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Created in 1650, Aix’s majestic main avenue is a tunnel of greenery created by giant plane trees. In their shade stand elegant town houses and, on the northern side, smart, lively cafés. A succession of fountains adds freshness to the grandeur.

The focal point of medieval Aix. Notable features are the octagonal, 5th-century baptistry, the 12th-century cloisters and a wonderful Buisson Ardent triptych painted in 1476 by Nicholas Froment.

Was built in 1671 as a priory by St Jean de Malte. Its exhibits include European art from the 16th to 19th centuries.

Cézanne’s studio from 1901 until his death has been left as it was – a jumble of artist’s paraphernalia, furniture and still-life subjects.

Running from the town hall to the cathedral, is the liveliest thoroughfare of the Old Town, throbbing with commerce.

It was in this quiet district that the Aix nobility established some of their finest town houses in the 17th and 18th centuries. Within the tranquil sector of ornamental façades, small art galleries and charming antiques shops, the discreet, sober air of old money and aristocracy remains palpable.

The vast and colourful Aix market colonizes all the town’s old squares on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings. From the Place de Verdun via the Place des Prêcheurs to the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, the streets come alive with stalls selling fresh produce, clothes and antiques.

Obliged to enter holy orders, local cardinal Louis de Mercoeur built this honey-stoned villa as a love-nest for his mistress in 1665. Its size, decorated façade and extensive gardens, however, suggest a rather open secret. It now houses a collection of 18th-century paintings.

To the east of Aix, this soaring mountain, 1,000 m (3,300 ft) high and 7 km (11 miles) across, exerts an almost mystical power over the region. Cézanne was so obsessed by its changing moods and intriguing shapes that he painted it more than 60 times. On the northern slopes is the Château de Vauvenargues, former home and burial place of artist Picasso (see Pablo Picasso).

This intriguing centre is dedicated to Hungarian artist Victor Vasarely’s work on the integration of art into architecture. Behind the geometric façade are displays of weird dimensions and perspectives.