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ROSCOFF TO AIX-EN-PROVENCE

Approximate driving time to Lyon: 12hrs 15mins
1268 km (includes 1246 km motorway)
Tolls: about Euros 68

Roscoff (map p32/B2) is a town with many links to the United Kingdom. It saw the defeat of the English fleet in 1548 when the French (Bretons) captured 40 English ships off Cape of St- Matthieu. It was also in 1548 that the five year old Mary Queen of Scots landed at Roscoff for her betrothal to the Dauphin. 200 years later, Bonnie Prince Charlie landed here after his humiliating defeat at Culloden.

A short distance from the port of Roscoff is Morlaix (map p32/C2), where two river valley’s of the Jarlot and Queffleuth meet and flow into the Morlaix estuary. The town is traversed by a unique two storey viaduct built in 1864, which carries the railway. Morlaix was a Roman base, although not much appears to have been built here until AD1000. The town was attacked on numerous occasions not least by the English. 10 km north of Morlaix stands an important megalithic site with tumulus and dolmen.

The predominately 18th Century town of Rennes (map p55/F2) was devastated by a fire in 1720, which burned for seven days. A major part of the town was completely destroyed and because the damage was so bad, the Crown paid for rebuilding. This was during the reign of Louis XV which is why much of Rennes is in the Louis XV style.

The town hall was designed by Jacques Gabriel and has a curved façade. A much earlier building, the Palais de Justice, was in fact the old Breton Parliament building and because it was built from stone, it survived the fire. It contains many of its original features such as gilded woodwork and painted ceilings by 17^th Century artist Noël Coypel (1628 - 1707), a follower of the French artist Nicolas Poussin (1594 - 1665).

The Museum des Beaux-Arts in the Quai Emile Zola is well worth a visit with its impressive collection of ceramics and paintings dating from the 15^th through to the 19^th Centuries. In the same building is the Museum de Bretagne, a separate entity from Beaux-Arts and completely devoted to the region of Brittany. It displays much of the Gallo-Roman history of the region as well as folk art, Breton life styles, furniture, farm tools and implements.

Between Rennes and Le Mans is the old town of Laval (map p57/D3), built on both sides of the Mayenne river. It boasts two chateaux, one older than the other, but both attractive, plus a 13^th Century saddleback bridge. Laval was the birthplace of the painter Henri Rousseau (1844-1910) who painted ‘Le Douanier’. He is buried in the Jardin de la Perrine. Laval was also the birthplace of one of Frances’ greatest single-handed sailors Alain Gerbault (1893 - 1941). He crossed the Atlantic in 1923 and circumnavigated the world during 1925 - 1929. He died in the South Seas in 1941.

Le Mans (map p58/B3) is famous not just for its 24-hour motor race, but also for a very rich history dating back to the Middle Ages. It had links to the Counts of Anjou and King Henry II (Plantagenet) of England was born here in 1133. King Henry’s son, Richard Coeur de Lion (Richard the Lionheart), exiled his father at Le Mans, the King ultimately dying alone at Chinon in the Loire Valley.

There is a magical medieval quarter (11^th - 14^th Century) with narrow streets and quaint old houses. It also has an impressive Cathedral in the apse of which is an early stained glass window. The 12^th Century Gothic carving on the south porch is very similar to that which adorns the Cathedral at Chartres. In this quarter is the museum of Queen Berengeria of Navarre, wife of Richard Coeur de Lion, King of England. Richard decided to do away with the tradition of Kings and Queens being crowned at Westminster Abbey and married and crowned Berengeria whilst en route to the Holy Land in a small church at Limassol on the island of Cyprus.

The Le Mans circuit and motorcar museum is a must for the motoring enthusiast.

The road from Le Mans to Tours includes the Mulsanne Straight. This section of road is closed to traffic during the 24 hour race and becomes part of the Le Mans circuit. Chicanes have been introduced to increase safety for the racing drivers, but although not quite the famous track of the past, driving along it remains a nostalgic experience for the motor sport enthusiast. Towards the end of the straight and on the right, is a museum to the American flyer, Lindberg.

