Living in Aix-en-Provence

Living in Aix-en-Provence

   My name is Ashley Davidson-Fisher and I created this site especially for students and families who will be living in Aix-en-Provence, France.  Although this site was created especially for students of the California State University Study Abroad Program, it will be helpful to any one who will be living in Aix-en-Provence.  It covers all the basics, from getting there to getting around once you are there.

    I developed this site, in particular, for students who will be studying and living in Aix-en-Provence with their families.  Even though many things on the site are geared towards families with children, most students will find it helpful in the basics of day to day life. There is everything one could possibly need here: transportation, telephones, television, insurance, traveling, money and much more.

    I was fortunate to be accepted into the Study Abroad Program while attending California State University, San Bernardino.  I lived and studied for two years in Aix with my husband and four children.  Our experience began in August 2003 and we returned home in June 2005.  This two year journey for us brought many challenges and difficulties, but were far out-weighed by the wonderful experiences we had and the knowledge that we gained.  I wanted to share some of what we learned as a family living in a foreign country and help future students who would like to have the same experiences.

     I hope that this information is helpful and your time in Aix-en-Provence brings as much learning and happiness to you as it did my family.  My children now have a greater understanding of culture and the world and they all speak French beautifully.  It was truly an experience that we will not soon forget.

    Please feel free to leave me comments and browse through the photo albums.  Clicking on the photos in the text will give you a larger image.  I hope this gives you some idea of the beautiful country that you will soon be seeing.

Before you go

Getting Settled

Essential Living

Activites

Places to Visit

Before you go Overview

Budgeting

Contacting the IP Office

Contacting Aix

Housing Research

Packing

Traveling Information

Passports

Visas

Getting Settled Overview

Airplanes

Bus System

Car Buying

Car Rental

Education

Insurance

Medical & Dental

Trains

Essential Living Overview

Childcare

Internet

Laundry

Banking

Haircuts

Shopping

Telephone

Activites Overview

Bookstores and the Library

Church

Entertainment

Food & Restaurants

Sports & Recreation

Theater, Dance, Art

Places to Visit Overview

Aix-en-Provence

Avignon

Roussillon

L'Isle-Sur-La-Sorgue

Fontaine de Vaucluse

Orange

The Luberon Valley

St. Tropaz

Budgeting

Keeping a Watchful Eye on Your Money

  The IP Program will give you a paper with the amount of money it will cost for the year. This is only an estimate and it is only for the student.  Your cost will also be based on the price of the euro.  Each day you can check the exchange rate on www.oanda.com/convert/classic. 

  The euro can change drastically during the year so be prepared.  While I was living in Aix, it fluxuated between $1.09 and $1.35.  At its highest point, we were really taking a hit to the pocketbook.  For example, if I went to the teller to take out 300 euros, I was really taking out almost $400 American.

  It is best to think about what you spend on each child (school supplies, clothes, furniture, food and extra curricular activities) while you are here living in The States.  You will have those same expenses in France, but the cost will be some what higher due to the strong euro and because goods and services tend to be higher over there.

Contacting the IP Office

Contacting the IP Office in Long Beach

  The IP Program will send you all the information you need for your stay in France. This information is only for the student and not for your dependents.

  You must let the IP Program know you will be taking your dependents with you. IP will send you the paper work required for obtaining and paying for your dependents’ insurance. Fill out all forms and send them back to the IP Office in Long Beach with a check. The amount will vary depending on how many dependents will be going with you. The amount is a one time payment and your family will be covered for one school year in France (ie, the day you arrive in France until your last day of classes).   This paper work must be complete before your dependents can get a visa. The insurance papers must be brought with you to the French Consulate in order for your dependents to receive their visas.

Staying in France a Second Year

  If you choose to stay in France to study for a second year, you will need to fill out new forms. During this time, if you choose to remain in France during the summer, you will not be insured. Your insurance for the next year will start the first day the new IP students arrive.   You might want to check into getting travel insurance or overseas insurance that will cover you and your family for those summer months.

  It is also important to know that the budgeted amount the program tells you to pay is only for you and NOT your dependents. You must pay their insurance and all other expenses incurred over the school year out of pocket.

Contacting Aix

Contacting the IP Office in Aix

  You might want to contact the IP Office in Aix-en-Provence.  Every one or two years there is a new director, but the assistant director is always the same person. Her name is Sophie Bussenius.  Let her know you will be coming with your dependants and she can help with finding an apartment. (I have listed some places to stay in the Housing Research section.) She is very friendly and helpful and can make some phone calls for you if your French is not so good. 

The office is located at:
5, rue du Quatre Septembre
13100 Aix-en-Provence
The telephone number is:  442. 26.73.52
There is also a fax number: 442.38. 34. 57   Email: [email protected]

  The office is open August-June. The hours are usually 10am-5pm but with the budget cuts this might change.  They have a small library, a table for relaxing and having a bite to eat and English newspapers.  You are allowed to send a fax, free of charge, if it is for school business. Your school mailbox is located in the office behind the door.

  This is how IP keeps in touch with you through out the year. During the year, if problems arise or you just need a little help with something, Sophie is always willing to help. She has lived in Aix her whole life and can basically answer all your questions.  Use this office as much as possible. They are there for help and support and are a valuable resource.

  When you stop by for the first time, tell Sophie that Ashley says "Hello".

Housing Research

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: [email protected]

  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.

Packing

What to Bring

  You will want to make sure that you have a few summer outfits to get you through the last half of August and all of September. After these two months it starts to get really cold.  You will want to have plenty of sweaters and long pants. Once it gets cold in France, it pretty much stays that way until April or May. 

  Do not listen to what anyone tells you when it comes to the winters in France. Even though Aix is by the Mediterranean, it gets unbelievably cold in the winter, sometimes as low as -7C.  Though it doesn’t really snow in Aix (2 times in the two years I lived there), it does have a freezing wind called the Mistral. Generally, it blows in 3, 6, and 9 day increments. This wind will drop the temperature a few degrees in a few seconds. I didn’t believe it until I lived there and watched everyone become sudden statues as it picked up.  Bundle up good if you look outside and the wind is blowing!

Buy Your Winter Items When You Are In Aix

  You will probably want to buy your heavy jackets when you get there. Make sure that you invest in scarves, gloves and hats. You will be wearing them every time you leave the house.  The key to staying warm is layers.

  Try to bring only those things you can’t live without.  Don’t buy a lot of your kids’ winter clothing in the states and pack it.  It will make your luggage too heavy and chances are you might not pack what is needed. We Californians don’t know how to dress for a real winter! Buy most of their clothes after you arrive. 

  There are some good and inexpensive places around (look under Shopping) and the clothes are better made there to suit the environment. They will also be in style with the other French kids!  Have the kids pack a few of their favorite toys and things. For my kids, they each got two suitcases.  One was for their clothes and the other was for their toys. They also were given a backpack for a carry-on which contained their lunches and what they wanted to do for amusement on the plane.

  If you use a hair dryer or iron, don't bother packing it.  Those items and other small electronics are easily found at the hypermarkets.  They are inexpensive and this way you don't have to ship them or buy the adapters.
    

Traveling Information

Traveling to Aix

  Once you arrive in France, there are many ways to get to Aix-en-Provence.  If you bought tickets at the group rate and are making the trip with the other IP students, then the program will have a bus waiting for you and will drop you at the dorms.

Taking the Train

  If you choose to fly with your family separate, you have several choices.  You can fly into Paris and then take the TGV to either Aix or Marseille.  The web site to buy your tickets is www.voyages-sncf.com Once there, scroll down to the bottom of the home page and click on the British flag.  The site will then be in English. This site is not only for the TGV but for all other trains and means of travel.

  There is also a passenger guide. (See Trains) This is useful if you will be traveling throughout France. Kids love this option because the TGV is very comfortable and you will get to see the French country side if you arrive early enough from the states. Tickets will vary in price depending on the day and the time of day. The trip takes between 3 and 4 hours. I recommend arriving at the Aix TGV station.  It is brand new and very nice.  It is not in the center of town, however, there is a bus that will take you to the bus station that is located in the center of town. 

  If you choose to arrive in Marseille, you will need to catch another train that will take you to the Aix station which is in the center of town. This is not a TGV train and it does make stops in each town along the way. The trip on this train takes about 30-40 minutes.  There is also a bus from Marseille to Aix, but I do not recommend it on your arrival trip.  It is outside the station and you would have to walk about 10 minutes with all of your luggage.  Even though France is a very safe country, Marseille is not one of the safest areas. Stay cautious at all times.

Planes

  Another option is to book a Paris-Marseille connection flight.  If you have really small children this is the best way to go simply because there is less steps involved and you can buy the tickets ahead of time.  When landing at the Marseille airport, which technically is outside Marseille, you will either need to take the bus into Aix or take a taxi.  Both are conveniently located just outside the airport entrance.

Taxis or Bus

  If you decided to take a taxi it will probably run about 50-60 euros. Keep in mind that the French have smaller cars than us.  If you number more than 4, you will probably need two taxis.  They do have mini vans but with a lot of people plus luggage it still might take two. This is worth the price, though, since they will drop you at your door.

  The taxi service I always used was TAXIS RADIO AIX-EN-PROVENCE.  Their web site is www.aix-en-provence.com/taxisaixois. It is in English and French. The bus is cheaper but make sure that you board the one that says Aix-en-Provence.  Let the driver know that you are going to the center of town and sit as close to the front as possible. The driver will let you know when to get off. You will then have to walk to your place.

