Day Trips from Aix en Provence
Here are some day trips recommended when staying in Aix
Many of these location suggestions are from the Facebook group English Speakers in Aix en Provence
Cassis
Beautiful Seaport Village (Car 40 mins – Bus/Train 2 1/4 hrs)
Source: https://travel.earth/a-guide-to-cassis-france-the-perfect-place-for-a-relaxed-getaway/
Cassis is a Mediterranean fishing port in southern France. Overlooked by a centuries-old château, it’s known for pebbly beaches and its calanques, narrow inlets framed by steep, limestone cliffs. The harbor features pastel-colored buildings, sidewalk cafes, and restaurants. Local vineyards are known for producing Cassis white wine. Trails run along the huge, rocky Cap Canaille headland for panoramic sea views.
Cassis has undergone many transformations throughout history. The first signs of habitation in the village date back to 500-600BC when the Ligures settled to take advantage of the prosperous hunting & fishing opportunities. They built a fortified village at the top of the Baou Redon, higher and slightly inland from where present-day Cassis sits.
More info https://www.lelongweekend.com/things-to-do-in-cassis-france-guide/
An easy and inexpensive way to get to Cassis from Aix is to take the bus from Aix to Marseille and then a train to Cassis. You can walk down the hill or take a bus to the seaport center.
Nîmes
Well-preserved Roman Monuments (Car 1 hr – Bus 1 1/2 hrs)
Nîmes, a city in the Occitanie region of southern France, was an important outpost of the Roman Empire. It’s known for well-preserved Roman monuments such as the Arena of Nîmes, a double-tiered circa-70 A.D. amphitheater still in use for concerts and bullfights. Both the Pont du Gard tri-level aqueduct and the Maison Carrée white limestone Roman temple are around 2,000 years old.
More Info; https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/nimes-france
Arles
Great Roman Ruins, Van Gogh inspiration (Car 1 hr – Bus 2 hrs)
Arles is a city on the Rhône River in the Provence region of southern France. It’s famed for inspiring the paintings of Van Gogh, which influenced the contemporary art displayed at the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh. Once a provincial capital of ancient Rome, Arles is also known for many remains from that era, including Arles Amphitheatre (les Arènes d’Arles), now hosting plays, concerts, and bullfights
More Info: https://www.britannica.com/place/Arles
Sanary-sur-Mer
Attractive Coastal Town (Car 1 hr – Bus/Train 2 hrs)
On a sublime section of the Mediterranean coast, Sanary-sur-Mer is the birthplace of modern diving and is where Aldous Huxley wrote his famous dystopian novel, Brave New World (1932)
The big market of Sanary-sur-Mer takes place regularly on Wednesdays. The stalls usually open at 8 a.m. and close at around 12.30 p.m. It occurs on the Boulevard d’Estienne d’Orves and Place de la Tour
In 2018, it had a population of 16,696. Sanary-sur-Mer is located in coastal Provence on the Mediterranean Sea, 13 km west of Toulon and 49 km southeast of Marseille.
MORE INFO https://theculturetrip.com/europe/france/articles/the-best-things-to-do-in-sanary-sur-mer-france/
Les Baux de Provence
Beautiful Village, Great Food (Car 1 hour – Bus/Train 3 1/4 hrs)
It was after the Second World War that Les Baux began its cultural and touristic renaissance with the arrival of Louis Jou, a Catalan painter, engraver and typographer who set up a printing press here. His friends, who included Pablo Casals, Pierre Seghers, André Suarès and Yves Brayer brought intellectual life to the village.
In the early 1950s, Les Baux became a major gastronomic destination thanks to the several-times Michelin-starred restaurant L’Oustau de Baumanière. This temple to the art of cuisine enhanced Les Baux’s international reputation by playing host to some famous names.
In 1966, André Malraux signed a decree placing the entire town under the protection of the Ministry of Culture and the Environment. Then began a period of revival which saw Les Baux listed among The Most Beautiful Villages in France in 1998, and as an Outstanding Heritage Site in 2019.
More info https://www.provenceweb.fr/e/bouches/baux/baux.htm?r=1&Largeur=1600&Hauteur=900
Eyguieres
Ancient City with Great Views (Car 1 hr- Bus 3 hrs)
Eyguières hosts on its territory a large number of interesting monuments and exceptional natural sites.
The ruins of the Gallo-Roman villa of Saint-Pierre de Vence are certainly the most interesting tourist site Eyguières. Inhabited until the ninth century, it has an impressive set of a dozen buildings unearthed. The tower of Opies is a square tower that once served as a lookout for the surrounding villages. It offers incredible views across the Alpilles.
The castellas Roquemartine of a castle now in ruins dating from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, and its church has a close enough look of the castle of Les Baux. The ensemble was listed historic monument. The Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, the eighteenth century, not missing more interest.
Walking through Eyguières and its surroundings, one can also enjoy the facade of the hotel Gardin, the aqueduct mill lists or the beautiful St. Vérédème chapel. The latter, built in the eleventh century, was the subject of a classification as a historical building.
More info https://www.france-voyage.com/cities-towns/eyguieres-1485.htm
