I’ve moved benches today in search of the sun. As I closed my eyes and let myself grow roots, I could feel the sun kissing my cheeks, filtering through my eyelids to turn the dark orange and fall-like. I’m not sure what this has to do with roots but it feels important, searching for the sunlight like roots reach out for nutrients. Aix is a city of water and light. That’s where the name comes from, Aix, in reference to the Latin Aquae, which literally means city of water. Throughout Aix there are water sources, aqueducts, one of the reasons that the Romans settled here.

You’ll also hear Aix referred to as the city of a million fountains, or a reference to the Roman baths (les thermes) that were built here. All this to say, there’s a lot of talk about water in Aix. Because the majority of water comes from natural underground sources, it has a lot of calcium in it, so most people use an at-home water purifier or otherwise filter it before drinking. Funnily enough, the water in Michigan is the same, maybe because we use a lot of well water. It’s a small connection to home but it’s nice all the same.

The culture of water, especially for drinking, is quite different here. It’s considered American (or at least not French) to lug around a huge reusable water bottle — the majority of people here use disposable plastic water bottles, which I find so bizarre, especially coming from Wellesley. There is, however, more of an emphasis on being sparing with water, especially when it comes to showering and washing clothes. It’s fascinating, the nuances of sustainability, what issues we give importance to and which we ignore.

The Pavillon Vendôme features at its center one of Aix’s many fountains.