Know Where Your Apartment is Located Before You Leave the States

  Make sure you know where you are staying (try mapquest) before you chose which type of transportation you want. If you are living close to the bus station then at five euros a person, the bus makes sense. If, however, you are in the middle or the other side of town, take the taxi.  The money you spend will be well worth it.  There is also a taxi service at the train stations.

Passports

How to Get a Passport

  If you and/or your children do not already have a passport, you will need to obtain one before going to the French Consulate for your visas.  Do this a few months in advance as it can take some time for you to obtain your visas once the paper work has been done.

  Passport pictures are easily obtainable. You can take them at Costco, One Hour Photo Shops, Kinkos FedEx, and independent mail stores.  A great site that will walk you through the steps of getting passports is www.itseasypassport.com.  At this site, click on the link that says passport and it will guide you through all the steps that you need.

Traveling With Children Under 14 Years Old

   The above site had all the forms you need to download and they will tell you the nearest office to go to for signature verification. Just a note, if your child is under the age of 14, both parents must be present in order for the child to receive a passport. If that is not possible, there is a consent form that the absent parent must sign. This form and all the information about it is also available on this site. Just click on the link that says New Child Passport.

  I recommend getting all forms and information through this site and then going to the post office nearest you that has a passport service center. The U.S.government charges around $120 to process your passport. The fees on this web site are in addition.  Use them if you are running out of time to get your passport.

  The applications for getting a passport can also be found at your local post office or on their web site www.usps.com/passport. If you apply early enough, you can get your signature verification at the post office. It will be cheaper that way. Before heading there make sure of the days and hours that the service is available and at what post offices, since not all of them provide this service. They usually have specified days and hours for issuing passports.  In any case, read both sites and then choose the one which best serves you.

Visas

Getting a Visa

  Once you have obtained your passports you can now go to the French Consulate to get your visas. Their web site is www.consulfrance-losangeles.org or www.consulfrance-sanfrancisco.org.

  Once there, click on the button at the top that gives you the site in English. Then click on the link for Visas in France. These sites will tell you which consulate you need to go to depending on where you live.

  You can download all forms from here also. You will need the form that is for long term visas for students over 18 years of age. The forms for your spouse and children are the same. Please copy and read CAREFULLY the instructions for student visa requirements for U.S.citizens over 18. They will ask for all the information in those instructions so make sure you have done everything that is asked. Your spouse and children will be able to obtain a visa easily because they are going with you. Please note days and times for getting a visa and arrive as early as possible. The lines can be quite long! Most likely it will take several hours, so be prepared!

  Also, be sure to have photocopies of EVERYTHING. Make about 5 copies of each document that you have. This can be costly, time consuming and make for a lot of paper work to carry around, but the result of not having it is worse. If you don’t have enough copies they will make you get out of line and go make them. When you return, you are again at the back of the line and by then they might close on you and you will have to come back another day.  Bring everyone with you who is going to be traveling to France. Security has been tightened and they are very cautious.

Proof of Funds

  You will also need to show proof of income, sufficient savings, or a letter of financial responsibility which has been notarized by a family member residing in the United States.  For proof of income the consulate will want copies of your last 3 months banking statement or savings statements. If you do not have either one, they will accept a NOTERIZED letter of financial responsibility from a family member. This lets the French government know that if you run out of money during your stay, the person who signed the letter will send you some when needed.

Airplanes

Traveling by Plane To and From Aix

  While living in France, I never took a plane to go from one country to the next or even to travel around France itself.  Using my car or traveling by train was something I preferred.  However, there were some students in the program who were frequent flyers across Europe.  From what I learned, they all preferred to use either RyanAir www.ryanair.com or EasyJet www.easyjet.com.  They are similar to JetBlue,  low cost airfare going only to specific hub cities.  Both companies are based in England and the cost of the tickets is on the pound. However, they have fairly good deals, you just need to keep a look out for them.

Buying your ticket it is based on a one way airfare. Obviously you need to arrive back at your departure city so make sure you book a return flight.  This sounds pretty obvious, but I did meet a few students who did not realize that the ticket prices were for only one way and they forgot to book their returning tickets.

Both companies will also include a service fee.  Usually one can find a ticket for about 50 euros one way, including the service fee.  Since EasyJet and RyanAir do not book their tickets for round trips, it is a lot easier to hop from city to city.  Many students said this is why they preferred to travel with these airlines.  I never heard of a complaint while I was there.  Most students seemed happy with the service and the prices. 

Bus System

Taking the Bus Around Town

  France has an excellent bus system.  You can go any where around town at just about anytime for 1 euro 10 centimes.  If you want to know schedules and times, head for the Office of Tourism.  It is located just in front of the Rotonde.  When you enter the glass doors, go to the left.  There is a counter where all the bus schedules are posted in brochures, according to their number.  The people at the counter know how to speak English and if you tell them where you want to go, they can direct you to the right bus.

Annual Pass

You can also by a one year student bus pass here.  You buy it in September and it is good through June.  Just bring in proof that you live in Aix and your student ID card from the IP Office.  The cost is about 120 euros, or was when I was there, and it is a really good deal if you will be using the bus a lot.  All of your kids can get one too.  When you purchase the pass, the office will give you a card with your photo on it.  Each time you board the bus you simply show it to the driver and you’re set.  No more buying and keeping track of those tiny tickets!

Individual Tickets

  If you think the bus is something you are only going to use occasionally, I recommend that you buy a book of bus tickets called “ Carnet du Ticket”.  They come in a 10 ticket pack and are 7 euros 70 centimes.  This way each ticket is costing you 77 centimes.  It adds up to quite a saving since the bus driver will charge you 1 euro 10 centimes to buy one from him.  These yellow ticket books can also be bought at the bus counter in the Office of Tourism.

Schedules and times of buses differ depending on the bus you want.  Some buses run more often and later hours depending on where they go.  The buses (except for 2 or 3 of them) do not run on Sunday.  The few that do, have very limited times.

The buses in Aix are generally clean and very safe.  It is actually quite enjoyable to take a bus ride there because everyone else is doing it too.  Taking the bus in France does not mean you are poor.  It is just a more effective way to get around in a town where traffic can be bad and there can be almost no place to park a car.

Car Buying

Buying a Car While in Aix

  I would highly recommend buying a cheap car while you are living in Aix.  For the in town stuff it is better to walk or take the bus, but if you want to do some serious sight seeing, having a car is the way to go.

  I bought a cheap car while I was there and it was one of the best purchases I made.  It allowed my family the freedom to take off on the weekends and do some great road trips.  Having the car allowed us to go to towns where the trains didn’t go and we really got to see and experience a lot of nice places we would have otherwise not been able to. 

  Buying the car was actually very simple.  If you hold a California driver’s license then you can drive in France.  I simply started looking in the free papers that are all around town and that came to my apartment, like AIX HEBDO and PARAVENDU.  I bought a small station wagon (they are called Breaks in French), and we drove that little thing all over France.  I actually ended up putting 35,000 kilometers on it in 6 months!  My kids now know the meaning of “road trip!”

The Forms

  When you decide on the car you want, you simply have to sign a few forms and so does the previous owner. The previous owner will have all these forms in his possession as it is his car that is being sold. I highly recommend using a bank/cashiers check for the purchase.  This way you have proof that you actually paid for the car and the bank will also have proof when the check is cashed.  Make sure you get insurance the day you buy the car. You can go to MAAF Insurance (see Insurance section).  Once the car is in your name, the previous owner cancels his insurance immediately and you are held liable from that moment on.  Don’t wait to get the insurance! Then you take all the paper work you signed, your proof of insurance, and your California driver’s license to the Sous-Prefecture.  It is located in the center of Aix on:

24, rue Mignet
Cs 20758
13617 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 96 89 00
http://souspref-aixenprovence.u3mrs.fr

Obtaining Your Carte Grise (Pink Slip)

  There is a big sign at the sous-prefecture that says “Carte Grise”.  A carte grise is their equivalent to our pink slip.  Walk straight ahead through the double glass doors and go to the left.  Take a number and wait to be paged. When your number is called, go to the window and give all your paper work to the person behind the desk.  They will issue you a carte grise in your name and you will be set to go. Then you go back to the waiting area and they will again call your number to go to the pay window.  I paid 70 euros to register my car.  It was really that simple.

Selling Your Car

  I put my car up for sale about three weeks before I was scheduled to leave.  In France, one must take their car to a shop for a CT test. (Pay close attention to this when you are buying the car, also!!!!)  You must have the results of this test with a passing grade given within the last 6 months or the car cannot be sold/bought (pay close attention to the date of the test, also.) This is a Controle Technique test which is required on all cars that are being sold in France.  It is a test sort of like our smog test, but more thorough.  They check everything out and make sure the car is running properly so you are not selling a bad vehicle to someone.

Passing/Not Passing the CT

  There are a few ways that the car can pass or not pass.  The car will obviously pass if it has 0 faults.  The car can also pass if there are minor repairs to be made, but do not affect the general running of the car, for example: you need new windshield wiper blades, or the tail light is out.  The test will tell you that the car passed with some minor repairs, but that they are not necessary to do for selling the car.  This will also be on the print out that you receive.  The test will also tell you if the car did not pass and the repairs that must be made in order to pass the next time.  The car will not be allowed to sell unless these repairs are made.  It is usually the more serious things, for example: tires are too worn or there is something wrong with the transmission.  In this case you must do the repairs and then take the car back to have another test done to show that the car can now be sold.

  This CT test is good 6 months from the date of the test.  You must give the results to the new owner because it is part of the paper work they have to give to the Sous-Prefecture in order to obtain their “carte-grise”.

