aixcentric

What a mess the town centre is right now what with the travaux for the new bus route and the simultaneous archaeological dig and renovations at the Place des Precheurs.  But then no pain no gain…no omelettes without breaking eggs, and all that good stuff.  The bus drivers seem to be bearing the situation with truly Provencal shrugs, at least the ones I have talked to, but in the week Madame le Maire Marysse Joissains was ambushed by about 50 people who run businesses around the Place des Precheurs – their terraces are perched on temporary concrete bases and the outlook for their customers isn’t a pretty Provencal scene right now. They are reporting a sharp fall in business and some are having to lay off staff.  So maybe we should all be supporting the Café de Verdun and La Mado etc when choosing where to have a meal, during this tough period.

The illustration (right) shows what is planned for the area outside the Café du Verdun where there is a noticeable slope into the corner. There is to be a stepped area leading to a shallow reflective pool  where the water will cascade down a few more steps.  Lots of places to perch for passers-by in what will be a cool spot in the heat of the summer. (Illustration from ‘Le Mag’, current issue).

No definitive news on whether the medieval foundations thus far revealed will be covered with glass in places; talks are ongoing to assess the practicalities of doing this.

But one interesting revelation this week, during the work to lay down the new Aixpress bus route, has been the discovery in the avenue des Belges of some original tram-tracks.

A tram was actually introduced back in 1903.  At its launch and inaugural journey on 2nd July, Le Memorial d’Aix reported great enthusiam from locals: ‘On comprehend que c’est avec joie que les cris de ‘Vive le tram!’ sortent de toutes les poitrines’.

It took people from Aix to Marseille, setting off from the top of the Cours Mirabeau – where the Terminus Café used to be – and arriving in Marseille’s Quai des Belges 1hr 45mins  later. People travelling in the  opposite direction had a 2hr journey owing to the incline: things were even worse in the winter when ice affected the rails.  Trams ran every 15 minutes and were a great success.  The service only stopped in 1948 when trolley buses took over the route.

Here is the photo from La Provence of the old rails just uncovered in town, before being sent off to ‘le centre de recyclage’.

(c) Serge Mercier, La Provence