Finding the Right Place to Live
One important thing about housing is to do some research before leaving. All IP students live in the dorms provided for the first two weeks after arrival. It is important to know that these dorms are for students only, NO dependants allowed. This means you will need to arrange a place to stay before you leave The States.
The best contact is Sophie. She works in the IP office in Aix-en-Provence. Every year there are a few apartments for rent which can hold up to six accommodations. Call her starting in August since the office is closed the month of July. The apartments are usually the same ones rented each year.
Apartment in Town
I know of three places off hand you can try. The first one is a large family owned house in the center of town. The first year I lived in France, I lived here with my two girlfriends. The house has been converted into apartments. They are owned by Monsieur and Madame Faillard. The family is use to having children around and there is a very small garden in the front. Madam and her husband and children live on the first floor (the second floor for us Americans). Most of the apartments are for 1 or 2 people, but she does have 3 apartments that will work for a family of 4. She is an artist and gives art lessons throughout the week. She has a studio on the ground floor where she does expositions.
Her oldest daughter lives in an apartment on the second floor (third for us Americans again). She has a theatre group for adults and children. Rehearsals are held in the studio. The address for this house is:
4 Traverse Notre Dame
13100 Aix-en-Provence
The telephone number is:
442.23.09.04 and cell is 611.22.80.12
She also has email: Monique.faillard@wanadoo.fr
You might want to write to her ahead of time and reserve a place. They are well kept, but are more on the expensive side due to the fact that the location is in the town center. She speaks only a few words of English so you might need someone to help with the letter. Sophie knows her too and she will be able to help with the details. The husband’s name is Dominique and he speaks English very well and so do their 4 children.
It is mainly Madame that you will be doing business with. She is very motherly and if you are lucky she will invite you over for dinner and holidays. This is very good for your French and she is a wealth of information. She is always willing to help if you are having trouble getting around.
Large Apartment Just Outside the Center of Town
During my second year in France, my husband and I and our 4 children stayed in an apartment on the outskirts of town. The agent’s name for this apartment is Monsieur Roux. He also works with our program and Sophie knows him. His office is located in the center of town but the apartment is at the north end and located in a giant complex.
It is very peaceful and there is a large garden in the back and a small park just one block over. The apartment is located on the third floor (4th) and is three bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1 watercloset, a living room, and kitchen. There is a washing machine in the apartment but no dryer. The French don’t use dryers like we Americans do. It also has two small balconies. One is a view out the front of the complex and you can see St. Victoire, the famous mountain that Cezanne painted. The other balcony gives you a lovely view of the garden. 
The concierge (the family that takes care of the complex) lives on the ground floor and around the backside of the complex in building A2. Their names are Freddy and Odile Gunther. The have two boys Eddy and Bastian. During the year we lived there, we became really good friends with this family. This is always a plus. Odile was an immense help with French and she was always helping me with work that I didn’t understand. In just a few months of meeting her, she was inviting me over and we would have coffee and speak French. This did wonders for me in learning the language as she speaks no English. Her son Bastian is the same age as my son and the two were soon inseparable. Needless to say my son’s French really got good that year. They are a very kind family and are a great resource if you are living in this complex.
The address for the apartment is:
30 Avenue Alfred Capus
Batiment D-2
Les Balcons D’Entrement
13090 Aix-en-Provence
Monsier Roux’s agency is located at:
26 rue Aumone Vieille
13100 Aix-en-Provence
His telephone number is: 442.26.26.57 and his cell is: 670.51.67.02
He speaks no English so it might be better to contact Sophie and she can help you with the arrangements. When I lived there we paid 1000 euros a month and the apartment is 1000 square feet.
Pharmacy, Bakery and Small Store Close By
Across the main street there is a pharmacy, a newspaper store and a bakery. The man who owns the newspaper store is very friendly. He and his wife have twins and he loves to just shoot the breeze. He also sells nickel and dime candy and the highlight of my children’s Saturday afternoon was to take their allowance and run over to “The Press”. There are all kinds of magazines and newspapers to choose from as well as a small selection of cards. He will also make quick copies for you and send a fax. The faxing is expensive, though, so try to go into town if you have time. Use his fax only in an extreme emergency. The same goes for the copies. Go to him for maybe one or two if it is an emergency. As with all stores, he is not open on Sundays.
Taking the Bus Into Town from the Apartment
To get into town you just have to go straight out the complex and veer up to the main street. The number 13 bus stops there and will take you directly into the center of town. The drop off is in front of the Office of Tourism and the famous “Rotonde”. You can also walk into town. This is what I did most of the time to get to class or into town. It takes about 30 minutes but is a nice walk and great exercise!
House With a Yard for Rent
The next place I know of is a small house in town. It is owned by a veterinarian. His name is Dr. Brackman. I personally did not live in the house but a good friend of mine did. The house has a yard and it has two bedrooms and 1 bathroom with a living room and a kitchen. There is a small 1 room house also on the property, but it is usually occupied by a French student. It is in a good location with proximity to town. Just outside the gate is the stop for the number 15 bus and the number 2 bus.