What if The Car Doesn't Sell Before You Return to The States

  If it so happens that your car does not sell in the time before you leave, the French government will allow you to leave all the paper work with a friend and they can sell the car for you.  This happened to me.  I did the CT test and put my car up for sale about 2 weeks before I was to leave. The day arrived for me to say good-bye to France, but my car had not yet sold.  I ended up leaving all the info and the car with my French friends and they were able to sell it for me.  I did send them money to put ads in the paper and to wash it but other than that they said it was pretty simple.  Then I contacted the insurance company and sent them a copy of the sale along with a cancelation notice.  They immediately canceled my insurance and reimbursed my account for the unused portion.

  This might sound like a lot of work just to have some transportation for a year, but I thought it was well worth it. It actually sounds like more work than what it really was. I would definitely buy another car if I was staying in France again just for the pleasure of being able to sight see whenever and where ever I wanted.

Car Rental

Renting a Car While in Aix

  If buying a car is not right for you, then I definitely recommend renting one occasionally.  I say “occasionally” because car rentals in France tend to be much more expensive than in The States.  For the prices that are quoted, you get a very small car with low daily mileage.  Usually a small car will run about 100 euros a day, and trust me, you do not get much for that.  For the bigger vehicles and mini vans it can cost 250 to 300 euros per day.

  There are a couple places in town I am familiar with.  The first one is Hertz Rental.  They are located across the street from the small train station in town at:

43 Victor Hugo
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 27 91 32
www.hertz.fr
 

  Another one is ADA.  They tended to be cheaper than the others. They were located at:
1, Avenue Henri Mounet
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel:  04 42 52 36 36
www.ada-location.fr

  I have also rented from Budget.  They are located at:

16, Avenue des Belges
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel:  04 42 38 37 36
www.budget.fr

  The last one is Europcar.  They tended to be one of the more expensive rental places, though.  They are located at:

55 Rue de la Republique
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel:  04 42 27 83 00
www.europcar.fr

  All of these locations are pretty comparable in price and terms.  None of them are open on Sundays or holidays.  The process to rent a car is the same in France as it is in The States.  Make sure you bring your driver’s license and you have to be at least 25 years of age.  Payment is due upon return of the vehicle.  Make sure it has a full tank of gas.

  There is also a web site that gives you a list of all car rental places in Aix.  www.aixtase.com/location-voiture-aix.htm.
      

Education

Putting your Children in School

  When you finally settle into your apartment or home in Aix, you will need to put your children into school.  Just like in The States, your children will go to the neighborhood school. The dates for registration are generally the last week in August. 

  To find out which schools your children will be attending, go to the Hotel de Ville in Aix.  There, they have a booklet on education which lists all the schools in town and they will also be able to tell you which school is your home school.  Make sure you bring your rental agreement for proof of residency.

  I found that my younger children, who were in elementary school (primaire in French ) were much easier to get into school than my older ones.  Once you have established where they will be going, the Hotel de Ville will send you to one of their smaller offices in town to register them.  The children going to Junior High or High School (college or lycee) will need to register at the school itself.

Registration for the Youngins'

  To register your elementary age children, take them with you to the specific mairie along with your rental agreement, passports, and immunization cards.  They will give you all the paper work necessary and it is really fast and easy.  Also, let them know that your children will be eating lunch at the school cafeteria.  There is a fee for this, but it is pretty reasonable.  Just let them know that no parent will be home in the daytime to make lunch for them.  I wanted my kids to eat lunch at school because this would encourage them to make friends and to speak French more.  They always loved the food and it is made fresh each day on site.

Registration for Older Children

  To register your older children you will have to go to the school.  At this level, it becomes more difficult.  I initially had a difficult time placing my children in the local French schools.  The administration was very apprehensive because my children did not speak French.  I was persistent, though.  I knew that I wanted them in the local system because they would learn French faster.  I had also planned on being in France for 2 years.  This will be a personal decision for each family.  One really needs to look and evaluate each individual child.  Some children are up for the challenge of having all their classes in French and others are not.  If you have a child that is a self-motivator and does well in school, he or she will probably be fine.  If your child is shy, has difficulty in some subjects or does not know any French at all, you might want to place them in the international schools where most classes are taught in English and French is acquired gradually. 

Things to Know

  If you’re up to the challenge of the local schools there are a few things you should know.  On the day of registration, bring your rental agreement, passports, and the children’s immunization cards.  Once you have registered, the school will let you know what to do on the first day.  All school schedules, books, and a list of what the kids will need, will be given out the first day.  Ask the school principal if there is a bilingual person who works in the office.  In many cases there is and they will be an invaluable liaison between you and the teachers.

  I encourage you to make a copy of each child’s schedule and put one copy up on the wall at home for everyone to refer to and give one copy to the child to keep in his or her binder.  In France, the school schedule changes each day.  Make sure you know what hour they start and stop.  It will vary depending on the grade level and the day.  Each week, however, it is the same: ex. all Mondays will be the same and all Tuesdays and so on. 

What About Those Strikes

  The other thing you need to watch out for is strikes.  France is notorious for striking whenever and wherever it feels like it and teachers are no different.  My children were forever coming home early because of these so called strikes.  Some years can be worse than others. Sometimes it would be that a teacher just did not show up for work.  There are no substitutes at the junior high and high school level.  The kids simply stay in a room or they go home. In any case, it might do well to give your older children an extra key to your home in case you cannot pick them up. Elemenary age children usually have a substitute.  There are no strikes in the Private School sector. 

Where to go if You Need Help With Registration

  If you go to register your child and the school says they can not enroll them, then go to the Inspection Academique des Bouches-du-Rhone.  They are located at:

28 Boulevard Charles Nedelec
13011 Marseille  (near the Marseille train station)
Tel:  04 91 91 10 94
www.ia13.ac-aix-marseille.fr

  Another place you might want to inquire about is CASNAV ( Centre Academique pour la Scolarization des Nouveaux Arrivants et des enfants du Voyage).  They are located at:

31Boulevard d’Athens
13100 Marseille
Tel:  04 91 14 13 64
                                       
  Their web site can be accessed through the above site.  Then click on “les eleves” and then “scolarite”.  This page will tell you all you need to know at each level of education.  Pay attention to the end of the page which is specifically for children who are foreign.

  They might want your children to take tutoring lessons on the side as a condition of enrollment or they might want them to take a test for French and academic proficiency.  We had to have our children take French lessons outside the classroom the first year we were in France. By the second year, they did not need it. 

Private Elementary and Junior High

  If you feel that you would like to put your children in a small private school, I highly recommend Ecole Privee Protestante “La Nouvelle Alliance”.  They are located at:

49 Ave Paul Cezanne
13090 Aix-en-Provence

  This is the school that my younger two children went to the second year we lived in Aix.  It is owned by a British man and his French wife.  The classes are small (10-12) and they are all taught in French but there is a class 2x per week for English speakers.  This class is taught by the pastor’s wife of the English speaking church (see Church).  The school was fabulous and my children really learned a great deal.  There is a tuition charge, but it is based on income and a sliding scale.  It was relatively cheaper than private schools in The States.  Also, once per quarter, each family signs up to clean the school on Friday.  Since two families work at the same time and the kids help, it takes only about an hour.  It works out that each family cleans the school 3 or 4 times for the whole year.  You get to meet other families this way and it helps the school cut down on costs.  The school goes from Pre-school through Junior High.  

  With the small classroom size and the ability of some of the teachers being able to speak English, your children will do well.  Many French families attend the school, but many of the families are foreigners, some speak English and others do not.  Everyone is very welcoming and helpful.  If you decide to enroll your child, tell them I sent you and that Cambria and Presley Fisher say “Bonjour” to everyone.

International Schools from Elementary - High School

  If you elect to put your children into an international school, there are a few to choose from.  First off, there is Ecole Privee Val Saint Andre.  This is a religious catholic school that ranges in age from 6-18 years of age.  For the record, it is quite difficult to get into because there is a waiting list.  Many French people send their kids to this school.  It is worth a try, though.  They are located at:

19 Ave Malacrida
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 27 14 47
http://www.val-saint-andre.com

  There is also a public junior high international school.  It is called Mignet Secondary School.  They have an excellent bilingual program which gradually teaches French to English speakers.  My American friend who lives in Aix has sent her daughter to this school for three years and she is very pleased and impressed.  They are located at:

14 rue Cardinale
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel:  04 42 93 63 00
http://www.clg-mignet.ac-aix-marseille.fr/accenglish.htm

  There are two international high schools located in Luynes, just outside of Aix.  One is public and the other is private.  The public school is called Lycee George Duby.  Their phone number and email are:
Tel: 04 42 60 86 00
http://www.lyc-luynes.ac-aix-marseille.fr/index.htm

  The private school is called The International Bilingual School of Provence (IBS).  I had a friend whose two oldest children attended this school.  She said it was the absolute best but it is pricey.  The tuition is based on income and whether or not your child will be boarding there or not.  They are also located in Luynes.  Their phone number and email are:

Tel: 04 42 24 03 40
http://www.ibsofprovence.com

Both of the high schools offer curriculum in French and English.  Depending on how long your family stays in Aix, you might want to ask them about the French Bac and the International Bac courses that are offered. 

                                                   **   IMPORTANT   **

If your child is in Junior High or High School when you are planning on being in Aix, please let their current schools know.  You will need to know what courses your children need to take while living and studying in France in order to receive credit when you return to the states.  This is very important because if you do not fill out all required paper work or your child does not fulfill the requirements for his or her grade, they might have to repeat the grade upon return.  Make sure you take all paper work with you so the schools in Aix can place your child in their correct French grade equivalent and keep all records for the time you are in France for their home schools in the states. They will need their report cards from France (called bulletins) as proof of enrollment and keep a contact number of their counselors at their home schools in the states as well as numbers for counselors at the French schools in case a problem or questions arise.