Orléans (map p60-1/C-D4) has a magic past, but the town today is a complete rebuild after centuries of destruction and shows very little of its history. It is where Joan of Arc, the Maid of Orléans (Jeanne d’Arc, la Pucelle d’Orléans, 1412 - 1431) became the heroine of France when leading a small army for Charles VII, King of France. In 1429 her army raised the siege of Orléans and on entering the city with food and supplies, forced the English to abandon all their entrenchments. On the 17^th of July 1429 she succeeded in getting the King to Reims to be anointed King of France.

Auxerre (map p80/A1 - the x is pronounced double 'ss') is one of the oldest towns in France. Built on a Gallo-Roman site on the River Yonne, it is rich in history and has a unique Abbey Church of St Germain, which was built over two ancient crypts, from 5^th and 9^th Centuries. It is Carolingian and has some extremely valuable although crudely executed frescos. It also has a medieval bell tower that stands separately from the church.

Just 18 km Northeast of the town is Pontigny where Thomas à Becket sought refuge in the huge Cistercian Abbey in 1164 to escape the wrath of King Henry II of England, only to be assassinated on his return to Canterbury in 1170. The Cathedral St Etienne was started in 1215. Work continued until 1560 and its 13^th Century glasswork is almost complete, but the building remains unfinished to this day.

Heading south from Auxerre towards Dijon, is the medieval fortified town of Avallon (map p80/C3) which is built on a rocky hilltop jutting out between two ravines. Once a stronghold of Louis XIV, he is said to have sold the ramparts and defences to the inhabitants who have preserved them to this day.

Within the town walls are many surviving old buildings including the church of Saint Lazare which dates from the 11^th and 12^th Centuries. The church has a pair of double doors and under the choir is said to be a 4^th Century crypt.

The ramparts to the south offer excellent views over the valley of the River Cousin and there is an avenue of shady trees from where you can see the river wending its peaceful way through the French countryside.

To the west of Avallon stands the great Basilica Ste Madeleine de Vézelay in the town of Vézelay (map p80 / B3). In the Middle Ages, it was one of the many starting points for the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella.

The town is built on a ridge and dominates the surrounding countryside. At the top of the hill stands the Basilica. The original church was built by Benedictine monks in the 9^th Century, and legend has it that the relics of Mary Magdalene were brought there in the 11^th Century. It attracted so many pilgrims, the church had to be enlarged.

On the eve of the Pilgrimage in 1120, more than 1,000 people perished in a tragic fire at the crowded church. Repairs were completed in 1215 but disasters at the church were not at an end. Other relics of Mary Magdalene with a superior provenance were found elsewhere. The building fell into disrepair as the number of pilgrims began to reduce, the decline worsening during the wars of religion and the French Revolution. Eventually, it was on the point of collapse but was saved by the French architect Viollet-le-Duc in 1840, who restored the church to something of its former glory. The detour to visit the Basilica is well worth the effort.

Once a major staging post on the long route from Paris to Lyon, Saulieu (map p81/D4) is on the eastern limit of the hills of the Morvan region. Its forests, lakes and very fast flowing rivers support the local industry, supplying Christmas trees to the whole of France.

The town today is a quiet and forgotten, but the church of St-Andoche is worth a visit. Started in the 12^th Century, it has suffered much over the years, but the "Life of Christ" carved capitals show Burgundian / Romanesque carvings at their best.

Beaune (map p96/C1) centre of the Côte de Beaune, an historic and much vaunted town of wine is surrounded by 14^th Century ramparts which are mostly intact. The famous Hôtel Dieu, better known as 'les Hôspices de Beaune', was founded in 1443 as a charitable hospital. It was run on money raised by selling the prestigious wines of the region by auction, an event which still takes place each year. Only French ‘négociants’ can bid at these auctions but they can bid on behalf of foreign buyers. The auction is still controlled by the use of a candle, bidding taking place for as long as the candle burns. The auction was started in 1443 by Chancellor Nicolas Rolin, a celebrated Frenchman and son of Cardinal Rolin, Bishop of Autun Abbey. The building is renowned for its striking tiled roof and courtyard which is open to the public.

