Saturday – market day. The Main Street – Cours Mirabeau – was end to end market stalls selling clothes, bags, shoes, tablecloths etc. Quite a lot of which one would have actually had in the house!

The Cours Mirabeau was apparently laid out in the 18C to improve the road from Arles into Italy as it passed the town. This fountain was built to enable the shepherds on their transhumance travels (up and down the hills at the beginning and end of summer) to water their sheep. Two of its corners were cut off in the early 20C to allow cars to go round it.

I have discovered why the town is so full of grand 17 and 18C houses. Rene of Anjou (also King of Jerusalem, Count of Provence, Duke of Lorraine and King of Naples – although not all of them at the same time) made it the site of the Parlement de Provence in the 15C. He also died here. It was already the seat of the Archbishop so it became the capital of the region. Over the years, important political and religious people moved here and built themselves fabulous houses. Louis XIV even stayed for a while – bringing his court with him – leading to a frenzy of redecorating.

The farmers market outside the Town Hall was all food and flower based. There were also people attending weddings in the town hall – several groups all wearing the same colour.

After this is I went into the cathedral but couldn’t see most of it because there was a service going on. It is very old – the origins are 5C – and was built on the site of the Roman forum. There are Roman stones in the oldest walls. Needless to say, a lot of building work has gone on since then.

In the Musee du Vieil Aix (museum of old Aix), which is in two 17C hotels particuliers, both of which Louis XIV stayed in during his visit in 1660, the man on the door complimented my French and presumed I lived here. 🤭. There were things about Cezanne, including the artists who were rabidly against him, up to the 1930s, but also some lovely 17C souvenirs.

Some more random shop pictures.

We are now in mid rehearsal for a concert with a local choir. I’ll let you know how it goes.