Nice hinterland - La Parare

Yesterday we drove from Aix en Provence to a village in the Nice hinterland (Chateauneuf Villevieille). We are staying in a lovely bed and breakfast (La Parare) about 25 minutes inland from Nice.


The surrounding countryside is spectacular. Very mountainous, with narrow winding roads for Bill to navigate!

Today we visited an old bastide village, Peillon, perched high on a single hilltop where the narrow streets were only accessible by foot (photos 1 & 2). We also visited the famous town of Eze, well known for its breathtaking views of the Cote d'Azur and its perfumerie.

Unfortunately the rain has settled in, so sight seeing was somewhat limited. No complaints, as we have been very lucky with the weather. It was perfect for snuggling up in our cosy room (photos 3, 4 ,& 5 show our terrace and view).

Two more days and then we head off to Bangkok on our way home (sigh!).

Au revoir Aix

Today is our last day in Aix. We devote our last Aix blog to our home away from home. For the last seven weeks we have delighted in the offerings of a town large enough to satisfy all consumer needs and wants, while intimate enough to feel familiarity in a short period of time.

Not only have we enjoyed the benefits of Aix's location in experiencing provencial France with relative ease, we have also been spoilt with our apartment's utility and location; inside the old town (le vieux village) in the Quatier Mazarin, surrounded by narrow winding streets and other apartments, shops, cafes and boutiques. It is close to the intersection of rue Fernand Dol and rue d’Italie.

So we thought we might wax lyrically in attempt to give a sense of the surroundings that we regretfully leave behind.

We will miss the daily one minute walk to the boulangerie, the weekday interaction with the hairdressing students (and their experimental hairstyles) as they loiter downstairs on our steps while waiting for their college to open, and the sounds of the daily rituals of hosing down the street and garbage collection (where rubbish bags are simply left on the street for daily pick up).

We will be waiting for the chorus of church bells (right behind us!!!) to chime at 7.50 am (two lots of three chimes and then a peel of several - we never worked out the significance of the number of chimes, if any).

We will remember the "high-end" home interior decorating shop next door, the fashion house opposite and the 'bonbon' (lolly) shop on the corner. Not to mention the patisserie, the men's boutique, the 'cave' (wine shop), the florist and the boucherie (butcher; with home made sausages, trussed quail, chickens, ducks and geese with their heads and feet still intact for identification, succulent smelling chickens being cooked in the portable rotisserie on the pavement, and in-house daube, ratatouille and veal stew). All within 50 metres or so!

No doubt we will recall the 3 minute walk past colourful cafes, restaurants, beauty parlours, boutiques and other apartments to Cours Mirabeau, the beautiful main promenade; a walk where one must be alert as one navigates the narrow street with many other pedestrians, (prams, so many prams!) their dogs (and their deposits), bicycle riders, scooters and cars. An invigorating workout for all senses!

And we will wonder at the success of the tattoo parlour, come 'adult' shop, that opened just this week across the road!

So, if you are planning a trip to Aix-en-Provence, we would recommend our digs for all that it offers including a friendly, helpful and knowledgeable Irish landlord! (See link and photos right).

A bientot Aix!

'La Petite Maison' - a Provencal finale

Fittingly, we concluded our holiday in Aix at "Le Petite Maison", a superb restaurant in Cuceron, about 30 minutes north. The chef, Eric Sapet, is well regarded in this part of the world and we now know why!

We shan't go on about the menu ( see opposite link for all the sumptuous details), suffice to say that we had a great time and it was a beaut way to spend our last day. After our meal we languished outside in the pretty Place de L'Etang, where we met some sated Brazilians who kindly took our photo.

You may recognise the pond in the background - it featured in a scene in the movie 'A Good Year' (starring Russell Crowe).

It really is better in real life than the photo depicts.

Winter Fashion

This one is for the girls!

Aix may not be an iconic fashion centre in France, but there is still an abundance of fashion 'savoir-faire' ! Autumn has arrived and we have observed a few trends that might interest the fashion conscious as a "heads up" for next winter in Perth.

There are many students here so we see lots and lots of jeans, and the ripped/destroyed look is still making a statement. Scarves and boots are 'must haves'; shorts with leggings and boots are very 'in', and multi layer necklaces (especially chains) are popular accessories.

