aixcentric

This annual celebration of European heritage is always a high spot in the calendar in Aix with special events and ‘portes ouvertes’ across town.

The theme this year is ‘Le Patrimoine Ecrin de la Modernité’:  Aix has always been at the cutting edge of design – from style-conscious Romans wanting the latest mosaics, through King René establishing the Place des Precheurs, one of the first urban spaces for France, up to modern architects like Rudi Ricciotti and Kengo Kuma designing eye-catching buildings for the town.

Cezanne, the organisers explain, was the father of modernity in painting, and so they are focusing on his family home at Jas de Bouffan (currently being renovated) where he painted 100 pictures.  This period will be the subject of a major conference during this weekend.

The tourist office have free books with full details  of all events (v collectable – full of good photos!) or you can download it here: jdp-prog2019-web-2

PLUS

There’s a link here to events in Marseille: https://www.evous.fr/Les-Journees-du-Patrimoine-a-Marseille-programme-lieux-1136627.html…..or Toulon: https://toulontourisme.com/fiche/36es-journees-europeennes-du-patrimoine/

Alternatively, here is a starting point for events across the Bouches-du-Rhone: https://www.journees-du-patrimoine.com/DEPARTEMENT/journees-patrimoine-13-bouches-du-rhone.htm