Itinerary: Aix-en- and Mont Sainte Victoire (English)

Departure: Vintage Road Trips La Fare-en-Provence Arrival: Vintage Road Trips La Fare-en-Provence Afstand: 125 km

Via:Aix-en-Provence, , St. Antonin-s-Bayon, , Pourrieres, Vaubenarques, Puyricard en Eguilles, .

Touristic sources: Trotter Provence, city vox, ProvenceWeb, Aix tourist office

Leave by driving down the ‘Chemin des Trompettes’ and go left on the T-junction.

Go right at the next junction.

Go left on the roundabout and take the D10 in the direction of Aix-en-Provence.

Follow this road for 6 km in the direction of Aix- en-Provence

Turn left on the roundabout at the Intermarche Ventabren follow: Ventabren Village. Ventabren is a very pretty village, perched at the top of a hill and dominated by the ruins of the Château of Queen Jeanne.In the village Carry on this road and when you are all the way you will quickly fall under the spell of the little cobbled, streets, full of up in the village take the ‘Route d’Aquaduct’. flowers and lined by beautiful stone houses which have been painstakingly restored. You will come to the Grande Rue (which is actually very small!) climbing steeply up to the charming little Place de l’Eglise. Many of the doors of the houses are very old, flanked by lush greenery and shutters which have been repainted in traditional Provençal tones, already a little faded by the sun.

Aquaduct Roquefavour: Ventabren is unique in that it boasts the largest stone aqueduct in the world! The Roquefavour Aqueduct was constructed by a young 26-year- old engineer, Franz Mayor de Montricher, in the middle of the 19th century (1842-1847) to transport water from the to .

The city of Marseille was in desperate need of water to counter the fatal droughts it was suffering. The Roquefavour Aqueduct was a success, its designer received great honours and was eternally grateful to him for having saved the city from drought. You can explore the aqueduct which has three tiers of arches and is 400 meters long and 83 metres high. The Pont du Gard is 266 m long and 47 m high ...a miniature in compairison!!!

Turn left at the T-junction on the D65 in direction of Calas and Roquefavour.

Pass under the Aquaduct and turn left on the D64 direction Aix-en-Provence.

Stay on this road for about 6 km in direction of Aix-en-Provence at the 2nd round about take the First exit the D18 in direction of ‘Les Milles’.

Enter Les Milles go straight at the First two roundabouts.

At the 3rd roundabout take the 2nd exit the D65 this road is called:‘Petit-route-des-Milles’.

Continue on the D65 for about 3 km and enter Aix-en-Provence Aix-en-P.At the junction with the traffic lights go Protected by the Montagne Ste Victoire which rises to 1,011m. Aix is straight on ‘Avenue-du-Pigonet’. At the T- surrounded by a countryside full of authentic Provencal houses and junction turn right and continue on ‘Avenue-du- traditional French style gardens. The name Aix comes from the source Pigonet’. discovered when the city was founded in 123b.c. by the Romans.

At the T-junction with trafic lights turn left on Aix was the capitol of Provence in the 15th century, Wealthy merchants ‘Avenue-Pierre-Bossolette’ follow:Centre Ville. and local dignitaries helped turn this city into the Florence of Provence as we know it today. At the round about take the first exit on ‘Avenue-des-Belges’ (after about 200 meters at One can find all the beauty of the noble Provence of the17th and 18th your right you’ll find the entrance of the parking centuries: handsome houses of the upper class, private mansions, city La Rotonde). squeres bursting with flowers, ancient fountains and shaded narrow streets.

Aix was the inspiration to many of the greatest writers and painters : Guigou, Stendhal, Mistral, Zola, and Cézanne, There is even a special Cezanne tour which one can follow through the streets of Aix stopping at points marked with a C. As a city of art and culture Aix possesses a wealth of superbe architecture that has been carefully preserved and restored. Walking through the Cours Mirabeau and the Rue Gaston de Saporta one can admire the private mansions with their sculptured doors and windows and the intricate iron work on the balconies. Zshoppers choose the elegant boutiques in the quartier Mazarin.

Each summer the International Festival of Lyric Arts and Music unites acclaimed prima donnas and maestros in a fabulous selection of singing and music. The Dance Festival is also world reputed.

The old city center: - Cathedral Saint-Sauveur: Entrance for visitors from 8.00 am till 12.00 uur and from 0200 pm till 06.00 pm (On Sunday only open in the afternoon). Built on the site of a former temple to Apollo, the Saint-Sauveur Cathedral went through a great many changes from the 5th to 17th century. Consequently, the outward appearance of this structure is a blend of the Roman, the Gothic and the Baroque.

- The Clock Tower. Former belfry of the town and symbol of local government power, the tower spans the street on Roman foundations. Erected in 1510, it houses an astronomic clock built in 1661, containing four wooden statues. The Four Seasons fountain by the sculptor Chastel in the 17th century is surmounted by a Roman column in its core. - The Town hall At the foot of the tower since the 14th century, the Town Hall with its Italian style facade was built between 1655 and 1678 by Pierre Pavillon. Between the railings and the double turned stairwells, the inner court embraces the building’s perfect harmony.

- The Corn exchange Designed by the Vallon architects, this 18th century building recalls the importance of the wheat trade at the time. The north facade is crowned by an allegoric pediment attributed to Chastel, representing the two essential elements of farming prosperity in Provence: the Rhone and the Durance rivers. The southern part overlooking the Place Richelme is rich in decorative motifs associated with the purpose of the building, fruits, cereals and olives.

