Aix on market day

Some more photos from our day in Aix at the beginning of the week, as we whiled the time it took for the motorcycle to be repaired.

the nougat seller is new to the market this year, at least I think so, it's the first time I notice his table

Vintage records and vintage record seller

 

 

Café life is for everyone in France

so are baguettes

 

First things first

The garage for a new battery for the motorcycle

then to buy some bread from our favorite Aix boulangerie, Farinoman Fou (run by a Quebec native)

then the fabulous Aix market

and the Cours Mirabeau

Say it ain't so

In Provence, exceptional unfortunately means rain, and for the past few days we have had our share of thunderstorms and downpours, not that it kept Robert off the road with his favorite means of transportation.

But of course there were the "usual" days. We spent last Sunday picnicing by the Ste-Victoire, then drove into Aix for coffee.

Le cours Mirabeau

Aix is quiet on sundays

Back to Rians, the quiet bonheur of Place St-Laurent

Aix en Provence, what's being worn on the Cours Mirabeau

Need I add that it is not only French women who spend time before the mirror before going out..

Aix en Provence, De fil en rêves

After lunch, weaving through the smaller streets of Aix's old centre, a box in a window display caught my eye. The owner of the atelier, Sylvianne Bertolucci, abandonned her dressmaker's manneqin and invited us in to visit her creations, costumes fabricated for the Venise Carnavale. She works downstairs in an old vaulted sous-sol that she brought back to life herself. Her website: http://www.defilenreves.fr

Sylvianne Bertolucci with a costume she created over four months.

Our destination for the afternoon was a small museum with a private collection of faience and other objets. When we arrived at the door, there was the inevitable paper sign tacked up: Museum closed. Ring for the library. Instructions on the little brass plates next to the doors said 1 ring for the museum, 2 rings for the library, so I rang twice. We heard a heavy key turning, and the heavy doors opened and a woman looked out. The library was only made available to researchers and she had not idea when the museum would next be open, which could be next year, or the year after that.
We retreated to the Cours Mirabeau where we bought a bar of dark chocolate as consolation.

Robert on rue 4 septembre, of our close encounter with the museum

Reine, at the Monoprix on the Cours Mirabeau...generous and helpful and a fan of Montreal which she visited and admires for (what else?) its poutine...among other things.

Parking is always dicey in Aix.

Toulouse, Part I

We travelled to Toulouse for Robert's reunion with his friend Marc. While we were packing for our trip we heard a huge clatter out on the street...our neighbor laying in his winter wood supply. Otherwise the village hummed along in it's usual quiet way.

Time for a quick coffee in Jouques before catching the bus to Aix.
In Aix we picked up some food for our train trip.

The train station in Marseille.

From the Gare St.Charles in Marseille you can see the whole city, with Notre Dame de la Garde in the distance.

Delayed train departure.

Gare Matabiau in Toulouse.

Old friends reunited, Robert and Marc in front of the Capitole.