18 km south west of Beaune stands the rebuilt château of La Rochepot. The first chateau, built in the 12^th Century on the remains of an earlier Roman fort, was totally destroyed. It was rebuilt nearby during the 15^th Century but was almost destroyed again during the French Revolution. It was rebuilt for a third time in its present form with an array of pepper pot chimneys and a fancy Burgundian tiled roof which can seen for some distance.

Chalon sur Saône (map p96/C3) is the distribution centre for the wine of La Côte Chalonnaise. It is at the confluence of the rivers Saône and Doubs and is the terminus of the ‘Canal de Centre’. Heavy and light industries abound from iron and steel to glassware and photographic equipment.

The Côte d’Or and Saône et Loire were well populated with Commanderie, Treasuries, Churches and Château of the Knights Templars with just one Hospital between Tournus and Mercey in the Saône et Loire department.

Chalon-sur-Saône was an important centre to the Gallic Aedui tribe and was known as Cabillonum under Romans rule. The 6^th Century King Gustram chose it as the capital of Burgundy. Much later, in 1814 there was a gallant defence of the town which held out against the mighty Austrian army.

There are a number of old houses and a 15^th Century Episcopal palace plus a few remnants of the once formidable ramparts. On the Quai Gambetta stands the statue of Nicéphore Niepce (1765 - 1833) who the Chalonnaise claim invented photography. During the 1820’s he did establish that certain chemical compounds were light sensitive. From this base came photogravure and in 1829 / 1838 photographic processes for printed reproduction of photographs. The son of a wealthy family who were suspected of being Royalists, he fled the French Revolution only to return and Join Napoleons army. With his brother, Claude, he built an internal combustion engine in 1807, which bares a very close resemblance to the modern diesel engine.

Each year, after the Chalonnaise wine harvest, the town is the centre of a fair preceded by a procession of the various wine bodies carrying a statue of St Vincent, the patron saint of wine. It ends in the town square with the new, unfinished wine being drunk to celebrate the harvest.

Mâcon (map p 110/A2) is a quiet city on the banks of the River Saône. It is the commercial centre for the region and was the birth place of poet and novelist Larmartine in 1790. The 14^th Century bridge with its 12 arches crossing the river has been restored continually to carry the increasing traffic of today.

In ancient times, before a town was established here, the Soane River was crossed by a ford. It was the Romans who first built a wooden bridge for transporting men and supplies across the river during their conquest of Gaul and it was not until the 11^th Century that it was replaced by a stone structure with 6 arches. It was fortified during the early part of the 13^th Century and continuous work was carried out until the mid 16^th Century when the major extension to the bridge appears to been made.

The bridge has seen its share of tragedy. It was where Guillaume de Saint-Point threw Huguenots into the River Saône during the Wars of Religion. But it was one of the few bridges on the Saône that escaped destruction in WW II.

The old part of Mâcon is a treasure trove of old streets and houses, the oldest being built from wood between 1490 and 1510, and is well worth the walk to find it. The façade is littered with many ‘saucy’ statuettes in various stages of undress.

Mâcon is in the heart of both the Mâconnais and Beaujolais vineyard and is renowned for wines such as Moulin à Vent, Julienas and Pouilly Fouissé. As well as wine, Mâcon has thriving industry including the manufacture of mechanical equipment and motorcycles. The river here is some 200 metres wide and navigable, providing a port for the barges that still ply their trade.

Just 8 km southwest of Mâcon is Solutré and the ‘Roche de Solutré’. Renowned since the 10^th Century, this rock was once topped by a fortified chateau and is an ideal location for panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The late President of France, M François Mitterrand, paid an annual pilgrimage to the site which stands 490 metres high. There is a museum here with many artefacts from prehistoric times.

To the east of Mâcon lies Bourg-en-Bresse, regional centre of the ‘Bresse’ which produces chickens famous throughout France and to the west lies Charolles where the famous ‘Charollais’ cattle were bred. Cattle fairs have taken place in the region since the 15^th Century and one at the small town of Saint-Christophe-en-Brionnais has been running since 1627.

The Charolais region has been fought over for centuries and been held by the Burgundians, Bourbons and the Armagnacs. It was reunited with Burgundy in 1390 by Philippe the Bold and then went to the Spanish Habsburgs who controlled it from 1500 to 1684. It was then passed to the Condé family and finally became a part of France in 1761.

