Aix Marks the Spot: Exploring my Temporary Home

Aix en Provence is the city of a thousand fountains.

Les Fontaines

Wide circular fountain with statues int eh center and water shooting out in ten streams

This is the Fontaine de la Rotonde at one end of the Cours Mirabeau, which is the Champs-Élysées of Aix.

A fountain of four dolphins spitting water into a basin

This is the Fontaine des Quatre Dauphins (Fountain of Four Dolphins).

In many of the smaller fountains in Aix, the water is drinkable and my school recommends that we fill our water bottles there. This makes me feel very Roman.

Le Marché

The produce market is everyday (except Sunday), but the other three markets that all combine to make up the Grand Marché only occur on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

Statue of a bronze hog with a nose shiny from being rubbed

The Central Square

wicker chairs beneath umbrellas with a sandstone building behind

red and white wicker chairs around round tables in front of a restaurant with a lot of plants

I eat breakfast and dinner at my host family’s house, but I’ve already found some great lunch places!

The best way to get to know a place is to walk everywhere. I’ve walked the windy center streets over and over and I’m sure I haven’t seen them all, but I have already memorized the walk from my host family’s home in the north to the town center. However, finding my three school buildings among the twisty medieval streets of the town center does still require Apple Maps!

Soon I’ll know it like the back of my hand!