- The Square et the Hotel d'Albertas. A magical place, where everything competes to suggest a theatrical scene, the square was created in 1745, when the Marquis Jean Baptiste d’Albertas had the houses opposite his mansion demolished. This leading Aix family lived a very luxurious life at the time.The vast mansion, altered in 1724, and the rococo style square are the work of the Vallons (father and son) who found inspiration in the fashionable royal squares of Paris.At the centre, the fountain with its basin dates back to 1912.

- The courthouse: built in the 19th century,looks more like a classical tempel.

-The cours Mirabeau: The ring roads, built on the site of the former ramparts, circle the old town and separate it from the new city.A tunnel of greenery punctuated with fountains, a historic landmark and a great

place for a stroll, the Cours" is for visitors as it is for the Aixois, something that cannot be missed.

It is enough to walk "up or down" the Cours in order to discover all its charms.

On either side of the road built in the 17th century in the place of the former ramparts, the leading families of the nobility built elegant homes to show off their success, sometimes ostentatiously. With richly decorated frontages on the Cours side, and shared hidden gardens opening on to a parallel street, this architectural style created remarkable urban unity.

In the steps of Cezanne: - The trail Paul Cezanne: The city of Aix has neglected its famous painter for a very long time but that is not the case anymore.You can take the Cezanne trail by following the big bronze ‘Nails” with the initial ‘C’ on the streets in the old center. From the Rue d’Italie till the Rue d’Opera with its beautiful Mansions where Cezanne used to walk as a child. Then the Cours Mirabeau where you can still find an old sign with 'Chapellerie Cezanne, written on it (at number 55). You will pass by the Cafe les Deux Garcons where Cezanne used to enjoy comming. Maybe it’s a good idea to make a stop here to read the brochure (on the steps of Cezanne) that you can get at the Tourist Office of Aix. In this brochure you will learn about the different places in the life of Cezanne: the house where he was born, the Chapellerie and his father's bank, Bourbon College where he became friends with Emile Zola, the Jas de Bouffan, and the flat where he lived from 1899 to his death, in rue Boulegon, his last studio. Paul Cezanne’s workplace: 9, avenue Paul-Cezanne. In the North part of the City, you can get there via avenue Pasteur. Open from 10.am till 12.00 and from 02.30 pm till 06.00 pm. A magical place North from the city on the hills of Lauves. His ancient workplace is nowadays a place of pelgrimage. Art lovers come to this place because they are convinced that Cezannes spirit is still here. Cezanne built his workplace at this spot because of the amazing view on the Sainte-Victoire, which was his

eternal source of inspiration. The interieur seems to be bading in light and is surrounded by greenery. Only the floors have been renovated because of the important number of visitors that come to visit this great painters atelier where you can still admire all the tools that he used for creating his master pieces. Under the Museum you will find a small boutique.

At the Place-du-General-de-Gaulle (big round about with a huge fountain) turn on Avenue-de- Victor-Hugo in (the bypass of Aix).

Saty on your left and turn on Boulevard-du-Roi- Rene (direction Toulon), stay on this boulevard which will become Boulevard Carnot.

After about. 750 meter (after the Parking Carnot) turn right on ‘Boulevard-des-Arts’ in direction of Tholonet and ‘Route Cezanne’.

Go straight at the two next saty on the D17 direction Le Tholonet via ‘Route Cezanne’.

Continue on the D17 in Le Tholonet and turn left at the junction on the D17 direction Puyloubier.

Follow the D17 through St. Antonin-s-Bayon. Go straight at the T-junction and follow the D17 to Puyloubier.

Turn left in Puyloubier follow the D57 in the direction of Pourrieres.

Turn left and at the T-junction turn right on the D57 toward Pourrieres.

In Pourrieres at the T-junction turn right on the D23 toward Le Puits-de-Rians and Rians.

Before arriving in Le Puits-de-Rians at the Y- junction turn left on the D223 toward Vauvenarques.

Before Vauvenarques at the Y-junction turn left on the D10 toward Vauvenarques.

Stay on the D10 passing by Vauvenarques toward Aix-en-Provence.

Enter Aix-en-Provence on the ‘Avenue St. Cezanne’s atelier is sitiuated about 100 meter after the traffic light on Victoire’ till the ‘Cours Saint Louis’ (bypass of the left side of the road. the center of Aix).

Turn right toward Puyricard, Oppidum d’Entremont and Atelier Cezanne. Saty on this road, turn right, then left and finally right again.

Continue this raod and at the roundabout take the 3rd exit toward Puyricard.

At the T-junction with traffic light turn right on the D14 toward Puyricard. Stay on the D14 and the D14a till you arrive in Puyricard.

Enter Puyricard, at the roundabout take the 3rd exit on the D63 toward Equilles. Follow this road for about 4 km till Eguilles.

In Eguilles at the T-junction turn left on the D543 toward ‘Le Village’.

Go straight at the roundabout toward ‘Le Village’.

At the roundabout take the 3rd exit toward ‘Le Village and Calas’.

At the next roundabouts follow: Les Milles and Calas.

About. 1,5 km outside of Eguilles turn right on At the Intermarche you can fill-up the car: the D10 toward Etang-de-Berre, Ventabren, La- 2cv and Fiat 500: Euro 98! Beetle and Camper-van: Euro 95! Fare-les-O.

Stay on the D10 till the roundabout in Ventabren with the supermarket ‘Intermarche’ on the left. Go straight at this roundabout toward Berre and L-Fare-les-O.

Continue the D10 in the direction of La Fare-les- Vintage Roads Oliviers and enter the village. 7, Chemin des Trompettes 13580 La Fare-les-Oliviers Go right on the roundabout and go left on the Phone: +33 (0)6.60.93.69.11 junction.

After one kilometer ‘Chemin des Trompettes’ is at your left. We hope you enjoyed your day with our Vintage car! Mark & Nadia