Aix-en-Provence, the (Other) City of Angels

View of the Sainte Victoire, a landscape that inspired Cézanne's work

By Ghislain Journé

Why Aix-en-Provence Is Capturing Global Attention

“Two weeks ago, on my way from Aix-en-Provence to Paris, I boarded the TGV.”

On a recent radio interview for France Inter, George Clooney casually mentioned that he, too, often takes the high-speed train—his preferred way of traveling across France. Aix, after all, was recently listed among the New York Times’ “52 Places to Go in 2025.”

This renewed attention for Aix owes much to last year's major retrospective dedicated to Paul Cézanne, whose life and work remain inseparable from the city and its luminous landscapes. The exhibition has contributed to an extraordinary surge of international interest in Aix. Anyone who has wandered the ochre paths of Bibemus, following in Cézanne’s footsteps, has noticed it immediately: Aix has become something of a magnet for English-speaking visitors.

Aix-en-Provence: A Lifestyle, Not Just a Destination

The appeal is obvious. The city offers a rare blend of architectural beauty, Mediterranean ease, nature, gastronomy, and wine—an alluring counterpoint to an anxious, unsettled world. Aix is radiant, serene, indulgent. A ready antidote to modern gloom.

But its charm goes beyond aesthetics. Aix embodies a concept popularized in the aftermath of the pandemic: the “15-minute city,” where life’s essentials lie within a short walk. The idea imagines a metropolis like Paris as a constellation of tiny, complete urban villages.

In Aix-en-Provence, this vision becomes tangible. The human scale of the city melds seamlessly with the surrounding natural heritage—those ridges and ochre quarries that shaped Cézanne’s eye and identity. It is hardly surprising, then, that international celebrities have settled in the region, joining a long-standing Anglo-Saxon community known for spotting “the place to be.”

A hint of that enthusiasm appeared this summer, right in the heart of Manhattan. At the Whole Foods Wine Store on the Upper West Side, an entire display was devoted to rosé from Aix-en-Provence.

Hollywood names investing in Provençal vineyards—Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John Malkovich— is just the visible aspect of a profound tendency : Although American consumers drink less wine overall, they are gravitating toward lighter, more refined styles — and toward wines that feel anchored in an authentic heritage.

In 2009, the wines from Château Lacoste were certified organic (agriculture biologique), a label that recognizes respect for the land and farming methods that are in harmony with nature.

Patrick McKillen, the Irish businessman who owns Château La Coste — now a pilgrimage site for art and wine lovers in the Aix hinterland — notes the shift: “Drinking habits are changing. People drink less, and they’re looking for wines with lower alcohol.”

That shift has, in many ways, played to Provence’s advantage. After a decade of exceptional growth, rosé from this region — and particularly from the Aix-en-Provence appellation — has emerged as a reference point on the international market. Its pale, understated style, its naturally lower alcohol levels, and above all its deep cultural pedigree have made it uniquely suited to evolving consumer tastes.

Beyond Tourism: Choosing to Live in Aix-en-Provence

Eventually, Aix-en-Provence’s appeal extends well beyond tourism. Increasingly, people are seeking to anchor their lives in places that offer cultural depth, luminous landscapes, and a gentler rhythm. A Parisian couple who relocated to Aix during the pandemic — part of the wave of households that, according to France’s statistics agency, has made the city one of the top destinations for former Île-de-France residents — describe the shift:

“We had a friend who moved here years ago. She kept telling us how good life was in Aix, but we didn’t truly understand until we lived here ourselves.”

The friend smiles and adds, almost conspiratorially: “Aix is a fabulous place to live. Just… don’t spread the word too much.”

Easter brunch at Domaine de Fontenille

Expanding in France or the United States?

CMK Bridge supports ambitious brands navigating transatlantic expansion with agility, accuracy and bi-cultural fluency.