Aix-en-Provence has a lot of humans. Humans walking about town, riding their bikes around, going to lunch, taking the bus. But there is a lot of wildlife. A mouse on the way to school. Pigeons cooing. Magpies peering around on a wire. Oftentimes, I can see or hear all of these elements from my sit-spot. It’s interesting to think about how old this city is as I listen. According to the Aix tourism website, this city was first settled by the Romans in 122 BC who found springs where Aix-en-Provence now stands. After the Romans, the ville underwent the reign of several counts and welcomed a university. Soon Aix became a city known for art, literature, and culture. You can see it in all of the museums in Aix (there is a very cool tapestry-focused one) and in the work of their pride and joy, Paul Cezanne who is being celebrated this year. He painted many a provincial landscapes and works that celebrated Mount Sainte-Victoire. This mountain is famed for its hiking trails, though I haven’t yet been able to go (maybe this weekend). Other green spaces around town include Parc Jourdan, the Vendome (my sit spot), and Promenade de la Torse.
When you’re in the Centre Ville, green spaces are a little bit harder to come by. For example, here is a pretty typical town street.
Still, there are trees in most areas, offering a little bit of shade, or at least a splendid sight of greenery amongst the beige and yellow houses. As I believe I have mentioned before, Aix is a seriously walkable city. Once you get into the heart of the city, pedestrians rule the street except for an occasional motorcycle or these little electric buses that carry people around the city. Another recent addition to this lineup is the “Little Tourist Train,” a mini electric train that offers tours throughout the city. Many of Aix’s buses boast that they’re electric and having to pay for parking encourages residents to make use of the public transportation as well as walking. When I have class at the French university, you can find me walking that 20-30 minutes, and now that the flowers are blooming, it is quite a beautiful promenade (I’ve found a lot of joy in the purple wisteria you can see on the right).
Transportation can often be sustainable here, something I am grateful for. However, for much of my stay, sustainable practices have extended to the kitchen table. My host family composts and keeps chickens who chow down on food waste. According to the town’s government website, residents are required to have a way to sort out bio-waste which I think is really cool (though I will say it’s not entirely clear how they enforce this rule). However, the best way to combat food waste is not to create it, so having fresh markets where you can buy what you need fresh daily can be important. I really appreciate how my host family cooks a lot of meals that use multiple different parts of an ingredient, and are incredible jam-makers. One time when there was a lot of cheese that was nearing its end, we had a great raclette night for dinner. I am hoping to be better at thinking about my food waste production when I get back home.
The beautiful chickens (who are fabulous escape artists)
That being said, Aix-en-Provence’s access to fresh produce is worth considering in light of the fact that this is a very well-off town economically. Residents here have easy access and can afford these items. In nearby Marseille, the second-largest city in France, some residents have a harder time getting the food they need. However, I learned that there are growing urban farms that work to combat food insecurity in the city. These farms, like Graines de Soleil, offer residents fresh produce at reduced prices so that shoppers can choose what they’d like. France, like the U.S., has a very high cost-of-living, which makes projects like urban farms so vital. It also means thinking critically about how we can work to ensure everyone has access to good food.