Fur is BIG (faux, I hope!) and fur trim is everywhere: scarfs, coat collars, dress collars, handbags, shoes and boots!

Animal print is still very prominent. Leggings are popular and range from lacy and flowery through to animal print. Leggings with ready made holes are also making a statement (go figure!).

Shapes/cuts are all over the place, ranging from drapey cardigans through to clinched waists. So it seems anything goes. While winter colours dominate, there are splashes of pink, blue and orange, in particular with shoes and other accessories.
We've noticed that cocktail rings are huge, and animal 'themed' rings seem to be a big hit. Other notable fashion features include:

• Chunky knits
• Capes
• Checks
• Exotic prints
• Shoulder bags with chains
• Zips
• Bomber and military jackets
• Padded shoulders
• Gloves
• Ruffles
• Big jewellery

See link right for more photos (some boy fashion snaps included!).

The challenge is putting it all together and making it work. It seems everyone here, from young filles to grand-meres, is so accomplished at getting it right - with that typical French flair.

Lacoste

We have visited many villages, but one (more) that is worth singling out is Lacoste. Apart from its ancient appeal, it has a most colourful past, thanks to the Marquis de Sade, and a rather exciting future, thanks to the designer Pierre Cardin. Lacoste is a picturesque old mountain village about an hour’s drive north from Aix. The regional architecture and cobblestone streets give the impression of a village where time has stood still. It has Roman structures dating back to the 1st century B.C.

Lacoste is perhaps best known for its most notorious resident, the Marquis de Sade, who in the 18th century lived in the castle overlooking the village. Following a series of incidents involving local women and the police, the Marquis fled the castle and was eventually imprisoned for the last 13 years of his life. His compulsion for physically and sexually abusing others gave rise to the concept of sadism (so, we can’t blame the Romans for everything !).
The Marquis de Sade’s castle is now owned by Pierre Cardin, who has partially restored it (and other properties) and holds cultural events there. Adding to the village's reputation as an artistic haven, a School of Arts has also been established in Lacoste. The revived interest that has resulted from Cardin's investment appears to have set the town up for a bright future.

Cours Mirabeau

The main promenade in Aix is "Cours Mirabeau". It is 440 meters long and 42 meters wide, and is one of the most popular and lively places in the town.
It is lined with many cafés, one of the most famous being Les Deux Garçons; during its history was frequented by famous French cultural figures such as Paul Cézanne, Emile Zola and Albert Camus. The wide thoroughfare was named after Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, Comte de Mirabeau (March 9, 1749 – 2 April 1791), a French revolutionary, as well as a writer, diplomat, freemason, journalist and French politician at the same time (whew!).


The pretty street has wide sidewalks planted with double rows of plane-trees and divides Aix into two portions, the Quartier Mazarin, (the new town) which extends to the south and west, and the Ville comtale, (the old town) which lies to the north with its wide but irregular streets and its old mansions dating from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. (BTW, to us it's all old!!!)

In the middle of the avenue (spaced well apart) stand three beautiful fountains, the center one of which, the "Fontaine Chaude", is fed with warm spring water. The Place du Général de Gaulle forms the western boundary of the line of streets, where the great Fontaine de la Rotonde stands (pictured).

It is such an atmospheric place, perfect for a morning coffee, afternoon wine or a post dinner Amarino ice cream. And it is THE spot for people watching! We have been enchanted by Cours Mirabeau and have taken many photos - some of which can be viewed by following the link to the right.

Aix by night

Aix is a wonderful town to wander through on a balmy summer evening, although the change of season is clearly here. The air now has a discernable chill at night and the rain is appearing. We are located close to the centre of the old town and it affords us the opportunity to explore all that "old" Aix has to offer.

Quite apart from the beautiful Cours Mirabeau (the main thoroughfare through the old town), the side streets are full of shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants. There are many squares (places) scattered through Aix, all offering a space for people to collect. As Aix is a university town, there is always plenty of lively students out and about, adding to the atmosphere.

We have attached a link (right) with a collection of photographs highlighting some of the side streets by night.