     

Insurance

Getting  Rental and Car Insurance in Aix

  Since you will be a renter in France you will be required to have rental insurance.  You must show proof of this to your landlord.  For the two years that I lived in France, I had my insurance with MAAF.  Their office is located at:

9 Boulevard de la Republique
13100 Aix en Provence
Their phone number is:  04 42 91 33 44
Their fax number is:   04 42 91 34 73

  They also have a web site at: [email protected]

  I had both my car insurance and renter’s insurance with them.  They will also provide for you, free of charge, additional medical insurance for your children while they are at school or if they are at a school function off campus during school hours.

  Before heading over to the office, make sure you have a copy of your rental agreement, your California driver’s license, and your passport. They will ask for all three for verification.

For The Car

  If you are asking for car insurance you need to have proof of insurance from The States.  In this case, I had to call the car insurance company that I had while living in America and they had to fax over my policy from as far back as possible.  Luckily, they were the only insurance company that I had had for a long time.  They faxed over my policy to the MAAF office along with proof that I had been driving since I was 16 years old.  That seemed to be important to them, too.  They automatically gave me a discount and insured me the same day. If you would like someone else on the policy, so they can drive the car, the same information is needed on the other driver.  Usually the second driver cost about the same as the first with a small discount.  In my case, my husband was about 130 euros less a year to insure.  Please note that children less than 18 years of age are not allowed to drive in France.

  The insurance is relatively cheap for both the rental and the car.  For example, I paid a total of 540 euros for the year in car insurance and a total of 132 euros for the year for my renter’s insurance. On account that half of this was given back to me when I left, I think I made out pretty well for myself.

For The Home

  When you pay for the renter’s insurance, MAAF will provide you will all the paper work for the policy. You must keep one copy for yourself and the other you give to your landlord.  You pay on an annual calendar, therefore you will make one payment in September for the total amount that will be due from September to December and then you will make a second payment in January for the total amount that is due from January until December 31 of that present year. Don’t worry they will reimburse you for the portion you will not use due to leaving mid-way through the year. You will need to take the new paper work they will give you to your landlord for the present year.

Canceling Insurance

  When canceling your insurance, go into the office about 2 weeks before you are due to leave and let them know you are returning to the United States.  They will need to know the day of your departure and you will have to bring in your airline tickets as proof.  They will immediately cancel your insurance as of your last day of occupying your residence and you will be reimbursed the money that you paid for the remaining months of the year.

  If you bought a vehicle and it has already been sold, cancel your insurance for the vehicle on the day you sold it.  If the vehicle has not been sold yet, let them know and they will reduce insurance on it for only fire and theft.  If you return to The States and the car is sold afterwards, call MAAF and let them know and they will cancel the policy over the phone.  The person who sold the car for you must bring into the office proof that the car has been sold.   

  I found MAAF to be extremely easy to work with. The people in the office were friendly and helped me out when I did not understand something.  When I added the car onto my policy and when I wanted to raise the level of my insurance they were very helpful.  They are very patient with foreigners and will walk through all your questions.                           

Medical & Dental

Where to Find Good Medical and Dental Care

  The IP Program has insurance that you will pay through all your fees.  This insurance, however, is for hospital stays and emergencies.  If you go to the doctor while you are l iving in Aix, the cost will be about 20 euros for a general doctor.  The price varies for specialist, but it usually is not too expensive.  Keep all the receipts they give you because at the end of the year you will need to turn them into the insurance company for reimbursement.

General Physician

  While living in Aix, my family went to the medical offices located at 19 Cours Mirabeau.  The doctors’ offices are located on the third floor.  There are several doctors in this office. Some speak English. Sometimes there is a doctor that fills in by the name of D. Evangelista.  I highly recommend him and he does speak English. There is a fee of 20 euros to see the doctor.

Specialists

  During the winter of 2004, my youngest daughter had to have her tonsils taken out.  The procedure for hospitalization in France is some what different in that you have to do everything separate and on your own.  It might sound a little scary, but it was very easy and I was able to take more control of the situation than here in The States.  If you do need to have surgery or some other type of hospitalization while in Aix, you will need to first visit your primary doctor, like the two I listed above.  They will then refer you to a specialist.  These doctors can range any where from 35 euros and up. 

Ears, Nose and Throat

  If by chance, someone does need to have their tonsils removed, I recommend Dr. Daniel Latil d’Albertas.  The name of his office is

Centre des Specialistes D’Oto-Rino-Laryngologie.
15 cours gambetta- Espace Forbin
13100 Aix-en-Provence

I believe his suite number is 11.  It was 45 euros to see him.

Anesthesiologist

Then I went to see the anesthesiologist.  He was recommended by the specialist.  His name is Dr. Pierre Vachon. His fee was 25 euros and he is located at:

Anesthesiologie-Reanimation Chirurgicale Conventionee
783 Chemin du Pont Roux
13090 Aix-en-Provence

Lab Work

  For any blood work that you might need done I would suggest going to Laboratoire D”Analyse Medicales.  Their address is:

30- Laboratoire Roguet Philippe Conventionee
37 Ave. Henri Pontier
13100 Aix-en-Provence

The total amount for all her blood work-up was 25 euros.  You have to pick the results up yourself and take them to the hospital on the day of the surgery.

Hospitals

  There are two hospitals that I recommend.  One is more of a private clinic and this is where my daughter had her surgery.  It is called Clinique Provencial de la Tour D'Aygosi and is located at:

67 Cours Gambetta
13617 Aix-en-Provence

The initial cost was 100 euros and then they sent me a bill about a month later for 477 euros.  I could not believe how cheap it was to have the procedure done.  All the doctors and nurses there were very nice and the surgery went very well.

  The other hospital is called Centre Hospitalier General and it is located at:

Avenue Pontier
13100 Aix-en-Provence

  This is across the street from the laboratory that is mentioned above.  I became acquainted with this hospital when my son had an accident on his bike one day and had to be rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.  He ended up in the emergency room with some semi serious wounds but was well taken care of.  I ended up getting a bill from them for 35 euros and about died because this also included the ambulance ride.

Pharmacies

  Even though there are pharmacies on just about every street, the one that is best is Pharmacie du Cours Mirabeau and is located just 2 doors down from the primary doctors office that I mentioned above.  Their address is:

17 Cours Mirabeau
13100 Aix-en-Provence

Some of the pharmacists speak English and they are very helpful in dealing with foreigners.

Dermatologist

  Two other doctors that I recommend is Dr. Sylvie Lederle.  She is a dermatologist.  She happened to be a very good friend of a friend of mine and she also speaks English. She is located at:

Residence la Touloubre
Batiment A
75 Avenue Jean Orsini
13540, Puirycard, Aix-en-Provence
04.96.11.28.66

http:/laser5aixenprovence.com/english/html

To get to her office, you will have to take the bus or a taxi. To see her for any treatment is 45 euros.

Allergies and Asthma

  The other specialist that I suggest is Dr. Jean-Pol Dumur.  He is an allergist and specializes in asthma and breathing disorders. His office is located at:

47 Boulevard de la Republique
13100 Aix-en-Provence

I have a daughter who has severe asthma and she seemed to be having a lot of trouble and numerous attacks during the second year we lived in France.  He was recommended by my good friend Odile whose son has allergies.  I took my daughter to see him and they did a full work-up for allergies and asthma.  They put her on special medication and were able to tell me how to help prevent attacks.  She is still on the medication and is doing well.  His fee for all the testing (a total of three days) was 92 euros.

Sports Medicine

  I do have addresses and phone numbers for other specialist.  I did not go to these doctors, but they came highly recommended to me by a great friend.  The first is a doctor for sports medicine and injuries.  Dr. Dessandre-Novarre.  The location and phone number is:

La Tour d’Agosi
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 26 40 90

Gynecologist

  Next is a phone number that I have for a gynecologist.  Her name is Dr. Alice Touzaa and her phone number and address are:

4 Place Barthelmy Neollon
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 93 76 49

Laser Treatments

  Lastly, I have the name of a doctor who specializes in laser hair removal. Her name is Dr. Christine Luneau and her phone number and address is:

34 Cours Mirabeau
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 27 31 89

  I hope this helps in estimating some of your medical costs and in finding quality doctors.  Medical care is significantly cheaper in France. Even so, it is superb and I never had a problem getting good care when we lived there.

Dentist
 

  The dentist that my family went to is located at:

Immeuble Hemilythe
150 Ave Georges Pompidou
13100 Aix-en-Provence 

             
  Her name is Dr. Valerie Thomas El Kaim.  She took care of my whole family and there is a woman in her office that speaks a little English.  The care was great and the cost is some what similar to what it is in the states.  She also does emergency work.

Trains

Riding the Trains

  The trains in France are safe, economical and easy to ride.  If you plan on going to a somewhat larger city, and don’t have a car, then the train is your best bet.  The two most common trains used, are the TGV and the Corail.  The TGV (Train Grand Vitess) is used the most often, but it does not go to all cities, yet.  Sometimes you will have to use the Corail train, which is not as fast, but does the job of getting you there as well.  It is also less expensive than the TGV. 

