The practical guide

Getting here

Marseille Provence airport is about forty minutes from the house, Aix-en-Provence TGV station twenty-five. A car is essential: the villages, trailheads and wine estates are not conveniently served by public transport. The simplest option is to rent one at the airport or the station. The exact address of the house is shared when you book.

Parking in Aix

The old town is largely pedestrian. The most convenient underground car parks are Rotonde, at the foot of the cours Mirabeau, Carnot, and Pasteur to the north for the old town and the cathedral. The park-and-ride car parks on the outskirts, linked to the centre by bus, are a cheaper option on market days.

The week’s markets

Markets are held in the morning, usually until 1 pm. In Aix, the flower market sets up every day on Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, except the first Sunday of the month.

What to book ahead

Some visits and tables must be booked in advance, sometimes well ahead: the Lauves studio and the Jas de Bouffan, open July to the end of October, on cezanne-en-provence.com; the Bibémus quarries, all year, by guided tour through the tourist office; the Aix Festival in July, as soon as tickets go on sale; the starred restaurants; the Sugiton calanque in high summer, free, no earlier than three days ahead; the guided dinosaur walks, on set dates.

Summer and fire risk

From 1 June to 30 September, access to the hills depends each day on the fire risk: the prefecture publishes the next day’s map in the evening, also on MyProvence “Envie de balade”. On high-risk days some access roads and tracks may be closed to vehicles. All year round, fires and smoking are forbidden in the hills. Details are in our Sainte-Victoire guide.

Health and emergencies

• 112Emergencies, from any phone
• 15SAMU, medical emergencies
• 18Fire brigade
• 17Police
• 114Emergencies by text, deaf or hard of hearing

To find the duty pharmacy at night, on Sundays or public holidays, use the 3237.fr website or call 3237 (paid service).

The Provençal rhythm

Lunch is between noon and 2 pm, dinner rarely before 7.30 pm. Many restaurants close on Sunday evening and Monday, and markets pack up around 1 pm. When the mistral blows, the sky is a perfect blue but the ridges are exposed: choose a sheltered walk or a day in Aix instead.