Aix-en-Provence: food, fountains, wine, and mote fountains.

Aix en Provence is a medium sized city In the southeast part of France. It is, appropriately, in the region of Provence. You have probably eaten food from Provence. Bouillabaise, niçoise salad, ratatouille, and many more dishes are the cuisine of Provence. They eat a lot of vegetables, seafood, olives, garlic and herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, lavender, and sage. Aix is not the largest city in the region, but we were drawn here by the history of the city dating back to the first century bc, and the atmosphere of a smaller city. Overall, the city is very similar in feel to Madison.

We are staying at a delightful b&b on what was once the edge of town. It is an old estate that had fallen into disrepair before the current owners bought it and made it beautiful again. The owners are Marie and Francois. She is a New Yorker, and he is a Frenchman. They met in San Francisco, and later moved to Aix to run this b&b they are wonderful hosts, and have created a truly unique place.

The city is known for their fountains. There are more than 100 across the city. Everywhere you turn, there's another fountain. Some are ornate and spectacular, others small. It seems like they just started with the fountains and couldn't figure out when to stop. It makes the city charming when you encounter a fountain at every turn.

We have enjoyed provençal cuisine very much. We had an amazing meal at a nice out of the way restaurant. The food was incredible. I had stuffed mussels and rouget in a traditional sauce. Emily had a fish terrine and traditional proveçal stew. Amazing ratatouille came with both, and both meals were completely delicious. We also went to a great market and bought veggies and cheese and olives for a lovely picnic.

I've included pictures below of the b&b, the market, the food from our amazing dinner, and some great pastries and a crèpe. Tomorrow, we head to Italy to continue our journey.