Villefranche-sur-Saône (map p110 / A4) is a little further south, almost at Lyon. Founded in the 12^th Century, it has led a chequered life enduring 3 sieges in the 15^th and 16^th Centuries. The town walls were demolished in the 19^th Century. As well as being a wine-trading centre, Villefranche-sur-Saône is known for textiles, chemicals and engineering.

A gastronomic centre in France, Lyon (map p124/A1) is a sprawling industrial city, yet the old part is well worth a visit. Situated at the confluence of two rivers, the Saône and Rhône, its urban sprawl heads south to join with the town of Givors. Not so long ago many barges traded here, but today only a few reamin. Along sections of the river there are ‘graveyards’ for these once majestic transporters of raw material and finished goods.

Today, Lyon boasts a University specialising in medicine, an internationally known exhibition centre, a large selection of restaurants and hotels, museums and possibly the biggest oil refinery in France. It is also a converging point for motorway systems from six directions.

Throughout its history, Lyon has held the strategic position where the two mighty rivers Saône and Rhône join in the city centre, before flowing south to join the Mediterranean in the Rhône Delta. With the arrival of Italian Merchant Bankers, Lyon prospered as never before and as early as 1473, when printing was introduced to the city, it began to establish itself as a major printing centre of Europe.

Old Lyon is on the right-bank of the Saône River and has fine surviving examples from the renaissance period (15^th Century). There are still the vestiges of the once impressive quays that used to line the banks of the rivers with some fine examples of 16^th and 17^th Century houses built for rich silk merchants who lived and worked in the city. Local silk is still produced but it has been overtaken by the synthetic fibre industry.

There are many fine statues including those of Louis XIV and Henry IV and beautiful buildings. The most grand must be the Hôtel de Ville, some parts of which are Louis XIII. It has an imposing facade by the architect Hardouin-Mansart with the equestrian statue of Henri IV, which looks across to the Place des Terraux with its monumental fountain of four rampant horses. If a chill runs through as you walk in the area of the fountain, it may be because ‘Madame la Guillotine’ was erected here during the French Revolution and many hundreds of citizens lost their heads.

On the south side of the Place des Terraux is the 17^th Century Palais St-Pierre, originally a Benedictine nunnery for ladies from noble families.

A Celtic tribe called the Allobroges inhabited what is now Vienne (map p124/A3) before the Romans conquered the region in 121 BC. It was one of the most important towns of Roman Gaul until their rule ended in AD275. Vienne still has one of the finest and largest Roman theatres ever built seating 13,000 people. Standing on Mount Pipet, the theatre is still used today for open-air concerts and hosts the annual Vienne Jazz Festival.

In the centre of the town is a Roman Temple dedicated to Augustus and Cybele - an Eastern Divinity. The temple was discovered during excavations in the 1960’s and ‘70’s and in the ‘Pyramid’ area of its garden is an obelisk of the Roman circus.

Many of the artefacts found from the area are in a nearby museum, along with several statues. That of Tutela, guardian goddess of the town, is housed in the former church of Saint-Pierre where there is a 19^th Century painting by the artist Etienne Ray depicting Vienne in its Roman heyday. The church of Saint-Pierre is thought to be one of the oldest in France dating from around the 4^th Century. At Saint-Roman-en-Gal there is the archaeological site, which includes the remains of an urban part of the Roman town.

During the 9^th Century, Vienne became part of the Holy Roman Empire. It was offered and accepted protection by France in 1349 and became part of France in 1450.

Vienne's medieval heritage is also prominent with many parts of the old quarter having fine examples of facades and remains from the 16^th and 17^th Centuries. The Cathedral of Saint-Maurice offers visitors a mixture of Roman/Gothic sculptures. The abbey of Saint-André-le-Bas is also well worth a visit.

Because it was easily accessible and practically an independent state, Vienne was chosen for a council meeting convened by Pope Clement V in 1311-12 at the insistence of Philip IV of France. The King was demanding suppression of the Knights Templars, the military religious order founded during the Crusades. A papal order was issued independently of the council calling for confiscation of all Knights Templars' lands and properties in France. Many of the Templars were executed, some by burning at the stake.

