Welcome to a new feature on the blog – photo diaries! I have done these before, in my Tongariro, Abel Tasman and Kepler Track posts (all of which I’ve given a revamp since they were originally published), but I’ve decided to revive the theme.
I find that when I’m travelling, I take so many photos and don’t end up doing anything with them. Some will make it to my Instagram page, but most of them are confined to the security of my external hard drive and never get seen by even my own eyes, let alone by others. As photography becomes more of a passion for me, I’ve decided the time is right to find a place to share my favourite photos from my travels.
It was late April.
The weather was warm, without being too stuffy, and the crowds were few and far between.
We only spent the morning in Aix-en-Provence, due to having a jam-packed itinerary for the rest of our road trip around the South of France. But it was just enough time to wander the charming streets and watch la vie française unroll before our eyes.
The squares were home to many markets; it seemed each one had a different theme. In one square there was a clothes market, the next local produce, and one was brimming with flowers. We ticked off a few of the “must-sees”, like the giant books at Bibliotheque Mejanes, but mostly we spent our time soaking up the atmosphere.
What charmed me the most about Aix was possibly its architecture: beautiful, intricate designs that are so inexplicably French – combined with the harsh gothic style of the churches and cathedrals hidden amongst the modernity. Its quaintness reminded me of the small towns we had visited in the Luberon, for some reason, even though it was much bigger.
Of the bigger cities we visited in Provence and along the French Riviera, Aix-en-Provence was probably my favourite. It has a warm, welcoming vibe, and although it is a large city, it doesn’t feel overwhelming. It’s easy to navigate; once we had found somewhere to park, we walked everywhere. Aix is truly a place I could picture living myself.
I hope you enjoy my Aix-en-Provence photo diary.
Where to stay in Aix-en-Provence
For budget-travellers, I can’t recommend AirBnB more. There’s something to suit everyone, and by signing up with this link, you’ll get £30 off your first reservation!
Aix is brimming with accommodation options to suit every budget; I booked a simple twin room at La Baume Les Aix a few nights before we arrived in Aix-en-Provence for 35€. Click the deals below to find your ideal property.
All photos were taken on my Canon 80D with an 80-135mm lens.
Did you enjoy my Aix-en-Provence photo diary? Have you visited this French city?
Thanks for reading and happy travels!
25 comments
Beautiful photos! Aix-en-Provence has always appealed to me. I’m a big Francophile and warm weather and a laid-back vibe is my comfort zone, so I definitely want to visit. How long do you recommend staying there for?
You will love Aix in that case! I would recommend a couple of days, or you could stay longer and do day trips from there around other places in Provence – it’s a gorgeous part of the world!
Aix-en-Provence looks like such a charming place! Thanks for sharing so many beautiful photos, I think I need to add it into my itinerary next time I make it back to southern France. (Really, you had me hooked when you mentioned markets. I adore markets.)
I love these photos you’ve shared – it really shows Aix-en-Provence in its true light, and really entices me to want to visit. Love market days too.
II’ve visited South France before, but haven’t stopped in Aix-en-Provence yet.Your amazing pics make it look very beautiful. And the book exchange bin (the red pic) is something that’s really great about France.
I loved that too! What a cute idea.
I used to go to South of France alot as a child but I’ve never been to Aix-en-Provence. it looks lovely…makes me want to visit. I love exploring markets too!
Sounds like you need to take a trip back! 🙂
Love your photo collection! My favorite are the large book structures with “The little Prince” as one of the books. It’s a favorite of mine. I now must put this on my list of places to see. ?
The books are such a unique way to make a library so much more interesting I think!
such beautiful photos! Looks like a stunning area to explore and totally felt transported through your photographs. Such a great idea to use all of the photos that dont seem to make it off the hard drive. Going to take some inspiration from you for this and think about how I could do the same. Loving the blog layout looks awesome.
Thank you – I’m glad you enjoyed the post, I’m looking forward to sharing so many more long-lost photos in future photo diaries!
Can’t wait to see more!
I love your photos the really capture the vibe of the region!
Glad you enjoyed the post! 🙂
I really love this new feature on your blog! Your photos are simply stunning. I would love to visit Aix-en-Provence one day.
Glad you enjoyed the post! I’m looking forward to doing more of these posts in future 🙂
Such gorgeous photos! The architecture is so amazing and ornate. I just love all that detail and could spend days looking at it all. Love little local markets like you found. I’ll definitely be adding this to my wish list!
It’s one of those cities that is truly “French”! Hope you make it there some day!
Looks like you were really emersed in French lifestyle. The architecture and markets looks so inviting. I think the photo diaries are a great way to celebrate the photos from your travels.
Thanks for your kind words! It’s a really gorgeous city if you ever get the chance to visit!
Such beautiful pictures! It brought back lots of childhood memories, as Provence was our holiday place for years.
Glad you enjoyed the photos! It’s a beautiful part of the world.
Great idea with your pictures! I should start doing the same. Except for a few on IG so many of them lie in a hard-drive never to be seen again!
That house – aghhhh it’s too pretty for words. Absolutely love architecture like that. Great images!
I love this idea of a photo diary. Sometimes your photos get forgotten and it’s a nice way of bringing back all those memories again while showcasing your lovely photography ?