Booking Tickets

  To book a ticket you can either go to the local train station or buy them online at www.voyages-sncf.com.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the British flag that is located at the far left.  The English version of the site will pop up.  The site is self explanatory and you can easily pay online with a credit card.  Just to the left of this page is a passenger guide that comes in both English and French.  Click on it to find out which travel pass you can qualify for. You can order your tickets and your pass at the same time online or in person.  When you purchase the tickets you will be asked to purchase the pass at the same time. However, you must pick up the pass at the train station.  All passes are good one year to the date of purchase.

Special Deals

  If you have 3 or more children and at least one of them is 12 years old or under, you can get the “Enfant + Card”.  All you need is your ID, the child’s birth certificate and his/her picture.  They will make the card for you on the spot at the train station. This was the card that I purchased. It is good for one year from the purchase date and allows the child and 4 others traveling with him/her to a discount of up to 50% off of each ticket!  During peak travel times it is 25%.  This is a big money saver.  You can use this pass on both the TGV and the Corail

  If your children are older (between the ages of 12-25) you can purchase the “Decouverte 12-25” card.  The rules are the same as above. The child’s passport or birth certificate and a photo are all that is needed.  In this case the child is the only one who gets the discount with this pass.  It is good for 25%-50% off a ticket depending on the hours you are traveling.  Again, peak hours will be less of a discount. 

  For the adults (those between 26 and 59 years of age) there is a pass called “Carte Escapades”.  It gives the card holder 25% off a ticket.  The percentage goes down during peak hours.

  Please note that you must have the pass at all times when you are traveling by train.  On each trip you will be asked for your ticket and your pass.  If you do not have the pass with you it is a hefty fine.  Last I heard it was about 200 euros.  The French controllers cannot be talked out of it either, so do not even try. Each year they are cracking down more and more on people riding the train without proof of the purchased ticket price.  Apparently they were having too many fraudulent issues.

Eating on the Trains

  If you are traveling on the Corail, there is a small cart that an employee will be pushing that travels from car to car.  You can get just about anything ranging from sandwiches to candy and they also carry bottled water, soda, and coffee.  It tends to be a bit pricey, so I would recommend you purchase something (like a sandwich, or pizza) at the station before you board, or bring something from home.

  If you are traveling on the TGV, there is an entire car that is just for food.  It has chairs and a few tables and there is a much larger variety to choose from.  As with the food on the Corail, the food on the TGV is expensive.  You might want to try it once just to have the experience, but after that you would probably do just as well to bring your own food.

Luggage

  On both trains there is an area for your larger luggage at the front and back of each car and in the overhead of your seat. For bikes or large items, try to find a car with an open area just to the back.  It doesn’t have to be necessarily in your car.  I did this many times since my children and I had bikes in France. It is highly unlikely that your stuff will be stolen. In any case, you can lock your items, if possible, to a rail or just go back every so often to check on them.  If it is a holiday or ski season, these areas become very crowded due to the fact that everyone brings their equipment with them.

Entertainment for the Kids

  If your children are small, bring a lot of things to do for entertainment.  For a child, the first 20-30 minutes of the train ride is quite exciting. After that, my kids would start to get bored.  I made sure they always had their CD players, some books to read, workbooks so they could work on their French, all sorts of card games, paper or coloring books, and crayons.  All of their items along with snacks fit neatly into their backpacks.  This way they could each help carry their own entertainment! Bon Voyage!

Childcare

Where to Find Childcare

  While I was living in France, I really did not have the need to look for child care since my oldest daughter, at the time was 15 and 16.  I did, however, notice that there were advertisements posted all over Aix by young people looking for a babysitting job.  They have bulletin boards in Book n Bar and Paradox (see Bookstores & Library), and also in the Casino market front entrance (directions to Casino are in the Shopping section).

  You can also find advertisements at the college, too.  Usually it is a French high school or college student looking to make some extra money.  This is a great opportunity to have someone who can speak the language around your kids for a couple of hours while you go out. 

  I also recommend making friends with some of the mothers at your children’s school.  You can do a co-op and this way your children will be spending more time with the French kids and their families. Their French will improve and so will yours when you are watching their friends.  It is also a great way for the kids to get some homework help.

  If you live in a large enough apartment complex, leave flyers around.  There is bound to be someone there who would love to make some extra money or trade baby-sitting for learning some English. There are several teenagers who live in Les Balcon’s D’Entremont.  (See Housing Research )  Usually they would advertise over the school breaks. Most of the kids who are between 15 and 19 years old are extremely busy during the school week.  It is best to ask them ahead of time and have them baby-sit on the weekend only. 

Internet

How to Connect to the Internet

In Your Home

  You can have internet access in your apartment if you have a phone.  The catch is, the phone has to be in your name.  The first year I lived in France my landlord actually insisted on us putting the phone bill in our name.  She did not want to be stuck with charges.  This worked out for us since we wanted to have the internet available at all times.

  We went to France Telecom and signed up for Wanadoo.  That is the most popular server for the net.  They have DSL and they sent us a package with the modem and disk for setting everything up in about 10 days.  If you are a student under age 25, ask about their student rate. We were able to have unlimited hours for 21.99 euros per month. Once it is up and running you are good to go and have access in your own place 24/7.

  At the end of the school year, we simply canceled and sent the modem back about 3 weeks before leaving.  It is important that you send them a letter of cancellation and let them know that you are moving back to the US and no longer need service.

Cybercafes

  If you live in an apartment where the landlord has his name on the bill, you will not be able to obtain internet access.  There are, however, a couple of places in town that run about three euros an hour.  One is called Virtualis. They are open everyday Monday-Friday 10:00am-1:00am and Sunday 2:00pm-1:00am, including holidays. They are located around the corner from the Hotel de Ville at:

40 rue des Cordeliers
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 26 02 30
www.virtualis.com

The employees speak English and they have a small snack bar.  There is no time limit for the computers.

There is another internet place called Net’Games located next to Place des Tameurs at:
52, rue l’Aumone Vielle
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 26 60 41
www.netgames.com

  They have a room specifically for internet users and also a room where you can play online games with other people. The decor is fabulous and they also speak English. Net’Games is open seven days a week from 10:00-Midnight. Their charge is about three euros an hour, which seemed to be the going rate. They do offer a subscription rate of 30 euros/12 hours, 50 euros/22 hours or 150 euros/120 hours.

Laundry

Where to do Laundry

  If you’re one of the lucky ones, you will have a washing machine in your apartment.  This is a huge help even though they have a very small capacity.  Chances are you will not have a dryer so I recommend that you invest in a drying rack and a small fan.  The rack is about 25 euros for a decent sized one and you can find them at Carrefour or Giant. The fans can be bought there, too.  Since there were six of us, I ended up buying two racks.

  If you do not have a machine in your apartment (I didn’t my first year), you can find a laundry-mat any where in the center of town. Most of them open at 7am. There are three different size machines and the price depends on which one you choose. There is a top loader that is 3,10 euros. There is a front loader which is bigger and it is 3,70 euros and then there is a very large front loader which can be used for heavy loads or blankets and it is 5,70 euros.

They also have large capacity dryers, which are expensive to use but they work well.  It is about 60 centimes for 6 minutes and 1,20 euros for 15 minutes.  If you have forgotten your detergent, you can always buy a small size box out of the machines they provide. It costs about 1 euro 20 centimes.

  A word of caution, the homeless people like to hang out in the laundry places when the weather starts turning bad. In all my times using one, they never bothered me. Just go about your business and chances are they won’t even notice you.  Many people would wait in the laundry mat for their clothes and listen to music or bring a book.  I would just leave my stuff and run errands and then come back later when everything was done.  It is highly unlikely someone will steal your stuff.

  The thing to look out for is closing time.  In most of the laundry mats, the door closes and locks at the end of the day, usually 7pm.  If you are in the laundry mat after this time it is not a problem, you can finish up and the door will open up from the inside to let you exit.  If, however, you decide to leave while your clothes are washing and drying, make sure you return before closing time or your clothes will be stuck in there for the whole night.  This happened to me over Christmas break and when my kids asked me where their stuff was, I had to tell them that all their clothes were having a slumber party at the laundry mat.  Needless to say, I got them the next morning and they were perfectly fine.

Banking

Where to Bank While Living in Aix

  I would advise you to open a bank account with Credit Lyonnais.  They will be at one of the orientation meetings the program provides for you during your first two weeks in Aix.  It is widely known that obtaining a French bank account when you are not a French citizen is very difficult.  Trust me, I have meet many people who said they had to go through a lot to set one up.  With Credit Lyonnaise it is rather simple, due to the fact that they are offering these special accounts to students.

  It is called Formule Zen.Take all the paper work that they give you at the orientation and after filling it out hand carry it to the bank branch located on the “Rotonde”.  The address is:

Agence Aix-Rotonde
Place Rotonde Jeanne D’Arc
13100 Aix-en-Provence

  Usually the two people who handle the new student accounts are Annick and Vincent.  These were the two representatives who worked there during my two years.  You can open your account with any euro amount you want and they do not charge you a monthly fee for the first 6 months.  After that the fee is 1 euro per month to keep the account and 1euro and 50 centimes a month to be able to access your account on line.

French ATM Card and Checks

  You will also be given an ATM card.  With this card, you may only withdrawal money from the bank or pay at a store.  You may not buy things online with it.  You will also be given the option of having checks. The checks are free and chances are you won’t even use all of them.  You just have to go pick them up about 10 days after they are ordered.  It is best to use the school office’s address for your statements.  When they come in Sophie just puts them in your mailbox. 

  Having a bank account allows for you to pay your utilities and insurance.  You are even allowed to keep it open when you come back to The States if you want to.  I took this option due to the fact that I plan on returning to France some day and don’t want the hassle of opening up a new account.

