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. 

 

 

 

 

MY BELOVED AIX! AND A YANKEE DOODLE!

Saturday, October 20: Marseille. Tour Aix en Provence--my city

Aix-en-Provence (usually simply called Aix) is a small, classically Provençal town, famous for being home to Cezanne. With a population of 143,000, Aix boasts three universities and several French-language schools for international students to produce a very strong student presence.

Aix has always been a rich city. There is a high contrast between Marseille (only 30 km and half an hour away). Whereas Marseille is one the poorest French cities, Aix is perhaps one of the richest. As in all Provençal towns, the city center consists of narrow streets, lined with interesting buildings from 17th century hotels to paved plazas.

I will always love the Cours Mirabeau, a wide street planted with double rows of sycamore trees and decorated by fountains in the middle of the street. It follows the line of the old city wall and divides the town into two sections. The new town extends to the south and west; the old town, with its wide but irregular streets and its old mansions dating from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, lies to the north. Banks line one side of the street and on the other side are cafés and the Monoprix (a department store with a grocery store in the basement now and when I lived in Aix). One café is the Deux Garçons, the most famous brasserie in Aix. Built in 1792, it has been frequented by the likes of Paul Cézanne, Émile Zola, Ernest Hemingway, and MaryJane Phillips Koenig.

 I told the tour guide that we would meet them back at the designated area, that we would tour by ourselves. As soon as we got off the tour bus, we headed to a café for strong French coffee and a restroom at Le Cézanne. When I am in Aix, I feel completely at home. Aix is a beautiful old friend that I will never forget.  We strolled along the Cours Mirabeau to 46 Rue Manuel, where I lived from August to November 1967. I did not have the exact address in 2008 and could not find it. Today I understood why I could not find it because the exterior had been changed. It was a 12^th century stone building and though not unusual for Aix, it was unusual for me in 1967! I moved to another apartment after November 1967.

From there we walked to a luscious fruit and vegetable market near the Palais de Justice. I took Tim to another market area, showed him the Hotel de Ville (City Hall), the 12^th century clock tower that I passed on my way to school every day,  St. Saveur where I attended Mass on Sundays, and then my school. I doubt that any of this was what Tim expected, but I was home. The many streets, the alleys, the small stores, the patisseries, the boulangers, the papeterie, the cafés, all home. I showed him the post office we used all the time, too. All still there!

We took another break and stopped at Le Grillon for coffee and a Coca Cola Light. The bathroom was up the winding stairs. I have never seen an automatic flush toilet, but now I have. It is just like the hand towels, one waves a hand over the sensor, and Voila! The toilet flushes!

 We only had a half hour more so we headed back to the bus area. I purchased something fun for B1 and B2 on the Cours Mirabeau, something I am sure they can use and something they will never see in the U.S. The busy Tabac where I made the purchase sold lottery tickets and I doubt they expected to sell the two items I bought to an American. Inside the store I met an elderly gentleman who asked me if I were British. I told him I was American and he brightened up and told me that he was a translator with the U.S. Army in World War II. He told me he was captured by the Germans and held as a prisoner of war. He asked me if I was a Yankee Doodle or a Dixie. I told him we were Yankees and he sang Yankee Doodle Dandy to our delight. I truly loved this experience in my Aix.

With regret I left Aix behind and we returned to the Epic. We will arrive in Barcelona tomorrow, but I don’t think we will get off the ship. We will have days and days to recuperate from the extremely intense schedule of visiting ports every day for 8-9 hours. Today was a short port day. I do think about the people who return to the States tomorrow and go back to work on Monday or Tuesday.

The day was sunny and warm.