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Lying on the table, I breathed a deep sigh of contentment. During the past two hours I had been bubbled, steamed and slathered in green mud, and the final flourish was a scented and supremely relaxing massage under a gentle rain of warm thermal water. There was no doubt about it: a few hours in Aix en Provence’s gleaming Thermes Sextius spa was the perfect indulgent finale to a few days of fine food, window shopping and culture.

The culture bit was largely thanks to Paul Cézanne, who was born in Aix and lived in the town for much of his life. Not that he had many fans here while he was alive, thanks to his shyness, unsociability and general all-round grumpiness. He was so famously uncheery, in fact, that the recent discovery of a photograph of him almost smiling caused huge excitement.

His paintings weren’t particularly liked either. Late in life Cézanne offered a hundred to the local Musée Granet, which were rejected by the curator on the grounds they were ‘rubbish’. So there’s a wonderful irony in the fact that the current curator has had to borrow back many of the same works, now scattered across the globe, for the centrepiece exhibition of this year’s celebrations to mark the centenary of the death of the town’s famous – and finally much-loved – son. Even Cézanne might have seen the funny side.

Given how long it has taken Aix to appreciate its best-known former resident, it’s lucky that any Cézanne sites still exist. The most personal is his studio, which was built to his own design on the edge of Aix and is much as he left it when he died four years later (though at one time the town authorities considered demolishing it to build a block of flats). In the corner there’s a row of pegs, with Cézanne’s coats and hats still hanging from them; along one wall there’s a long shelf of glass vases, ginger jars and other props; on different surfaces, you’ll find a plaster cupid, skulls and Cézanne’s painting materials. It’s so atmospheric that every time I go I half expect the artist to walk in at any minute.

Cézanne completed a fair few works here: the last Grandes Baigneuses; portraits of his gardener; a variety of still lifes. On sunny days, though, he would stomp off to Les Lauves, a viewpoint for Mont Sainte Victoire, one of Cézanne’s favourite subjects. He painted 11 variations on the theme in the last four years of his life, and it was here that he was surprised by a thunderstorm and caught the cold that killed him eight days later. These days, Les Lauves is surrounded by smart houses, but the views are just as impressive, especially on a slightly misty morning when the air smells fresh and all you can hear is birdsong and the chirp of cicadas.

Another beauty spot that crops up in more than 30 paintings is the long-abandoned quarry at Bibémus, a short drive from the centre of Aix, which will be accessible to the public for the first time from April. Cézanne rented a cabin here for seven years, revelling in the peace and quiet, the views of his beloved Mont Saint Victoire and the appropriately Cubist ochre-coloured rock formations he found in the quarry itself. Nowadays, its shady pathways are a haven of calm, especially on warmer days when there’s a hint of pine and herbs on the breeze. The odd scraps of mock Renaissance window and Romanesque cloister, however, are the work of a later artist, a Canadian sculptor who lives out here.

Another ‘new’ – as in ‘restored and open to the public’ – Cézanne sight is Jas de Bouffan, a neat Provençal manor house surrounded by elegant gardens, into which the family moved when Cézanne was 20. The young Cézanne found plenty to inspire him in the house and its surroundings, from the vistas of the inevitable Mont Saint Victoire – now blocked, sadly, by trees and buildings – to the avenues of ancient chestnut trees and the estate workers playing cards. Many of the works were created in the top-floor studio, which was piled with half-finished canvases.

If that’s not enough about Cézanne for you, there’s also a themed trail through the centre of Aix itself. In truth, there’s not a lot to see: the faded sign at his father’s old hat shop, a couple of cafes where he used to go with his tiny circle of trusted friends; his old school. It’s really just a good excuse to wander the winding streets and shady squares of the glorious Old Town and the Mazarin Quarter doing a spot of window-shopping. I found plenty of temptation, with anything from lavender hand-cream and everything to do with olives to designer bedlinen and dainty shoes on offer. As if the shops aren’t enticing enough, there are regular food, flower and craft markets of the sort that make me want to come and live here right away.

Added to that, there are cultural curiosities that pre-date Cézanne by miles. The town’s long history begins with the Romans, who were attracted by the hot springs (which explains all the ornate fountains); the remnants of their bath house are just inside the entrance of the Thermes Sextius spa. Most of the important buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries, though. The Musée Granet, for instance, is in a former Priory of the Knights of Malta, dating from the late 1700s. The knights would be hard pressed to recognise the place after the ambitious renovations over the past four years, however. These have more than quadrupled the gallery space, creating an appropriate setting for this summer’s Cézanne centenary exhibition as well as the permanent collection of old masters and archaeology.

Other palaces and noble mansions shelter quirkier small museums. The Archbishops Palace is home to a collection of tapestries, along with opera costumes and set models from previous summer festivals. The Museum of Old Aix is a fabulous building in its own right, with elaborate painted wooden ceilings and friezes, and a small and mildly interesting display about local crafts and customs. Surrounded by a neat park, the Venôme Pavilion is a classic example of an 18th-century interior, though with all that pale-green paint and white stucco it must have been like living inside a fondant fancy. Finally, the trompe l’oeil staircase in the Hôtel de Châteaurenard, now used as offices, is a marvel of art and trickery that has to be seen to be believed. My personal favourite sight, however, is the cathedral of St Sauveur, a bit of an architectural mishmash but with a wonderfully lived-in feel.

Back in the cobbled streets of the Old Town, it’s obvious that another thing the locals take seriously, apart from shopping, is food. Wherever you look there’s somewhere to eat: cafés for an indulgent breakfast (try the ones on the two market squares for croissants with a view), stylish sandwich shops for light lunches, Aix-style, or smart restaurants for a memorable meal.

Top of the list for flair is Le Passage, which is almost opposite the Cézanne cinema, appropriately enough. You’ll often find local celebrities hanging out here, attracted perhaps by the ‘industrial chic’ décor, or the superb seafood and the chocolate puddings with the melting centre (which I defy you to resist). There’s a more traditional Provençal ambiance at the family-run Chez Feraud, tucked away in a quiet alleyway. The artfully rustic interior and cuisine attracts plenty of locals, so it must be good: personally, I recommend the rabbit with basil, and the delicious fig tart. And if the weather’s fine and you want to eat your Provençal fare outside, head for the terrace at Chez Maxime, which is wedged into a tiny cobbled square in the Old Town with several other restaurants.

Quite how the French manage to eat like this and not put on weight has been the subject of scientific studies and best-selling books – but, in Aix at least, the answer is clear, and rather warm. Yes, the waters from the thermal springs that feed the town’s impressive fountains and the blissful spa really must have magical powers. Well, how else do you explain the fact I floated out of the Thermes Sextius, after several days of wonderful French food and wine, not only more relaxed but several inches thinner? I can hardly wait for the next time.

Factbox:
Easyjet flies from Gatwick to Marseilles; book online at www.easyjet.com or call 0905 8210905.
The Cézanne in Provence exhibition is at the Musée Granet from 9 June to 17 September 2006. Tickets can be bought in advance at www.cezanne-2006.com, which also has full listings of other centenary events, or by calling Aix-en-Provence Tourist Information on 00 33 4 42 16 10 91.
For general information about Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, call the France Information Line on 09068 244123, or visit www.franceguide.com.

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