What to do When You Are Returning to The States

  Before returning to The States, I had to show the bank my California driver’s license with my home address in the United States and they started sending my statements here.  Each year, you have to send the bank a copy of your taxes with your current address or a notarized signature on a rental agreement before November 30.  They ask for this due to an increase in illegal account openings by foreigners.

  If you choose to close your account when you leave, simply go to the bank about two weeks before your flight and let them know you are returning to the U.S. and want to close your account. They will ask for the ATM card back and you will be given any money back that is left in the account. It’s that easy.

Haircuts

Where to Get a Haircut in Aix

  Haircuts seem to be a little expensive in Aix.  There are a couple of places that are cheaper than others but, on average, a simple haircut will cost you more.  If you get into the more elaborate things, like hair coloring and weaves,  you get a better deal in Aix than in Southern California.

For Adults

  If you really want to go all out and do something different and European, then SCULPT is the place for you.  They are located on in the center of town at:

16 rue Paul Bert
13100 Aix-en-Provence

  It is a salon owned by a brother and sister team.  The sister is Steph and she does the hair coloring.  The brother is Christof and he is one of the stylists.  Another stylist that I would ask for is Nathalie.  She would cut my hair if Christof was not there.  There are a lot of other employees and they are all very “colorful” people.  They do an excellent job and will help you with a new style and cut.  They all love what they do and you are guaranteed to be there at least 3 hours.  It is a totally pampered environment.

  They do not take appointments, it is first-come first-serve. It tends to be a pretty crowded place because it is very popular.  Do not go on Saturday, go during the week and be there when it opens because towards lunch time they get more crowded.  All the employees speak only French so you will have to muddle through the first few times unless your hair styling vocabulary is up to par.

  Their hours are Tuesday – Saturday 9am-7pm.  They are closed on Sundays and Mondays.  This is not a place for children’s haircuts.  It is too specialized for that. For my coloring it ran about 35 euros and for the cut, another 35 euros.  If you wanted a weave on top of that it was about another 25 more.  It pretty much is the same price here in southern California if you want to go to a nice salon.  The good part about being in Aix is, the tip is included in the price!

For Adults and Kids in Town

  If you are just looking for something simple or a place for the kids, then go to____________.  It is actually located just around the corner from Sculpt.  They charge less for a haircut depending on how elaborate the style.  For my oldest daughter it was about 22 euros.  For my son and two youngest daughters it was about 14-16 euros.  This was just a wash and basic cut. It tends to not be a very busy place, but the people are friendly and it has nice décor.  Their hours are___________________.

For Adults and Kids Living in the Balcons D'Entremont Appartments

  When we live just a little outside center ville, at les balcons d’entremont, just around the cornor was another salon.  It is located on the cornor of a medical building and is very small and quaint.  I got to where I would take my three younger children there.  It was about 12-14 euros for them to have a basic cut and wash.  The name of this salon is________________.  The lady who owns it works there and her operating hours are______________.

  Aix is full of salons and it is pretty easy to find one that you like.  If you do, however, go to Sculpt, then tell Steph, Christof and Nathalie “Salut” for me.

Waxing and Spa Treatments

  For beauty and spa treatments, go to Carita.  It is located at 30 Cours Mirabeau. The phone number is 04 42 26 09 14.  They have facials, massages and do waxing.  If you are going to make an appointment, then ask for Brigitte.  She was the person who took care of me for the two years that I lived in Aix. Make sure you tell her that Ashley from the United States sent you and says "Hello". She is really nice and will help you out with whatever you need.  They also have a full line of cosmetics. The ground floor is a salon and the spa is located through the front door and down the stairs.

Shopping

Where to Shop in Aix

  Shopping is a word that has a lot of meanings.  There is shopping for groceries, clothes, toys, furniture and of course knick-knacks.

  If you want to buys gifts, cards or chocolate, the center of town is the place to go. The entire center is one big shopping experience.  This area is mostly for the well off people, as the clothes and shoes are expensive.  There are however a few stores that are fairly reasonable and have really nice stuff.  After a couple of weeks, you will soon find your favorites and stick with them.

School Supplies

  If you need school books, the place to go is Le Librairie de Provence. www.librairie-provence.com. They are located at 31 Cours Mirabeau.  Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday 9:30am-7:30pm.  Their phone number is 04 42 26 07 23. The school books are all the way to the back.  They will order something for you if they don’t have it in stock.  There is also a basement which has an entire selection of dictionaries and school books all in French.

  Librairie Goulard is another bookstore.  It is just a few stores over at 37 Cours Mirabeau. Hours of operation are Monday 10:00am-7:00pm and Tuesday-Saturday 10:00-7:30pm. Their phone number is 04 42 27 66 47. They have a nice selection of school books on the top level.  They will also order something for you if you ask.

  If you are running low on school supplies and can’t make it to the grocery store, go to Michel’s.  It is located at the very end of the Cours Mirabeau on the left hand side.  They are a stationary store and carry everything you need for school, mailing letters, making copies and even some crafts.

Shoes

  My favorite place to buy shoes was Andre’s.  They can be expensive, so go when they are having a sale.  It is usually in January when they are getting rid of their winter collection to make room for their spring and summer styles.  They do have shoes for kids, but they are marked way beyond a reasonable price. Andre’s is located in the center of town. 

Open-Air Market
 

  If you want fresh fruit and vegetables, the open air market is the place to go.  It is located on the back side of the small post office in the center of town.  The prices are very reasonable and all the venders are there everyday (except Sunday of course) from 6am-about noon.

  The town becomes one big open market on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings (weather permitting).  Venders will be on the Cours Mirabeau as well as in front of the Court House to sell everything from clothes to antiques.  It is a wonderful place to find some good deals.  Beware of the high tourist season (Christmas, Spring Break, and Summer Holiday). It can be very crowded and I noticed that the venders will raise the prices.

  There is also a flower market each morning in front of the Hotel de Ville.  They have some really beautiful seasonal flowers and many types are fairly inexpensive.

Hypermarkets

  For doing the main grocery shopping I recommend Carrefour, Geant, and Casino.  With the exception of Casino, which is a smaller store, the other two are like a Costco-Target-Food market all put together.   I found that Carrefour and Geant had better prices than Casino.

Carrefour

  To get to Carrefour ( www.carrefour.fr) go to the Rotonde and take either the number 16 bus or the 15 bus.  The 15 is a more direct route but either works fine. The trip is about 15 minutes each way. They both drop you off directly in front of the store.  You can’t miss it.  It looks like a giant warehouse.  You will need to catch the same two buses back to the Rotonde.  If you are going later in the day, be aware of the last bus back! You don’t want to be stuck outside of town trying to walk and lug back home your groceries.  It is impossible.  A word of warning, you will be in Carrefour for a while.  It is a big place and very popular. There is a lot to see and buy.  They even have a section on international foods.  You can get tortillas, chips and salsa, peanut butter and other favorites if you are missing them from home.

  The main building also houses smaller stores for buying clothes, shoes, gifts, contacts, video games and there is even a McDonald’s.  I might add that the McDo(long o sound,as McDonald’s is called over there) has a much better quality of food than the one in The States.  In any case, plan on staying a while to shop. It is actually quite fun.

Geant

  To get to Geant, go to the Rotonde and take the number 3 bus.  It drops you off directly in front of the store.  Geant is just like Carrefour but a tad smaller.  The nice part about this store is it is less crowded. It has a small cafeteria (more on this in the Resaurant section) and small stores inside the main building just like Carrefour.  It is also closer in proximity to the center of town.  The trip is about 5 minutes. To get back to the Rotonde just hop on the number 3 bus going in the opposite direction you came.

Casino

Casino is located on the outer rim of the center of town on:
1, Ave De Lattre de Tassigny
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 92 26 73 10

  It is a smaller supermarket.  It has all the basics but no international foods.  Their prices are a bit higher, too.  I would go there when I needed one or two items.  They also carry a nice selection of breads and bakery items.  They are owned by Geant and carry a lot of the same brands.  The number 13 bus is the one that drops you off in front of Casino. 

Petit Casino

    Throughout the center of town you will also find Petit Casino.  They are small, two aisle stores which carry limited supplies.  Geant and Casino are owned by the same company. They have three web sights (www.france-supermarche.info, www.groupe-casino.fr and www.geant.fr)

Spar

  There is one store called Spar which is open on Sundays.  It is located on the corner of Boulevard Artiside Briand and Rue de Gaston just down the street from the college.

Monoprix

There is also a store called Monoprix.  It is located at:
27 Cours Mirabeau
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 91 31 40

  This store is not very reasonable when it comes to prices.  I do not recommend shopping here unless it is for one or two things or an emergency. It is three levels: the top two levels have clothes, school supplies, kitchen and house wares, and books.  The bottom level is a small market.

ED

  Many students who were very limited on funds would shop at ED (Europa Discount).  I personally never shopped there, but some students liked it.  It is very cheap for food, but the selection is limited and there are no name brands. It is located at:

1, rue Lapierre
13100 Aix-en-Provence

Clothing
 
  If you are looking to buy clothes for yourself and your kids, EuroDif is pretty good and their prices are reasonable.  They are not very big, but they have a bit of everything and are located just down the street from the Office of Tourism on:

6, bis Ave des Belges
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 27 74 20
www.eurodif.com

  For a bigger selection I would recommend Kiabi.  This store is located by Carrefour.  Take the number 16 bus and get off at the last exit before Carrefour.  They have a good selection for kids and adults and their prices are reasonable. Their web site is www.kiabi.com.

