Aix-en-Provence

The French Trip

June 12, 2022: Aix-en-Provence. We are taking a mid-point break in “The French Trip”, pausing for a week in Aix-en-Provence. Provence offers so much, but we are savoring the relaxed time in our tiny apartment above Cours Mirabeau, the lovely pedestrian only center of Aix. Ahhh …

Aix-en-Provence

Over the past seven weeks, we’ve been so busy exploring that we’ve had little time for posting, let alone planning our fall trip to Britain.  So, Aix provides a perfect break from the road, and a chance to catch our breath. 

Every other day on the street below our Aix apartment, there is an open-air market, attended by as many locals as tourists.  We are “temporary locals” this week; Jean shops the markets and cooks fresh Provencal.  The aroma wafts around and prevents me from leaving even if I wanted.

Street music drifts up through our open balcony doors.  First, a young woman singing folk, lilting above the bustle of the morning market.  Then an accordion humming in the lazy afternoon. This evening, the quiet burble of table conversation accompanies a lone guitarist riffing Eric Clapton, Dire Straits, and the Stones.  Clinking dinnerware provides his percussion.

Aix for us is all about the markets: the fish, the cheese, the pastries, and the bread. And that is enough!

The French Trip so Far

While unhurried, we covered a lot of ground over the last 7 weeks – twenty-four cities in five countries. Unwritten posts play in my head as we drive down narrow farm lanes. Translating the ideas from thoughts to dots hasn’t been a top priority, as our itinerary has been full!

If you are hungry for updates, Jean has been busy publishing a few “bites” of her own on social media about the food from the trip.  For details, check out Confident in the Kitchen on FB, Instagram, Twitter or Pintrest.

The Swiss Trip

So what’s next you ask? In a couple of short days, we will be off again, headed towards the Alps and cooler weather. A few days in Annecy with its lake, followed by Chamonix and hiking the French Alps.  Then we start a month of exploring and hiking Switzerland.  We will cap Switzerland with about a week at the Montreux Jazz Festival.  We have tickets for John Legend, so of course it will be “Legen – wait for it – dary!”