Aix-en-Provence

Aix-en-Provence or simply Aix (Occitan: Ais de Provença, French: Aix-en-Provence) is a city of southern France, located in Provence (Occitania), in the department of Bouches-du-Rhône, 30 km north of Marseille. It has 143 404 inhabitants (2007).

Even if the neighbor city of Marseille is now the capital of Provence, Aix was for centuries the capital of the former County of Provence and, therefore, has kept the characteritics of an important, regional center until today: great universities attracting a huge population of students, an important juridic center with an appellate court, a lot of prestigious and ancient buildings of outstanding beauty, an attractive place for painters, writers and famous people, nice markets and a reputed way of life.

In the nearby countryside, one can visit the famous Sainte-Victoire Mountain and the archeological site of Entremont.