Tex-en-Provence

After Cannes, Annie went on her way back to Nîmes and I continued on to Aix-en-Provence. Provence is the picturesque region covered in fields of lavender and cozy villages that many people think of when they think of France. (Think herbes de provence and A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle.) Aix-en-Provence is the biggest city in Provence, and I'd heard from a lot of people that it's charming. Also, Laura, a friend from home, is an assistant this year outside of Aix-en-Provence, so I got to see her! The first night, Laura, her Arizonan roommate Mossie, and I all went out to have a glass of wine and catch up à l'américaine.

La Rotonde

The next day, I set out with some Mumford & Sons on the ol' iPod and camera in hand to have a little solo strollin' adventure through Aix. It started out a somewhat cloudy day, but I was happy to have a calm day to just be alone with my thoughts.

le Roi René

Please look at the petits enfants (I'm guessing on a field trip?) in tiny florescent vests.

Street signs in old Aix are in Provençal (a dialect of Occitan) and French.

At this fountain, I met this really kind Argentinian woman and just had ourselves a lovely little convo, and then went on our separate ways. Solo travelling lends itself easily to meeting people!

Hôtel de Ville and its bell tower

Hôtel de Ville

Cours Mirabeau, the main street... and also, this random guy

...annnnd then it got SUPER nice outside!

Église Saint-Esprit

I love the light shining through the stained glass here.

Nothin' like a little Christmas in March.

They have the same Madonnas on the street corners like I saw in Italy.

I thought this was funny.... Pâques (pronounced basically like PAC) means Easter, so this was an Easter promotion at this chocolate shop.

The Provence region is famous for the tradition of santons (nativity scene figurines) that I've talked about before.

Aix-en-Provence was the home of Paul Cézanne, a famous Post-Impressionist painter.

One more look at la Rotonde and its statues representing art, justice, and agriculture.

I loved walking around Aix by myself and just observing. I had no goals, no itinerary, not even a map. I had music, a book (thanks to Laura, I found an English bookstore and bought The Help by Kathryn Stockett), and my own thoughts. I had lunch by myself (my first ever meal in a restaurant by myself!) and people watched along the Cours Mirabeau. I sat in a café and drank a kir while reading my new book. I had conversations with random people from different places, locals and travelers alike. It was lovely. I loved Aix's little architectural details (as you've seen throughout the pictures) and its "typical Frenchiness."

At the end of my very chill Aix day, I met up with Laura for dinner chez elle, which resulted in us listening/singing to the Dixie Chicks. It was great to end such a nice day by sitting with a fellow Texan, chatting about life, and singing along with a few other Texas girls. It was the most Texan thing I've done in a while, and it felt a little like home (which, by the way, is the album we were listening to... just in case you were wondering).

From Aix-en-Provence to Tex-en-Provence. Yup, I said it.