Sporting Goods Store

  There is also a sporting goods store called Decathlon.  It has a wide range of shoes and sporting goods for the whole family.  I bought my kids tennis shoes, hiking boots, roller blades, scooters, bikes, and clothes from this store.  There is a small one in the center of town, but the larger one over by Carrefour has a much better selection of things.  The number 16 bus also goes here, but you must exit several stops before the Carrefour store. The bus stop is located right next to the store so you can’t miss it. Their web site is www.Decathlon.fr.

  This whole area is a commercial center and there are shoe stores, furniture stores, electronic stores, a garden store, and even a store like Home Depot called Castorama(www.castorama.fr)

Commercial Center in Vitrolles

  If you have a car, there is also a large shopping area in the town of  Vitrolles.  There is an Ikea, a Toys R Us, an extremely large shoe store called Chaussland, and a large Kiabi.  It takes about 15-20 minutes to get there and you need to take the auto route A7.

Store Discount Cards

  All of the stores mentioned, with the exception of EuroDif, have a discount card that you can sign up for.  It is free and it works like a Ralphs or Pavillions card.  When you buy something just swipe the card. At the end of the month you will receive a check for a certain percentage of what you bought.  The check is like a coupon that you redeem at the store on your next trip.

 

Telephone

Using the Telephone in Aix

  If you have a telephone in your apartment, I would advise that you use a phone card with it to make out going calls.  This ends up to be much cheaper than having a plan with the phone company.  They charge you a lot and you get very little local minutes and it is extremely expensive for long distance.  The type of phone card that I bought was called Euro Latina.  You can usually buy them at your local phone or tabac shops.

Phone Cards

  There are two types that work for calling The States. The cheaper one is Blue and it cost about 7,50 euros it has less minutes than the more expensive Pink one which is 15,00.  This card is the best deal in town and it will save you a lot of money when you are calling family and friends in The States.  It also works just as well for local French calls.  Beware of calling cell phones, nothing eats up your minutes more than that!

  There is a phone shop called Telecom & Services on Rue de Cordeliers. They are open Monday –Saturday from 9am – 1pm and then again at 2:30pm – 9pm. On Sundays they are open at 10am. Ask the employee for a frequent customer card.  He will stamp it each time you buy a Euro Latina card, one stamp for the blue card and two stamps for purchasing the pink one.  After 10 stamps, your next blue card is free.

Cell Phone

  If you have small children it is wise to buy a pay as you go phone.  I went to Orange (a local cell phone server) and I bought a phone for about 90 euros.  Then all I had to do was go to the local tabac when I ran out of minutes and buy some more.  I usually put about 20 euros a month on it.  I tried to text message my friends and not call them. Text messaging was much cheaper.  If only used in emergency situations or quick calls, you will not be forking out a lot of money each month.  This pay as you go is much cheaper than the phone plans and you don’t need a contract.

  Bouygues Telecom has a good deal on the pay-as-you-go phones, also.  To get there from the school, go down the street toward Cours Mirabeau, go past La Place de la Ville and on to the next market area called Place Richelme, at the far end of this market area is the post office (La Poste ) and next to the post office, at the cornor of Rue Marechal Foch and Rue des Marseillais you will find Bouygues Telecom.  The people in the store are really nice and they are use to American students.  Some of the employees speak English and they have a student deal on their phones.

  You simply buy one of two phones and some minutes.  When your minutes run out you buy more.  You can lose your minutes if you don’t use them in time, but they give you plenty of time and there are six levels of minutes you can buy depending on how much you like to talk. Last I heard, their two specials were 49 euros and 59 euros for the phone.  The difference between the two specials is how long the phone last.  The first one is a little longer than a year and the second last definitely two years.  When you leave Aix you can simply sell the phone to another person since all they have to do is buy the minutes and maybe a new SIM card.

  With both the LAN lines and cell phones, you do not get charged for incoming calls.

   

Television

Watching Television in Aix

  If you live in an apartment that has a television, use it as much as possible!  You will need a small antenna to sit on top of the television.  If there isn’t one, you can get it at Carrefour relatively cheap.  There are about 5 or 6 channels you can get with the antenna.  Watching the television, even for an hour a day, will really improve your comprehension of the French language.

  During the day, around 11:30-1:30, a couple of stations have children’s programming.  Many children come home during these hours for lunch.  The other channels have news, talk shows, variety shows, and movies.  You have to get use to the dubbing, but it is still worth the slight distraction in order to improve your language skills.

Satellite TV

  France does have a satellite system which is comparable to our Direct TV.  It is called Canal Satellite.  You do have to buy the system.  It is about 40 euros.  You can do this at Carrefour or Darty ( an electronic store in the commercial center where Carrefour is located).  After you buy the system, you call Canal Satellite and they will come and hook it up for you and put the dish on the roof.  You just have to make an appointment.  Then you can choose the package that best fits your needs.

  My family chose the Family Package which included the Disney Channel, Toon Disney, Canal J (which is like Nick Toons here) and a few other kid channels.  They have several movie channels and news channels, music television, the History Channel and the Discovery Channel.  It cost about 30 euros a month and you pay a 90 euro fee up front, which they will split into two months for you.  Each month they will deduct the fees from your checking account.  It is a really good deal.  My kids enjoyed watching their favorite shows and it was all in French so we all improved a lot.  We even got into the Music Video stations. Not only do they play American music, but music from all over.  As a result we now have acquired a large collection of European artist.  Many are now our most favorite to listen to even here in The States.

  Pay attention to the late night schedule.  There are a few channels that turn XXX at midnight. You can put these on a parental control mode or simply take the card out at night.

  This system is on a contract basis.  Therefore, you must have the system for at least one year.  Since we planned on living in France for more than one year it worked out for us.  You can get the satellite for the time that you are there and pay an early disconnect fee.  I did know a couple of people who did this.  At the time, the fee you had to pay when you no longer wanted the system was the amount it would have cost you for the entire 12 months. So, in a sense, you would pay for those last remaining months that you would have used the system. 

Turning in the System When You Leave

  About 6 weeks before you are going to leave, you need to write to Canal Satellite and let them know you will be canceling the service, the date of cancellation and your name, address, and bank account number.  Sophie helped me on this one so I could write the correct wordage.  You also need to send the letter with a return receipt so you have proof the letter got to the company.  Canal Satellite will then send you a letter of acknowledgement of the cancellation and the final date that they will withdraw money from your account.  It will also come with a checklist.  KEEP ALL THE PAPER WORK THEY SEND YOU! YOU WILL NEED THEM WHEN YOU RETURN THE EQUIPEMENT!

  About 3 or 4 days before you leave, take down the dish and return all items (the box, the cords, the phone line, the card) to Carrefour or Darty.  They do not want the dish back.  We just threw ours away.  Take with you the paper work that Canal Satellite sent you.  It is a check list.  The person at Carrefour or Darty will go through and make sure that you returned all items and that they are in good working condition.  They will all be checked off.  One copy the store keeps, one copy is for you, and the other one goes to Canal.  When they receive it and it is all checked off, they will reimburse you the 90 euro fee that they took in the beginning.

Bookstores and the Library

Finding English Language Books and the Library

Book in Bar

  If you are looking for a bookstore that sells English language books, then I would recommend Book in Bar.  It is located at:

1 bis, Rue Joseph Cabassol
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 26 60 07 www.bookinbar.com/Book%20In%20Bar.htm

  There is a tiny area with tables located in the back where you can buy tea, coffee and other drinks.  There are also tables where you can enjoy your beverages while reading.  They also have a bulletin board where advertisements are posted.  It has everything from rentals, to car sales, to tutors, to childcare.  The book store has a wide range of materials.  There are even books, games, and movies for children in both English and French.  If you want an item but can not find it, the front desk will order it for you.  I spent a lot of time in here because the atmosphere is very appealing.  It is cozy and warm and the people who work there are very friendly.

Paradox

  The other book store that I recommend is Paradox.  They also sell English and French language books. They are located at:

Place des Quatre Dauphins
13100 Aix-en-Provence
http://pro.wanadoo.fr/paradoxe/bienvenue.html

  They are open Monday-Saturday from 9:00-12:30 and then from 2:00-6:30.  They also have a small room to the front that is used as a grocery store for those items that Americans or the British are missing from home like, Dr. Pepper, Root Beer, Kraft Mac n Cheese, Campbell’s soup and other “essentials”. 

The Library
 
  Aix-en-Provence has a major library called Cite du Livre-Bibliotheque Mejanes.  It is located at:

8-10, Rue des Allumettes
13090 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 91 98 88
www.citedulivre-aix.com/index.asp

  Once on the main page, click on the orange square titled Cite du Livre, then click on Cite Pratique and scroll down.  This area of the site will give you all the information about the hours of operation, member cards and entertainment.

 
  The library is housed in a 19th century building that used to be a match factory, hence the name of the street.  Aside from books, it has an international film library and several writing workshops.  There is a multimedia center where you can use the internet, expositions and cinema nights, cultural programs, movies for kids and movie rentals.  On Wednesday afternoons, they have a story or video time for children.

  Library cards can be purchased by anyone.  Those who are 16 years or younger can obtain one for free.  If you are over 16 the cost is 15 euros per year.  Bring your rental agreement when purchasing one, as this is the price for residents in Aix.  You can also check with the Office of Tourism on special events that will be going on at the library throughout the year.   
 

Church

International Christian Community of Provence

  I was lucky enough to run into a pastor and his wife and kids about two weeks after arriving in Aix.  They had just moved to Aix from Southern California and were in the process of taking over as pastors of an English speaking church located in town.  Pastor Darrin Jones, his wife Julie and their children, Sawyer and McKenna, became good friends  of my family.  Our second year in France my two younger children went to school with their children.  (See Education). 

