La Roucoulade is located 20 minutes from the charming town of Aix-en-Provence. The little family from La Roucoulade regularly goes there at weekends to do a little shopping. It's a must-see when you come here.
I'm pleased to share with you an example of a typical day in Aix-en-Provence, for a stroll around the city's 1000 fountains, with a few pointers. To begin with, you park in the Rotonde parking lot, which is the easiest and most central when you arrive from Ventabren.
Let's go for a gourmet stroll through the pretty streets of Aix-en-Provence.
Enjoy the famous Aix-en-Provence market
In Aix-en-Provence, we're lucky enough to have a daily craft market. On Saturdays, it takes place in the Place du Palais de Justice. The atmosphere is incredible. One colorful stall follows another, and it's easy to succumb to a tasting of local olives, a tasty cheese or a good artisanal sausage. It's always a good idea to start the weekend with the scent of Provence's fruits and vegetables.
Lunch next to the fountain in Place des 3 Ormeaux
What could be more bucolic than lunch on a shady terrace, with the delicate white sound of a fountain?
You can already enjoy this kind of pleasure under the hackberry trees of La Roucoulade. But you can also enjoy it right in the center of Aix-en-Provence. On the Place des 3 Ormeaux, there's a great restaurant that lives up to its name: "L'incontournable".
With its fresh, seasonal salads and superb wine list, it's one of the restaurants I recommend to Roucouleurs for a quiet lunch or dinner.
Of course, you'll need to make a reservation to get your table next to the fountain: Aix-en-Provence charm guaranteed.
Take a break from decorating
As you've probably noticed, I'm passionate about the art of decoration. I love looking for new objects to enhance my home and gîte. So I regularly drop in on the friendly Fabienne at Tungstene, 27 rue Granet. This ethnic chic boutique is full of nuggets, some of which you'll find at La Roucoulade.
Coffee in Place de l'Hôtel de Ville
Vacationing in the southeast means living life at your own pace. Between two shopping trips, strolling in the sunshine over a cup of coffee in Aix-en-Provence's mythical Place de la Mairie is part of the charm of a vacation in Provence. It's one of the best ways to feel the pulse of the city, and experience Aix's dolce vita.
Discover a hidden bookshop
With over 150 private mansions, Aix-en-Provence promises an architectural voyage of discovery. Right in the center of town, the Boyer d'Eguilles town house is a must-see. With its majestic entrance and shady courtyard, it's a lovely place to have tea. But my favorite is to lose myself in its hidden bookshop, coolly located in the basement; a handy place to find a good book, to be able to read in peace beside the Roucoulade swimming pool.
Stroll through a secret passage and relax with a glass of wine
How do you get from the Place du Palais de Justice to the Cours Mirabeau, or vice versa, as quickly as possible?
Nothing could be simpler: just go through the Passage Agard. It's better to know this, to avoid going around the city of Aix-en-Provence 3 times.
And as a little surprise, you can even stop off to enjoy a glass of wine with a piece of cheese at the Fromagerie du Passage.
Enjoy an ice cream on the Cours Mirabeau
Paris has its Champs Elysées; in Aix-en-Provence, we have the famous Cours Mirabeau. To take full advantage of its 440 meters, I recommend a sweet break at Philippe Faur. This artisan ice-cream maker selects nature's finest products and transforms them into sublime ice creams. It's like biting into fresh fruit. I'm a fan of the exotic mango-litchi combo, while the kids prefer the kiwi-strawberry flavors. A guaranteed treat.
Shopping in the narrow streets of Aix-en-Provence
A stroll through Aix-en-Provence inevitably means shopping.
La Roucoulade is part of a new, more sustainable way of consuming. With this in mind, I will always recommend small designer boutiques to my customers, as opposed to "fast fashion" brands. Like Natives, for example, a pretty "Slow" address that selects responsible French brands.
Pick up your cheese and cake platter
You never leave Aix-en-Provence empty-handed... It's always nice to return to La Roucoulade with a good cheese platter and some sweet treats to finish off a meal.
For cheese, in the Rue d'Italie, discover an institution, the fromagerie Lemarié, offering a selection of over 150 varieties. There's even a handy click-and-collect system. At La Roucoulade, we love their fresh goat's cheese and 30-month-aged Comté.
For dessert, there's a cult address that I recommend to all my Roucouleurs: Maison Weibel. A family-run patisserie for 70 years, the new generation has turned it into a trendy tea room, while preserving the quality of its sweets. There's so much choice in these gourmet showcases that I'm taking a selection of evening cakes.
Special mention for my favorite pastry, "le lampion".
Shopping, dining, strolling, sightseeing... There's so much to do in Aix-en-Provence.
Want to enjoy the charms of this pretty town? Come and spend a few days in the Aix countryside and book your stay at La Roucoulade.
We look forward to seeing you,
Clémence
