Lovingly referred to as «Aix», the city was founded in 102 B.C. by the Roman army during the first few years of its occupation of southern France. The town developed quickly and in the 3rd century became the capital city of the province.
THE PEARL OF SOUTHERN FRANCE
Between the craggy, southern offshoots of the French Alps and the sunny coast of Midi lie the pastel coloured houses of Aix-en-Provence, the pearl of southern France. The former metropolis, at the foot of the Sainte-Victoire Mountain, fascinates with the aristocratic flair of its sycamore lanes, called Cours Mirabeau. A number of constantly rippling fountains and proud, artfully decorated façades of patrician houses, round out the romantic picture of this charming city. During Roman times, the place was a popular health spa with hot springs, and a centre of olive, wine and almond production. During the middle ages French and Spanish noblemen fought over this desirable piece of land. After joining France in 1481, the city retained a certain proud and independent spirit and repeatedly and successfully resisted the power of the state. Modern day Aix-en-Provence, with a population of 140,000, is a lively city housing the most important and renowned university of southern France with around 40,000 registered students. After just a few hours in this town, you can feel the international character of ''Aix''. The arts and culture are prominent at all times – not just during festivals – because many artists have adopted the city, inspired by its picturesque surroundings. A side note: When you ask the French in which city they would most prefer to live, most of them name Aix-en-Provence. Why? Aix guarantees a heightened enjoyment of life, the «joie de vivre»!
