I'm staying at an Airbnb for the first time. Not a bad experience, though obviously the comforts of home or a hotel are not there. My host, Viv, is very nice and helpful. Her place is in the Quartier Mazarin, a "newer" area of the town, and very conveniently located to the old quarter.
I walked around the city for a few hours and loved it. A lot of very beautiful little gourmet food shops (and lots of free samples, I think I sustained myself on sugar yesterday, how disgusting). Small narrow little winding streets. Shuttered windows. Fountains.
It was the rentrée scolaire, which means the kids go back to school, that day. Loved the energy and hounds of people on the street.
I've decided to try to keep the number of words down (unless necessary), since I think it would be easier for you, and also since I seem to be doing this very late at night every night.
Food
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| I am told Cure Gourmand is from the Avignon/Arles region. Cutest shop ever! I'm a sucker for packaging. And the cookies were not half bad too. |
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| Calissons du Roy René. Calissons are a specialty of Aix-en-Provence, and are made from almond, orange and melon. Lonely Planet told me to get them here, so I did. Not bad tasting! |
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| Went to Chez Féraud again on recommendation of Lonely Planet. Got the asparagus with brandade since I love the latter, had no idea it would come in that form on a crostini. Was disappointed when I saw the brandade but turned out really lovely. Asparagus was huge and very sweet, but probably too cooked and soft. Brandade is Provençal from Nîmes, according to my server. Also got the Daube Provençale which is a beef stew, not bad, came with this unbelievable polenta. Crème brûlée was probably the least Provençal but at least it came with a calisson. |
Other Good Things
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| Cathedral, I expected more, but it was just not bad. |
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| Birthplace of Cézanne. |
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| Aix-en-Provence, the city of a thousand fountains. |
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| And another fountain. |
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| This is kind of random, but I thought of Lance. |
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| Cours Mirabeau, main thoroughfare of the city. Lined with pretty trees, restaurants, cafes, oh and again many fountains! |
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| Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville |
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