The memory of Paul Cézanne looms omnipresent in Aix-en-Provence. The impressionist and cubist painter was born and raised in Aix and died in his studio here. The city is infinitely proud to have been the lifelong-home of this much celebrated painter, and they continue to admire him.

He represented the landscape, the light, and the beauty of Provence through his paintings, often focusing on the region’s natural landmarks. Notably, Cézanne was fond of depicting Mont Sainte-Victoire. I recently hiked to the top of this mountain. I had seen it before from a distance, as it sits right next to the city, and this had allowed me to see what Cézanne saw when he painted it. However, climbing the mountain made me feel like I was living inside one of his paintings. It was a completely different and surreal moment of experiencing the profound relationship between nature and art.

Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire (c. 1895)

The view from the top of Mont Sainte-Victoire

A photo of Cézanne’s atelier in Aix-en-Provence, which has been preserved by the city and operates as a museum.

The view out of Cézanne’s atelier.