For centuries, the River Rhône has been a main trade route. At one stage in its history, Vienne stood on both sides of the river and was completely surrounded by a wall stretching an amazing seven kilometers. As the town declined, the wall reduced its size to a mere two kilometers.

Vienne's decline was due to the growth of its close neighbour, Lyon. The town had to wait until the 18^th Century for its economic turn-round with the introduction of the textile industry. Today Vienne is a tourist’s paradise, particularly for those interested in history. It has a Gallo-Roman atmosphere and is the centre for marketing of the local produce of the Rhône departement.

Climb to the upper terraces of the once formidable fortress at Tournon-sur-Rhône (Map p138/A2), which today is the Rhône museum and Palais de Justice, and look across the surrounding countryside. It offers a most impressive view of the Rhône river with granite rock faces on either side. On a clear day, the Alps can be seen to the east.

A much celebrated and influential college was formed here by a cardinal of Tournon during the 16^th Century. But today, all that remains at the Lycée Gabriel Faure building is its original entrance gateway. The remainder of the still impressive building is 17^th Century.

Tournon-sur-Rhône has a very active wholesale fruit and vegetable market and attracts an abundance of tourists. The tree lined river bank with views across the Rhône to its twin town of Tain-l'Hermitage is an ideal stopping place in the hot summer months.

Valance (map p138/B2) was a 1^st Century Roman colony known as Velentia and laid out in a geometrical ‘checkerboard’ plan. Over the centuries, the city spread to the banks of the Rhône River, but sadly, there are few remains to illustrate the a richness which once rivalled that of Vienne and Arles, further south.

Remnants of a Gallo-Roman theatre found near place Saint Jean suggests an ancient city with a dense population. The city was enclosed by ramparts which separated it from the section by the river which included an arsenal, port and several strange religious orders.

Valance was a 'frontier' city from the 9^th - 14^th Centuries, the Rhône River forming the border between the German Holy Roman Empire and that of France. It remained under the authority of the Bishop’s and the Counts of the Valentinois until it became part of France in 1446. It was also the meeting point for culture and languages, ’langue d’oïl’ and the 'langue d’oc'.

Francois Premier, King of France (whose emblem was the Salamander) instigated the building of new ramparts and a citadel in 1581, emphasising the strategic military importance of the site. During this period, housing became denser with many mansions being constructed for the rich.

The 17^th Century saw a decline in the local population due in part to the activities of counter reformist religions including Capuchins, Récollets, Visitandines and Benedictines. They flourished in the lower part of the town in buildings vacated by commercial businesses. This section of the town has changed, but the ‘higher town’ within its walls retain a Medieval aspect.

A cable ferry took trade across the Rhône from the 11^th Century until it was replaced by a bridge in the 18^th Century. The Frederic Mistral Bridge was built in 1967.

The Cathedral Saint-Apollinaire is at the heart of a large religious complex and the Bishops palace has a Fine-Arts Museum and cloisters. In the Place des Clercs is the town's first theatre, used for both theatrical performances and executions. The infamous highwayman, Mandrin, was executed here in 1755.

Montélimar (map p152/A1) is the place to be for lovers of Nougat. The town is famed for the confection which is made from sugar, almonds, caramel or honey and egg whites.

It was known as Acunum by the Romans and Mons Adhhemaris or Mont-Adhémir in medieval times, so named after a local family. Today it is possible to see the remains of the 12^th Century castle of Mont-Adhémir.

In 1098, Monteil de Adhémir was Bishop of Puy and one of the instigators of the first Crusade between 1096 - 1099. This first crusade began badly as armies of untrained, undisciplined and ill prepared men marched towards the Holy land only to be completely destroyed before reaching Constantinople. It was left to the regular army of more than 80,000 trained and disciplined soldiers under the leadership of Geffroi de Bouillon, whose march to the Holy land ended with victory and his being proclaimed King of Jerusalem. He died in 1100.

It was a papal possession from 1340 - 1447 and was captured by the Huguenots in 1587 during the wars of religion. The ‘Château des Papes’ (Popes castle) is now a prison and there is also the Tour de Narbonne, a 14^th Century fortress.

