Bars and Cafés: Aix en Provence

Mazarin Quarter

placedescardeursAs a university town, Aix en Provence unsurprisingly has a very lively bar scene. One spot to head to for this is the place Richelme in the Old Town.

It has a cluster of busy cafés, all with outdoor terraces, including the Bar de l'Horloge and L'Unic Bar. On certain days, the colourful street market on the square is an added bonus.

Another is the Forum des Cardeurs, pictured, a large open space lined with bars and restaurants. It, like many other parts of the Old Town, is a buzzing hive of activity in the evenings, especially at weekends.

The closing time for bars in Aix is the subject of arguments. For years they were allowed to remain open until 2am, creating the city's reputation for fantastic nightlife.

However local residents regularly object to the late-night noise, and the deadline is the subject of constant revision.

In late 2019 the city's most famous and legendary bar, Les Deux Garçons (reviewed below) on the Cours Mirabeau was destroyed by a major fire.

Work has begun on its reconstruction, but it will quite a while before it reopens - 2023 is the current prediction. Meanwhile, however, there are plenty of terrific bars, cafés and brasseries in Aix to choose from.

The line in France between bistros and restaurants is a fluid one and many addresses also serve light food, sometimes very good food too, though they're famed for their atmosphere more for their cuisine.

Some, such as Le Grillon on the Cour Mirabeau, offer free tapas with drinks in the early evening.

It's also worth exploring places which aren't primarily bars. Aix has always prided itself on its bookshops and several in the city have their own built-in bars!

aix hotel boyer deguillesThe latest of these is La Librairie de L'Hôtel, in the recently refurbished Hôtel Boyer d'Eguilles. This 17th century hôtel particulier is one of Aix's enormous super-elegant private houses.

To give you an idea of its sheer size, until a couple of years ago it housed Aix's Museum of Natural History (whose collections are currently in storage prior to finding a new home).

Now the Hôtel Boyer d'Eguilles is being converted into a multi-purpose "lifestyle store" which includes an aromatherapy and organic cosmetics outlet and a huge bookshop-café, La Librairie de L'Hôtel.

It has indoor seating among the books and a number of tables outside in the Hôtel's secluded courtyard, pictured. So far it has attracted somewhat mixed reviews on Tripadvisor, but surely it will find its feet in due course.

The café tables are in two of the shop's rooms, tucked among the books, and outside in the Hôtel's private courtyard.The Librairie de l'Hôtel is at 6 rue Espariat in the Old Town.

hotel de caumont gardenBook in Bar, at 4 rue Joseph Cabassol in the Mazarin Quarter, does what the name says: it's also a bookshop (with an excellent English-language section) with tables dotted around between the shelves where you can relax over a good read, tea and a light snack.

Just opposite it in the same street, the Caumont Centre d'Art has an elegant, 18th century style salon that opens out onto a stunning outdoor terrace and formal French gardens, pictured.

It serves tea by day and cocktails at night and is open to museum visitors and holders of an annual season ticket.

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Les Deux Garcons, Aix en ProvenceNo visit to Aix is complete without a trip to Les Deux Garçons, the city's legendary brasserie known informally as the 2Gs.

Le Cintra, Aix en ProvenceA long-established local institution, this simple brasserie just off La Rotonde is remarkably cheap by Aix standards, has a vast menu and serves hot food 24/7, 365 days a year.

aix cave dyves exteriorIf you're going out for a drink, a super way to enjoy fine but affordable wine is to visit one of France's numerous wine shops (caves à vins) which also double as brasseries.

Au Pet't Quart d'Heure logoIf you want to avoid the overpriced bars on the Cours Mirabeau: take a tour into the Old Town to this friendly little spot which serves local wines at bargain prices.

aix segond facadeYou'd expect a city like Aix to be jam-packed with tasty pâtisseries and salons de thé. Not so. You can buy cakes to take away easily enough. But somewhere to sit and chat over coffee and pastries: that's not so easy to find.

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