Aix-en-Provence (or just Aix for short), is an underrated destination along southern France's Provence-Aples-Cote d’Azur region. It often goes under the radar despite its fame as the birthplace and inspiration of the iconic impressionist artist Paul Cézanne. At its core, Aix-en-Provence is a small Provencal town brimming with quaint cafes and vibrant markets. Aix en Provence is a city that manages to pull off the trick of being at once elegant and exciting. Aix is a city with a zest for life, its streets and architecture timelessly classical, its populace kept young by a constant flux of university and art students. There may be 18th-century homes flanking the streets, but the French boulevards are filled with chic Paris transplants.

The still-popular Aquae Sextiae thermal baths may have been discovered in Roman times, but these therapeutic waters are accompanied by the on-site spa's latest in luxurious treatments. Aix is a place of culture, chic shopping, and street markets, rich in cafes and restaurants. There is a buzz but not really any sense of hurry. You can, and must, walk everywhere. You will probably drive there, and the best thing to do is head for one of the underground car parks dotted around the center and then spend the day on foot. You visit Aix for all of these reasons, but also for the French-Mediterranean cooking, trendy boutiques, Cézanne's artistic influence, and the city's overall easygoing and sunny disposition. An added perk is its proximity to the lavender fields, vineyards, and mountains of Provence, as well as the Côte d'Azur.

The history here is the drama of everyday life a pleasurable shopping trip is combined with its noble heritage, a drink on a terrace with beautiful architecture, and a stroll around town with baroque splendor. Every fountain holds a secret; each mansion house has a story to tell. The country houses are adorned by parks and gardens as they were over the centuries.

Aix-en-Provence is a canvas of joyful impressions, of colorful festivals, festivities and traditions, Provencal markets, delicious sun-filled delicacies, walks in the countryside, and relaxing activities. Cézanne’s colors are all around you: more than just an experience, you’ll actually feel like you’re meeting the painter amongst the places and landscapes that marked the life, the eye and the work of the father of modern painting.