10 Best museums in Aix-en-Provence

In the south of France and very close to Marseille, Aix-en-Provence has established itself as an artistic city full of numerous cultural events. All this is reflected in an extensive list of museums.

Enjoy getting to know the exhibitions and works on display in the city in important spaces. The Hotel de Caumont, the Musée des Tapisseries, the Musée Granet, the Musée du Calisson, the Vasarely Foundation or the Atelier de Cézanne are some of the main ones.

A building that is a work of art in itself. The Hotel de Caumont is one of the most interesting buildings in all of Aix-en-Provence, as it is a large 18th century mansion that has been completely renovated over time.

And it's not just the rooms: this mansion has more than a thousand square meters of private gardens that will serve you to take the fresh air and re-enter the temporary exhibitions of artists from all eras. Here you can enjoy works by artists such as Picasso to an important collection of Renaissance art.

The best thing is that you can see the works of the Guggenheim or Manet while you relax in a traditional tea room that will take you to the France of the early eighteenth century. This museum is a must-see and should be part of any city tour itinerary. Of course, I recommend that you book tickets for the Hotel de Caumont exhibitions in advance, because it is one of the most visited in the city.

Practical information

• Location: 3, rue Joseph Cabassol 13100 Aix-en-Provence. One minute from the Mirabeau promenade.
• Price: 6,5 € when there are no temporary exhibitions. With temporary exhibitions it can go up to 16 €. Discounts are available for seniors over 65 and for young people between 7 and 25 years old.
• Hours: between May and October, from 10 am to 7 pm. Between October and May, from 10 am to 6 pm.

20 minutes from the city, you will find a paradise full of art, restaurants and in the middle of vineyards: the Château La Coste, a combination of these three elements that will allow you to spend an afternoon totally isolated from the urban bustle. The castle is more properly a summer space, where wine is the main protagonist, so from here you can take one of the best wine tours in Aix-en-Provence.

The interesting thing about this plan is that it combines art with wine tasting. About the museum area, the organization says it focuses on unusual art and temporary exhibitions, in addition to the Tadao Ando art center. Additionally, the space features a pavilion that serves as an auditorium designed by renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. Surrounding the chateau are more than 200 hectares of vineyards.

If you want to spend a very different day, take a full day tour from Aix-en-Provence, taste the best wine while viewing unconventional art and then have lunch on a terrace or in a delicious restaurant overlooking many hectares of vineyards, then save a day to get to know this chateau in detail.

Practical information

• Location: 2750 Route de la Cride, 13610 Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade.
• Price: There is a separate entrance for art and a separate entrance for vineyard, in addition to the hotel and restaurant options. The fee for visiting the art section is about 15 € for adults and 12 € for students, over 65s, students and unemployed.
• Hours: between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., every day.

Carpets and tapestries are an important part of the history of Western Europe. They were a status symbol for different European monarchies that implanted them in their colonies. Today, many of them are a souvenir and are exhibited in one of the most important museums in France: the Tapestry Museum in Aix-en-Provence.

It is located in one of the halls of the former Archbishops' Palace, which is a spectacle in itself. That is why it was declared a National Historic Monument. This enclosure ceased to be a religious institution well into the twentieth century, so it still retains much of the religious iconography. About the tapestries, the main ones are from the XVII and XVIII centuries and show all kinds of stories, literary or real events.

But do not stop there: there is also a temporary exhibition hall, where you can see more variety in the tapestries exhibited. This is also the space where different artistic manifestations are mixed in the framework of the museum's exhibitions, such as the Festival of Lyric Art that takes place here.

Practical information

• Location: 28 Pl des Martyrs de la Resistance, 13100, Aix-en-Provence France.
• Price: about 4 € general admission. Free for children under 26, press and unemployed.
• Hours: open from Wednesday to Monday and closed on Tuesdays. From April to October it is open from 10 am to 12:30 pm and then from 1:30 pm to 6 pm. Between October and April, opening hours are between 10 am and 12:30 pm and finally between 1:30 pm and 5 pm.

The opening of the Granet Museum took place in 1838, so it is almost two centuries of shared history with Aix-en-Provence. This space is phenomenal, as it is more than 4 thousand square meters full of works of art and archaeological finds. Of all the collection, the paintings of Paul Cézanne or Rubens stand out, which you must see in any of the best tours of Aix-en-Provence.

Another of the most outstanding elements of this beautiful museum is the sculptures, with great exponents such as Alberto Giacometti or certain archaeological pieces of the French environment. Cézanne steals the show in this museum that has a total of around 700 works of art, not all of which are on display.

The building where this museum is located is truly spectacular and conveys an air of the Renaissance, one of the historical periods that is most represented in its art collection. It is truly a visit not to be missed.

Practical Information

• Location: Place Saint Jean de Malte, 13100, Aix-en-Provence. Bus lines 1, 3 and 13 serve the Saint Jean stop.

Price: about 11 € with temporary exhibitions. You can go down a couple of euros thanks to the reduced rate for seniors.

• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 12 noon to 6 pm. Closed on Mondays.

Do you want to get to know Paul Cézanne at his most personal and close to his work area? Then a visit to the Atelier of Cézanne is a must. This is a very intimate space where you will find the painter's personal belongings, as well as the tools he used to paint with. Everything is decorated as it was when Cézanne lived, including the furniture.

It is a fairly small space, which will fit only about 25 people and where it is best to take a guided tour that will explain part by part what each of the objects means. This is done through an audio guide that you must activate as soon as you arrive at the museum, because you only have 30 minutes to walk around and enjoy the whole space.

Always keep in mind that it is not a museum of works by Cézanne. It is simply his atelier, where he lived and worked. Here they talk about Cézanne's life and not about his work, and that makes it even more interesting.