The Château de Rochemaure, the ruins of a feudal castle and the vestiges of a medieval walled village that once dominated part of the plain of Montélimar are 5 km to the northwest.

The town of Orange (map p152/A3) dates from before the Romans, but it is they who left their mark on this busy town. Entering from the north by the N7 presents a first glimpse of Roman architecture, the ‘Arc de Triomphe’ , now the centrepiece of a roundabout. It was built to commemorate the victories of Julius Caesar in the 1^st Century BC. This Triumphal Arch is one of the biggest ever built by Romans at close to 19 metres.

The streets here are very narrow, even the main roads, which creates an awe inspiring site at certain times as huge convoy exceptional negotiate their way through a section of the town on their route south. Even large boats and huge mobile homes have to traverse this ancient market town on the N7.

There is much to see in the town and there is plenty of pay and free parking. You are well advised to grab the first parking space you can and explore the town on foot - so much easier and you see far more.

Pride of place is the Roman Theatre and nearby, part of the wall of the Roman Forum. In the ‘Parc colline Saint-Eutrope’ stand the ruins of the ‘Château des Princes de Nassau' and an orientation table. In the 11^th Century, the town became an ‘independent’ countship and was later passed to the house of Nassau.

The name 'Orange' is said to derive from the Gaulish god’s name of Arausio. It became a very rich city under Roman rule and Augustus. In the 5^th Century, it was attacked and pillaged by the Visigoths. Louis XIV of France captured Orange in 1660 and had the fortifications destroyed.

The Treaty of Utrecht ceded it to France in 1713.

Not far from Orange is the small town of Vaison-la-Romaine, well worth a detour to see its many Roman ruins and the Roman bridge over the river. The medieval town is on the Ouvèze river and has steep narrow streets leading to the ruined castle, the Château Comtal, with its spectacular views. The 12^th Century saw the Count of Toulouse attack and seize the church lands and build the Château in an attempt to intimidate the Bishops in their Cathedral on the opposite banks of the river.

The town was a major player in Christianity from the 3^rd Century and the vestiges of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame have sections which date from the 6^th Century. The cloisters include a museum and house 5^th Century art.

The town suffered severe damage during floods in the 1980’s, but has recovered today. The Quartier de Puymin, was once home of a very rich family with public gardens, unique in Provence. At Nymphée, a spring flows into a covered basin from where the town took its water. There is also a tunnel leading to the Roman Theatre. The museum here includes plenty of artefacts and many statues.

Roman baths were discovered under the post office at The Quartier de la Villasse. This section has what may have been a major thoroughfare with pavements, shops and colonnades that are thought to have supported a roof creating an extensive covered walkway.

Avignon (map p152/A4) was once the seat of the popes and its Papal Palace still dominates the skyline. Many of the fine old buildings are designated as part of a Unesco World Heritage site.

Greeks from Marseille traded in the old Gallic town and it is thought they brought the first vines here. The Roman population was more than 20,000, but the town was not as important as Orange. There is little remaining from Gallo-Roman times apart from several statues.

During the 14^th Century, Avignon became the seat of power for the Catholic Church remaining Papal property and known as the 'second Rome', until the French Revolution. The gothic Palace is the biggest in the world and today's guided tours include 25 rooms, courtyard, cloisters, reception hall, chapels, private papal apartments and see many priceless frescos.

Ramparts with numerous gates and entrances surround the city centre, many rebuilt by the great Frenchman Viollet-le-Duc. Seven French Popes reigned from Avignon, Clement V being first to reside here.

The Pont Saint-Bénezt was built during the 12^th Century but destroyed in 1226 during the Albigensian Crusades, later to be rebuilt many times after damage from the mighty Rhône river in flood. The constant repairs were abandoned in the 17^th Century. There is a small chapel dedicated to St Nicolas, the patron saint of bargemen. The Pont (bridge) was made famous by the popular song ‘Sur le Pont d’Avignon’. When completed, it spanned the river for 900 metres, a major undertaking in ancient times.

The Albigensian Heretics made Avignon their stronghold and at the Pope’s begging, the town was stormed by the King Louis VIII and his troops.

