Day 6 Aix en Provence

 Today was market day in Aix en Provence so that's the direction we decided to go. Somebody had left directions to Aix in the apartment that used back road instead of main highways. They were not simple directions, but we used them anyhow. It's a 40 minute drive that took us quite a bit longer, but we eventually got there after several dozen wrong turns (all of which were my fault). Once there we found good parking close to the center of town. The first stop was the Cathedral of Saint Sauveur, a 17th century church which had some very impressive murals and paintings. Next we walked the markets and although they were good, they were not as grand as some others. We spent most of the time just wandering around the city marveling how European cities remain so vibrant and alive. For lunch we stopped at Cafe de Verdun, a place recommended by the same people who provided the directions to town. Sylvia had Escallop Milanese and I had Daube De Marine, a beef stew with onions and potatoes cooked in a anchovy based broth...interesting. We continued walking around town checking out Paul Cezanne landmarks. It was four o'clock when we decided to go back to Lourmarin. On the way we circled the Paul Cezannes' studio several times but could not find a place to park, so we left Aix behind somewhat dissapointed. On the way back we stopped at Chateau Beaulieu for a tasting and got another bottle of wine for the apartment. I think we may have to extend our stay just to finish the wines. We had no dinner this evening, but we did go up the street to Cafe L'Insolite and had coffee and dessert. Still trying to figure out what to do tomorrow. There are so many places to go and things to see. The picture is an early morning view from the apartment.