Aix-en-Provence dates back to 122BC and the Roman occupation, when a settlement was established after the defeat of the ‘Celto-Ligurian’ tribe at Entremont when the town was raised to the ground.
In those days Aix was called ‘Aquae Sextiae’, which was said to refer to it’s many springs and thermals which are still visited today by those suffering from rheumatic and vascular problems.
Aix is also noted for its olive oil. The surrounding hillsides are covered in groves and when the oil is being refined, there is a distinct aroma in the air. For lovers of olive oil, this is 'nectar'. For others, it may be an acquired taste.
The French artist Paul Cézanne, considered one of the greatest of the Post-Impressionists, was born into a wealthy bourgeois family in Aix in 1839. Cézanne challenged the establishment and convention by insisting in free expression and the personal integrity of the art itself.
Another famous son of Aix was the French opera composer André Campra.
The centre of Aix has much to offer the tourist with its tree-lined boulevards and pavement cafés as well as many churches and museums. The thermal baths are situated in the old part of the city very close to the Medieval fortifications. The baths are built on the site of the Roman thermae and vestiges of the thermal pool are still visible at the entrance to the new centre.
For more tourist information and history, see Premier Pages (Wine Regions, Places of Interest)