixenprovencetourism.com/en
Janine Marsh is a writer and editor of The Good Life France.
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