The Aix Guide · N° 04
One day in Aix-en-Provence, on foot
The historic centre of Aix is best explored on foot. In a single day you can see the essentials without rushing. Here is a loop that starts and ends on Place des Prêcheurs.
At a glance
- Distance
- You can cross the historic centre in about ten minutes; the suggested loop is roughly 3 km
- Start
- Place des Prêcheurs, in the heart of the places comtales
- Best day
- Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, to catch the big morning market
- Bring
- Comfortable shoes, water and a hat in summer
Morning: market and old town
The market on the places comtales
Start with the large food market spread across Place de Verdun, Place des Prêcheurs and Place de la Madeleine. On other days these squares host the flower market, and the Place Richelme market runs every morning. Details are in our guide to the markets; the history of the square in our guide to Place des Prêcheurs.
Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville and the clock tower
Laid out in 1741, the square is framed by the town hall and its façade by Pierre Pavillon. The clock tower, a former belfry raised in 1510, carries an astronomical clock from 1661: four wooden statues representing the seasons appear in turn. The flower market is held here on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
The Bourg Saint-Sauveur and the cathedral
Beyond the belfry, the lanes of the Bourg Saint-Sauveur occupy the site of the Roman town. Saint-Sauveur cathedral, built on the site of the ancient forum, blends many periods: its baptistery dates back to the 5th century and its small cloister to the late 12th. The famous Burning Bush triptych, painted by Nicolas Froment around 1476, is only opened on certain dates: ask on site.
Midday: back to the square
Walking back down towards the places comtales, you reach Place des Prêcheurs just as the market winds down, around 1 pm.
Afternoon: the Cours and the Mazarin quarter
Place d’Albertas
A small enclosed square completed between 1742 and 1746 on the model of Parisian royal squares, with its central fountain. A gem to discover on the way to the Cours.
The Cours Mirabeau
Walk down the grand avenue of Aix, following its fountains and mansions. Everything is covered in our guide to the Cours Mirabeau.
The Mazarin quarter
Laid out on a grid from 1646 at the initiative of Archbishop Michel Mazarin, this quiet district centres on the Quatre-Dauphins fountain, built in 1667 by Jean-Claude Rambot. It is home to two cultural stops: the Hôtel de Caumont, an art centre since 2015, and the Musée Granet, housed in the former priory of Saint-Jean-de-Malte. Check their opening times on the day, as they vary with the seasons.
Evening: back to the square
From the Mazarin quarter it takes under ten minutes to walk back to Place des Prêcheurs, which comes alive again at the end of the day. For dinner, a sweet break or a cocktail, the loop ends where it began.
Practical information
- In summer, average highs exceed 30 °C in July and August according to Météo-France climate normals: walk in the morning and late afternoon, and keep to the shady side of the Cours.
- The mistral, a dry northerly wind, blows mostly in winter and spring, often under very clear skies.
- In July, the Festival d’Aix (opera), founded in 1948, fills the town; the 2027 edition is announced for 1–20 July.
- The Tourist Office is at 300 avenue Giuseppe Verdi (+33 4 42 16 11 61, aixenprovencetourism.com).