Adding Culture
As I already mentioned, this is an intellectual avant garde place with the likes of Cezanne, Van Gogh, Granet and even Nina Simone living here. Imagine that, turning down one of those little passages and bumping into Nina Simone! Apparently Marseille down the road thinks that Aix en Provence likes to think it is punching above its weight.
I wake up early even on holiday, but the rest of the world around me is still packing up from the night before. I wandered out of the hotel at about 8.30 to find a coffee: places were either still just putting tables out, or looked territorially local, so I kept wandering.
What I love about these old towns is that you turn a corner and find such lovely unexpected things -case in point, around a quiet corner and there was the marche, fruit, vegetables. I took a few photos (knowing how much people hate that 'get out of the way unless you are going to buy something' and then tucked myself into a corner of a cafe out of the autumn wind, where I could watch the Aixois doing their shopping. Those market bags on wheels? Everyone uses one. And ebikes are taking over from the old school bikes with baskets - although they still have the baskets..
From there I grabbed a croissant to munch in the street and set off to find of the aforementioned Culture.
Jean Planque was an artist, art collector and philanthropist of sorts in the art world. He gathered art and artists around him, filled his house with the most beautiful pieces - and then when he died, his collection was placed in a trust and is displayed in what was a Carmelite chapel (and at various times a hay barn for horses in the army during the war).
He had an eye for the up and coming, befriended Cezanne, Picasso and received gifts of artwork from Monet , Degas and Renoir. I pushed my personal boundaries for Time Spent in Art Galleries, and stayed there for nearly two hours, going back a second time when I realised that the guys in security gear wouldn't call me out in the hushed chapel if I took a photo!
The first one is a Picasso which I particularly liked - the one with the person playing the piano is one of Planque's own paintings.
I stood for ages looking at this piece, it just seemed to morph the more you looked at it.
From there to another Art Gallery (what can I say, it was two for the price of one..
and found this gorgeous face by Louis le Brocquy, a contemporary artist who died in 2012.
By now of course, I was needing food and drink, grabbed a slice of pizza in the street, wandered down a passage I hadn't noticed before, and there before me was Les Deux Garcons where the likes of Cezanne waited for ages to be served in his time. Apparently it's a thing. I didn't need to wait for long to have a lovely mojito brought to me..
So, now I'm more cultured than I was, have walked for miles, have tried a selection of coffees (NZ wins, sorry France). It could be just a tad warmer, but don't think I will be saying that as I head further north so will bite my tongue. Now I'm heading off to do a walking tour which will enlighten me on the racy and libertine history of this town -- ohhhhh x
I wake up early even on holiday, but the rest of the world around me is still packing up from the night before. I wandered out of the hotel at about 8.30 to find a coffee: places were either still just putting tables out, or looked territorially local, so I kept wandering.
What I love about these old towns is that you turn a corner and find such lovely unexpected things -case in point, around a quiet corner and there was the marche, fruit, vegetables. I took a few photos (knowing how much people hate that 'get out of the way unless you are going to buy something' and then tucked myself into a corner of a cafe out of the autumn wind, where I could watch the Aixois doing their shopping. Those market bags on wheels? Everyone uses one. And ebikes are taking over from the old school bikes with baskets - although they still have the baskets..
From there I grabbed a croissant to munch in the street and set off to find of the aforementioned Culture.
Jean Planque was an artist, art collector and philanthropist of sorts in the art world. He gathered art and artists around him, filled his house with the most beautiful pieces - and then when he died, his collection was placed in a trust and is displayed in what was a Carmelite chapel (and at various times a hay barn for horses in the army during the war).
He had an eye for the up and coming, befriended Cezanne, Picasso and received gifts of artwork from Monet , Degas and Renoir. I pushed my personal boundaries for Time Spent in Art Galleries, and stayed there for nearly two hours, going back a second time when I realised that the guys in security gear wouldn't call me out in the hushed chapel if I took a photo!
The first one is a Picasso which I particularly liked - the one with the person playing the piano is one of Planque's own paintings.
I stood for ages looking at this piece, it just seemed to morph the more you looked at it.
From there to another Art Gallery (what can I say, it was two for the price of one..
and found this gorgeous face by Louis le Brocquy, a contemporary artist who died in 2012.
All sounds and looks awful - must be having a terrible time. x
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