le mieux pour cette aventure.

are you at?

Forty-five minutes from Cassis and the Med. Three hours to Italy and five hours to Spain.

Picking fresh orange-red apricots off the trees at the neighbors, who owned an orchard.

Hanging out at the cafés on the Cours Mirabeau. I hope it hasn't changed too much!

Last edited Wed Apr 10, 2024, 11:53 AM - Edit history (1)

Some have been cut down because they were infected with 'canker stain', which blocks the sap pores. The replacement red maples are slowly growing, bring back much needed shade.
The street has been largely pedestrianized, and there's no longer any parking. The Rotonde fountain is still there, but is no longer a full «rond point», there is an enormous Apple Store where the tourist office used to be, and the casino is gone, replaced with a shopping street and apartments.
Les Deux Garcons was set alight on 30 November 2019, just after the security cameras went out, and has been a fire gutted shell ever since. It will be restored, though due to the usual bureaucratic snafus and various other (possibly Sicilian or Corsican) problems, it may take awhile. The rumours are that the Irish owner of Chateau LaCoste, Patrick McKillen, is planning to take over the building and make it a high end hotel and restaurant, partnering with Chef Hélène Darroze. We shall see.

Of course, after 55 years, I guess that is to be expected.

As always, musicians in Aix


Looking down Gaston da Saporta towards the cathedral


The annual 'debarquement' commemoration parade of American vehicles with Deux Garcons in the background


A reenactor by the statue of Roi René at the top of Cours Mirabeau