There are many excellent tours of Avignon, each lasting about two hours, using certified guides and bookable at the tourist office.

The Petit Palace museum is in the 14^th - 15^th Century Archbishops’ Palace and other museums abound housing some rare and exciting collections of art and artefacts including art from the Avignon school of the 13^th - 14^th Centuries, Avignon Romanesque and Gothic as well as Italian art from the 14^th - 16^th Centuries.

The city is at the crossroads of Provence and Languedoc as well as the routes from Italy to Spain. With the new TGV (fast train) Paris is only 2hours 40 minutes away, the route including some spectacular viaducts and stunning scenery.

Aix-en-Provence (map p1168/A1) 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.

The ruins are well worth a visit as they show how advanced and civilised the Celto-Ligurian's were despite being warlike and aggressive. Their frequent raids on Marseille led to the locals asking the help of Roman legions to rid them of the ‘pest’ and resulted in the Romans moving into the area and then colonising much of France.

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. The most famous spring is ‘Thermes Sextius’.

Apart from the thermals, Aix is famous 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 University of Aix was opened in 1409 and recognised by a ‘Papal Bull’ in 1413. Today, it is Aix-Marseille University I, II and III.

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. His father, a hat maker then banker, wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. But Paul had other ideas and after two lazy years at Aix University and with the support of his mother, persuaded his father to let him study art in Paris.

Like most artists in their lifetime, Cézanne suffered at the hands of the public. Misunderstood, discredited, but never beaten, he challenged the establishment and convention by insisting in free expression and the personal integrity of the art itself. One of his most famous paintings is the 'Mont-Sainte-Victoire' which he painted continuously with variations.

Another famous son of Aix was the French opera composer André Campra. It is said that when aged 19, he became music master at Toulon Cathedral. He held the same position at Arles in 1681 and at Toulouse in 1683. In 1694, he became director of music at Notre Dame in Paris. Already well known for his motets and secular works, he produced his first ‘Opera Ballet’ under his brother’s name which was performed in 1697. In 1700 he had a change of direction and for the next 40 years worked for the theatre. He died at Versailles in 1744.

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.

Aix is about water and its fountains are a must to see, the most imposing being the ‘Rotunda Fountain’, constructed in late 19^th Century. It celebrates the activities of Aix agriculture, fine art and justice.

The 'Fountain of the Nine Cannons' in the Cours Mirabeau dates from 1691 and replaces a ‘watering fountain’ where the herds were brought to drink. Moss and lichen make it almost impossible to recognise the sculptures. The fountain of King René, was built in 1819 by Pierre-Henri Revoil. The statue is by David D’Angers. The Fountain of Hot Water, called the ‘Moussue’ because of the moss that covers it, is the spring from which the hot water of the ‘Bagniers’ flows.

Aix also sports 5 museums. The Granet Museum covers archaeology and fine arts and is set in the Priory of the Knights of Malta. It takes its name from the Aixois painter, François Marius Granet, whose essence of creativity is still retained. The permanent collection makes it one of the richest provincial museums in France. It has eight Cézannes. The museum can be found in the Place Saint Jean de Malte.

The Arbaud museum is named after its creator and benefactor and presents a most important collection of Provençal earthenware. The library has a unique collection of paintings and manuscripts. It is at 2 Rue du 4 Septembre.

Museum of Old Aix is in a 17^th Century townhouse. Since 1930, it has shown a collection of artefacts evoking the traditions of Aix and the surrounding area, including furniture, 'santons' or crib figures, costumes, paintings, screens and earthenware. There are two striking original objects, wooden puppets from the ‘Féte-Dieu’, a ceremony that was very popular in Aix until the start of the 20^th Century. The museum is in the Hôtel d’Etienne de Saint Jean, 17 Rue Gaston de Saporta

The tapestry museum is in apartments at the former Archbishops Palace and has tapestries from 17^th - 18^th Centuries among which is one from the so-called ‘Grotesque’ series. Woven in Beauvais in 1689, it illustrates the story of Don Quixote (1735). The museum can be found in the Place des Martyres de la Resistance.

A park surrounds the Vendome Pavilion which has the interior décor of an 18^th Century Aixoise residence. This museum can be found in 32 Rue Célony.