Practical information

• Location: 9 Av. Paul Cézanne, 13100 Aix-en-Provence.

Price: about 6.5 € for adults and 3 € for audio gallery. If you are between 13 and 25 years old, a reduced rate of about €3.65 is charged.

• Hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 2 pm to 5 pm.

Have you ever tasted the calisson? This is a traditional sweet from Aix-en-Provence and the surrounding region and is said to have been prepared and consumed since at least the 15th century. Although it is common at Christmas, it is usually made all year round and its white color stands out in any shop window. Whether you know the calisson or not, going to the Calisson Museum is a splendid way to get closer to the gastronomy and culture of the region.

This museum is a Roy René confectionery factory, one of the best known in the entire region. By being there, you will be able to learn not only the history of the calisson and its social significance, but you will also have the opportunity to learn all about its manufacturing process. The calisson is a kind of very sweet soft cookie, similar to marzipan, so its manufacture at an industrial level is very precise.

Delight yourself eating calissons and enjoying all the steps that lead to the production of this wonderful sweet at the Calisson Museum. You will spend some very sweet hours that you will surely love.

Practical information

• Location: 5380 Route D'Avignon, 13090, Aix-en-Provence.
• Price: the tour of the museum premises is free for 30 minutes.
• Hours: Monday to Saturday from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm and Sunday from 10 am to 5:30 pm.

Do you like optical illusions? How about psychedelic artworks with extensive use of shapes and colors to trick your mind? Victor Vasarely is considered one of the fathers of op art that plays with optical illusions and in Aix-en-Provence there is a museum dedicated mainly to his work and legacy: the Vasarely Foundation.

This museum defines itself with an architectural center, as Vasarely's works go from sculptures to huge constructions, where his art of optical illusions dazzles. But you will not only see Vasarely, but many other artists of this trend that will surely captivate you with their artistic play.

The spaces of the Vasarely Foundation are really fantastic because they combine large works in clear areas with smaller and conventional spaces called integrations. The museum has 44 integrations, ready to be exhibited to the public. Are you going to miss the most charming museum of contemporary art?

Practical information

• Location: 1, Avenue Marcel Pagnol, CS 50490, 13096 Aix-en-Provence CEDEX 2.
• Price: about 12 € for adults and 9 € reduced rate for students, disabled, unemployed and seniors.
• Hours: daily from 10 am to 6 pm.

A space for elegant and glamorous contemporary art. It is an association of contemporary artists, with exhibitions all the time in 2D and 3D. The concept is totally different from that of a museum or a traditional gallery, as it includes personalized creation workshops for the different artists, as well as a free-to-use workshop for them.

Every few months, at the 361° Espace d'Art Contemporain there are new temporary exhibitions on artists you may not know, but who are very talented. When you go to Aix-en-Provence, you can enjoy a magnificent exhibition in its facilities. In addition, this space also has virtual exhibitions.

If you like the gallery atmosphere with contemporary art and even have the opportunity to dialogue with the artists, then this space is for you. The good thing is that it is a short visit, so in half an hour or 45 minutes you will be ready to continue.

Practical information

• Location: Andersen, c/o Liselotte, 220 Chem. de Bibémus, 13100 Aix-en-Provence.
• Price: free admission.
• Hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 11 am to 7 pm.

The horror of World War II is still very present in the South of France and if you are interested in history, the Camp des Milles Memorial is a place not to be missed. Also known today as the Museum of History and Human Sciences, Camp des Milles was a concentration camp where Germans were first interned in France and, after the German invasion, it was used for the extermination of Jews.

This structure still remains, because before being a concentration camp it was a tile factory that was adapted for these horrible purposes. Despite having a very long and remarkable history, this memorial was not inaugurated until 2012, so its development as a museum is quite recent. All that has made this exhibition space quite attractive to all those who feel sensitivity for these issues.

Keep in mind that this is a museum that remembers a very dark episode of humanity and when you go, most exhibits will not be pleasant. The idea is to sensitize and raise awareness about the past in order not to repeat it.

Practical information

• Location: 2750 Route de la Cride, 13610 Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade.
• Price: about €9.5 for adults and €7.5 for students, seniors over 65, students and unemployed. Veterans and children under 9 years old are free.
• Hours: daily from 10 am to 7 pm.

Since 1932, the Vieil Aix Museum or Old Aix is the museum of the history of the city. It is one of the best plans of Aix-en-Provence Originally founded by Marie d'Estienne de Saint-Jean, this museum highlights the traditions and the past of Aix-en-Provence, focusing on the artistic and literary past of the city. This site gathers mainly pieces of furniture: both domestic furniture and household objects.

There are iconic figures that have represented the city in the Vieil Aix Museum, as well as architectural models and models, such as the one made by G. B. Gaulli of the baptistery of the church of St. Peter in Rome, or works of art by famous artists such as Berthélémy d'Eyck. In addition to this, it is a site that has many temporary exhibitions, where historical moments of the city are highlighted, as well as themes related to the past and grouped works of art and collections.

In any case, keep in mind that this is a very classic museum and is quite compact, so it can be toured in a short time. I highly recommend it if you are interested in the history of the area and artistic objects representing the past.

Practical information

• Location: 2750 Route de la Cride, 13610 Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade.
• Price: about €9.5 for adults and €7.5 for students, seniors over 65, students and unemployed. Veterans and children under 9 years old are free.
• Hours: open from Wednesday to Monday, closing only on Tuesdays. From April to October it is open from 10 am to 12:30 pm and then from 1:30 pm to 6 pm. Between October and April, opening hours are between 10 am and 12:30 pm and finally between 1:30 pm and 5 pm.