You are on holiday on the French Riviera and you want to discover deep France! visit PROVENCE.
I suggest visiting two important cities: 1 Aix-en-Provence which is the capital of Provence. 2 Cassis, a small fishing village, very famous for its AOC wines, its Calanques, its heavenly landscapes.
I collect you from Nice, Cannes, or around Monaco, to discover deep France (PROVENCE) in one day.
At 1 hour 50 minutes from Nice Aix-en-Provence will be our first stop, discover with me, on a guided tour, the historic capital of Provence. The city of Aix-en-Provence labelled City of Art and History.
Travel back in time to antiquity, 122 BC when the Roman consul Caius Sextius Calvinus, took and destroyed the ancient city-oppidum under the control of the Legurians, to build a camp which quickly became a city, AIX-EN-PROVENCE has borne, during its 22 century of existence, Aix-en-Provence was controlled by the Visigoths, the Franks, the Lombards, the Sarazins, it join the kingdom of France in 1789.
Take a stroll through the historic district which has a remarkable architectural heritage, particularly with regard to the periods of the 17th and 18th centuries.
With 156 historic monuments classified or registered as historic monuments (including 9 fountains and 75 hotels), the city of Aix-en-Provence is ranked 17th French city in number of historic monuments.
Famous French personalities are natives of this city such as: Paul Cézanne (1839-1906), the painter of the Sainte-Victoire mountain, also writers, musicians, fashion designers…
Stroll through the alleys of the historic centre and admire the masterpieces from the 13th to the 18th century, notably the Town Hall built between (1655 and 1678) by Pierre Pavillon; Also visit Albertas Square; The neoclassical style courthouse; the Cour Mirabeau; La Tourreluque, tower dating from the 14th century; Place des Quatre-Dauphins; Opera Street; who saw the birth of Paul Cézanne; The Jeu de Paume theatre, which is one of the rare Italian-style theatres in France; The Saint-Pons bridge or the Trois-Sautets bridge.
After visiting Aix-en-Provence we are in CASSIS, Admire this wonderful little fishing village of 7,000 inhabitants, located 20km from Marseille and 50 km from Aix-en-Provence.
Build 600 years BC, by Ligurians lived by fishing, hunting, and agriculture. Since antiquity Cassis port has been part of the Greek and Roman maritime merchant roads.
Like all of Provence, Cassis was controlled after the Romans, the Visigoths, the Franks, the Saracens, and the county of Provence who controlled the city and the region from the 15th century until the French revolution in 1789. The entire region joined the France during the revolution.
Enjoy your visit to cassis and taste (Cassis wine) recognised among the best WHITE wines in France.
“Cassis” is a wine with controlled designation of origin (AOC), produced in the town. It's the first AOC recognised in Provence, in 1936, also Cassis is one of the oldest places of viticulture in France. With 200 hectares of vineyards, Cassis produces 1 million bottles per year, mainly white wines.
Discover the famous and magnificent Calanques of Cassis, aboard a boat from Cassis port for 1 hour sea trip. Enjoy amasing views, admire these turquoise waters which are a real pleasure for the eyes.
The centre of Cassis is full of historical monuments that you can like it, such as the Town Hall with its vaulted rooms, the Fishing Court located on the Quai Barthélemy, the Quatre Nations fountain, the Baragon fountain, also the Cassis market which is held every Friday and Wednesday, where you can find Provençal products (charcuterie, cheeses, wines, lavender products, etc.).
Don't leave Cassis without sitting down on a terrace at the 2,600-year-old port of Cassis, and savouring a delicious Mediterranean dish.
So our day of art, nature, and history is over. We return to our starting points.