AIX EN PROVENCE, MY SECOND HOME!

Monday, November 13, 2023

La Seyne sur Mer, near Toulon, France

Aboard the Enchanted Princess

Sunny, 76F

We arrived at the sunny port of Seyne sur Mer about 7:00 a.m. and boarded the comfortable bus for Aix-en-Provence by 8 a.m.  I mentioned to the tour guide that we would be touring Aix on our own, and most readers know I lived there for a year, from 1967-1968. I will try not to be effusive about this city of about 100,000 residents, and 40,000 students, but how do I do that in a town I love so much?

The countryside is very different from northern France we visited on our World War I tours—olive trees, vineyards, lavender, the limestone mountain range of Saint Victoire.

Sainte Victoire, named as such in the 16^th century was painted by Paul Cezanne, Picasso, Kandinsky, Masson, and Tansey—it is worthy of its fame.  As I have mentioned before I could see this mountain from my apartment window every day!  Our bus whizzed right before I could get a good photo, so this is a borrowed one.

Sainte Victoire

The first thing we did was go to 46, Rue Manuel, the first apartment I lived in (August through January, 67-68), built in the 1100s. It has changed so much, and we could see the gentrification of the area—this was an iffy part of the city in the 60s.  To be blunt, the “bathroom” in the apartment was a “capsule,” an all in one toilet and shower. I was 20 then, so my roommate and I just went with it. Our landlady required that I boil water to wash my long hair. This was not a hardship.

Janie in front of her apartment building, 46, Rue de Manuel-much has changed

I stayed on the 2nd or 3rd floor

My 2^nd apartment (January to July, 1968) was much nicer, with two elderly sisters, who seemed like my own grandmothers, both of whom died while I was in France.  Mme. Segura and Mlle. Nougared, French Algerians who were forced out of Algeria during the French-Algerian War, were so sweet and lived very humbly. I could take a sponge bath daily, with a bath once a week—I had to give them advance notice so they could turn the gas on for hot water. Again, this was not a hardship for a 20 year old—and I respected their situation. They were friends with the neighbor next door whose son owned a coucous factory in Aix. Mme. Ferraro invited me to visit many evenings to watch television (mostly news) and President Charles DeGaulle made frequent speeches.  I had so many interesting conversations with these ladies.

I lived on the 6th or 7th floor

Fontaine des Quatre Dauphins 

TK and I headed to Institut Americain Universitaire (IAU), my school during my junior year of college.  We met with Dr. Garrett Heysel, Provost, who told us IAU had a four year program now, about 400 students, and the school is thriving, not just in Aix, but in Barcelona, Madrid, Tangiers, Morocco, and opening soon in Florence.  He suggested that I attend a reunion event at the French ambassador’s home in Washington in February. Let’s go!!

Janie at IAU

 From there, just like all previous visits since 2008, I zigzagged through the town to see my favorite spots. TK faithfully went along with all the walking until we finally stopped at La Rotunde, one of the favorite stops in the 60s. How that has changed. Now it is an upscale restaurant, and not inexpensive.

Clocktower I passed on the way to 

school everyday

A street in Aix

La Rotunde, a favorite of ours in the late 60s

Janie at the Rotunde

TK

our pizza

The strawberry  coupe

 "The Fontaine de La Rotonde is the city's largest fountain located at the end of Cours Mirabeau. The Fountain is 12 m high and 32 m wide. It is topped by 3 statues representing Justice, Agriculture and Fine Arts It dates to 1860."

Mossy Fountain on Cours Mirabeau--

one of Europe's greatest boulevards

I longed for Peche Melba (Peaches, ice cream, raspberry sauce, Chantilly) or Poire Helene (Pears, ice cream, chocolate sauce, and Chantilly), but had to be happy with a coupe of vanilla ice cream, strawberry gelato, fresh strawberries, and Chantilly---REAL whipped cream.  I will say that first we split an oven fired pizza Regina with tomato sauce, mushrooms, ham, and mozzarella.

Aside to Friend Judy: No more hamburger sandwiche—when they hardly knew what we were talking about  at the Rotunde. It is now Le Burger, with French beef, fried onions, tomato, cheddar, barbecue sauce, and house fries, all for $27! And believe it or not, I located the steps where the telephone was –where we called those Army guys from Camp Darby, Italy. Bet you remember that!

Time flew in my beloved home away from home and we had to walk to where the bus was meeting us.  This was a special visit and I am so happy that I could return once more.

The vendors were setting up for the Christmas market that begins in three days, the fountains are still intact, Monoprix (bigger grocery store and 5 & 10 like store) is still there, calisson shops are all over—many bakeries, cheese shops, souvenir shops, trendy fashion shops, and more. 

"Calissons are a specialty of Aix en Provence, candy consisting of 

a smooth, pale  yellow, homogeneous paste of candied fruit

 (especially melons and oranges) and ground almonds 

topped with a thin layer of royal icing. 

They have a texture similar to that of marzipan, 

but with a fruitier, distinctly melon-like flavour.

One of the premiere Calisson shops in Aix

Roy Rene 

The Christmas Market "houses"

TK and I were here once during

the Christmas Market

Missed it this year by 3 days

 

Preparing for the Christmas markets

Movie Theater in Aix

TK's Takes:  He could not believe how many toll stations were along the highway. He liked the pizza. There was one more, but I will add tomorrow!

Aside to our Friend Jim:  I travel with a laptop--that is how I transfer photos--SD card. If I  take photos with my phone, or TK does, we have to send the photos to me by email.