  Darrin and Julie told me what they were trying to accomplish in France and invited me to go to church.  They hold their services on Sunday nights at 5:30pm.  The church is called International Christian Community of Provence (ICCP) and is located off the Cours Mirabeau at 9 Rue de la Messe.  Darrin and Julie’s web site is www.jonesfam.us.  You can access the church web site from there or you can go directly to www.iccpaix.org.

On the site you can find directions to the church, information about adult Sunday school classes, children’s Sunday school, outings with the church, and Wednesday get-togethers for teens and adults.  Both sites also have photos and a great video.

  I really enjoyed Darrin’s sermons.  Each week he gave a powerful message and I always came away knowing that God was speaking to me.  The church also holds many get-togethers through out the year.  Many times they are at the home of Tim and April Anderson. The Anderson’s are one of the nicest couples I met while living in Aix. They graciously open there house several times a year for church functions.

Outings

  In September, we had a dinner and swim party just to get to know every one and to learn what direction the church would be going in and the main focus for the year.  At the end of January, we all took a one day hike up to the top of Mt. San Victoire.  We packed a sack lunch and enjoyed the view from the top.  Later that evening, we all got together at the Anderson’s house for pizza, a movie and fellowship. This is a great way to meet other people and to have a network of friends.

  In October of each year and in the spring, the church takes a weekend trip to the Cevennes.  Over the weekend you get to stay in a chateau which is owned by the most delightful old man.  He is in his 80’s and lives alone but enjoys very much for groups to come and stay with him.  Over the weekend we explored the chateau, took walks through his forest and visited the nearby town which has a museum dedicated to the Protestants. My family had a wonderful time and it was great to visit and look around at the photos of his family and his paintings and marvel at the beauty in which we were surrounded.  The trip is very inexpensive and everyone car pools so you don’t need to worry if you do not have transportation.

  In addition to these outings, there are picnics, parties and holiday celebrations.

Meeting People and Group Studies

  The church is very welcoming and I meet several people there from the IP Program.  I also met people from other countries who either spoke English or were trying to learn.  It is a great social opportunity and you can meet people who can help you with your French.  If the French Bible Study group has formed, I would encourage you to join.  That way, you are practicing your French and socializing in The Word at the same time!

  I can’t say enough about Pastor Darrin and Julie.  They were always kind and helpful and a real blessing. They minister to the community and are always willing to help if you need it. If you are looking for a place where one is always welcome and you can meet new friends from all over, then try ICCP. When you get there, tell Darrin and Julie that Ashley and the kids say “HI”. 

Entertainment

Going to the Movies and Renting Videos

The Cinema

  In Aix-en-Provence there are three movie theaters.  Two of the theaters, CINEMA RENOIR and CINEMA MAZARIN, play movies in their original format whether it is in English, Spanish, Italian, etc.  If the movie is in VO (version original) the sub-titles will be in French.

  The other theater, CINEMA CEZANNE, only shows movies in French.  If the movie is not originally from France then it will be dubbed in French.

  CINEMA RENOIR and CINEMA MAZARIN do not have a concession stand.  You have to bring your own treats or buy something from the vending machine in the hallway.  CINEMA CEZANNE has a concession stand with everything from popcorn and coke to candy.  Just like in America, the treats are really expensive. 

Special Pass

  In October of each year, CINEMA RENOIR and CINEMA MAZARIN sell a pass that is a great deal.  It cost around 10 euros and is good for one school year.  With the pass, you can get into either movie theatre for 5 euros.

Family Discount
 
  If you don’t want to buy the pass then each movie theater has a family ticket price.  You pay a set fee for 5 people. When my family lived in France, it was about 30 euros for 5 people.

Show Listings and Times
 
  For all theater locations and show times go to www.aixbynight.net/aix_en_provence_cinema

  The scroll bar on the left has all the theaters in Aix. Click on one and it will give the address and phone number.  Find the word “sceances” this will give you a list of the movies playing and their show times.

Renting Videos
 
  Since going to the movies was pretty expensive for my family, we decided to buy a DVD player and rent movies.  Your apartment might already have one if you are lucky, but if not, it is a great investment.  DVD players are really inexpensive and you will definitely get your monies worth out of it, especially during those long, cold winter months.

  You can rent movies at VIDEO FUTURE. There are two locations in Aix.  One is right next to CINEMA CEZANE movie theater.  This one is two stories and has a better selection than the smaller one which is located on Rue Aristad Brande.  You just need to go to the counter and ask for a membership card, which is free.  Bring your rental agreement with you just in case they want proof that you live in town.

How the card works: put money on it, in increments of 20 to 60 euros, kind of like a rechargeable gift card.  Since the card is prepaid, when you choose your DVDs you hand the clerk your card and they swipe it.  When you get down to being able to rent only two more DVDs they ask you if you would like to put more money on your card.   I found this system to be really easy to use and you didn’t have to worry about having money at the moment you wanted to rent something.

Movie Rental Deals

  The rental place was always having special deals, too.  For example, if you put 40 euros on your card you will get 50 euros worth of movies, or if you put money on your card between certain dates, you can choose from an array of movies to own for free.

  My family used this card several times a week and it was worth it to by the DVD player. As a matter of fact, we brought the player back to The States with us because we had bought movies while living in France and we can only play them on a Region 2 player. 

Video Vending Machines
 
  There are also video vending machines.  You can find them just about any where in town.  They are exactly what they sound like.  You search for the movie you want at a little machine, you pay for the movie and the movie drops out of the bottom.  It sounds crazy, but a lot of people used them.  I never tried one out, but I knew several people who did and they though it was great.  If any one tries it please let me know how it works out for you and leave any details you have in my feed back section.

                                       

      

Food & Restaurants

Great Places to Eat in Aix

  Just as eating at a restaurant in The States can be quite expensive for a family, you will find it to be about the same in France.  My family did not eat out that often.  With the six of us, I found it less expensive and more convenient to make the meals at home. There are, however, some places that were not too expensive and everyone was agreeable to the menu.

Casino Cafeteria

  There is a cafeteria style restaurant in the supermarket area of Geant and next to the Casino market on Rue de Lettre de Tassigney. It is called Casino Cafeteria and directions are in the shopping section of Essential Living.   They offer chicken, fish, hamburgers, pasta and a variety of side menus and desserts.  The prices are reasonable and they offer a discount for children under 12.  It is very appropriate for families since it is buffet style and everyone can go by and see what is available and make their own selections.  This was the restaurant most visited by my family.  They were, however, closed on Sundays.

Pizza and More

  La Grange (Pizzeria) was another very good restaurant.  They usually had a special menu price of 12 euros in which you could have a salad or pasta, an entrée and a dessert.  Drinks were not included.  They also have a children’s menu and pizza.  Don’t be deceived by the small appearance of the downstairs area, the place is very large and has an upstairs room which can accommodate big parties.  They are located at:

2 bis, Rue Nazareth
13100  Aix en Provence
Tel: 04 42 26 19085

Just For The Adults

  For a special night out with a significant other or friends, try Le Basilic Gourmand.  It is rather expensive and not for children.  The food is the best in town and I know the cook, his name is Sammy. I would recommend you try the duck with the ravioli and foi gras.   It is located at:

6 Rue du Griffon
13100 Aix en Provence
Tel: 04 42 96 08 58

Italian

  If Italian food is something that you like then go to La Piazza PaPa.  They have all kinds of pastas, chicken, fish and pizza and their desserts are simply heaven.  They are located at:

33 Cours Mirabeau
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 26 72 02
www.pizzapapa.fr

Food On The Go

  For less formal eating or eating on the go, there were four places that my family liked.  The first was Pizza Capri.  Besides pizza, they also have Paninis and Forccacia.  They are open Monday-Thursday from 8:00am-1:30am, Friday and Saturday from 8:00-3:30am and on Sundays from 8:00-11:00pm.  The food is really inexpensive, but good.  Slices of pizza (which are large) range from 1,70 to 2 euros and you can buy a whole pizza from 6,80 to 8 euros.  3 euros will get you a slice and a drink.  The Paninis range from 2,50 to 3,60 euros.  They are located at the corner of Cours Mirabeau and Rue Fabrot.

  There are two McDonald’s located in town.  I don’t really advocate eating there while you are in France, but sometimes it was a treat the kids enjoyed.  I do have to say that the food was better there. The first one is located on Ave. Jean Giono.  You can get there by taking the number 16 bus from the “Rotonde”.  It stops just after you see McDonald’s.  The other one is located in Aix-Les Milles at the Centre Commercial Carrefour.  Just take the number 15 or 16 bus and get off at the Shopping Center.  It is located at the far right inside the Carrefour building.  Both McDonald’s have WIFI so you can work online while you eat.

  If you feel sometimes that you want a good old fashion sandwich, there is a Subway Sandwich in town.  It is open 7 days a week from 10:00am to 12:00am and is located at:

22 Cours Sextius
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 93 03 27

Crepes

  For a great snack I recommend going to Crepes-a-GoGo.  They make over 80 different kinds of crepes and are open from Monday to Saturday 11:00am to 7:15pm.  They are closed on Sundays and during the month of August.  Their prices range from 1,10 to 4,60 euros.  They are located in the underground passage of Victor Hugo just across from the Office of Tourism.

Chocolate!!!

  The best chocolate place in town is Puyricard.  Once you have tasted their chocolate you will go back on a regular basis, guaranteed!  They make everything on site and it is fresh and made with no preservatives.  You can by different sizes of boxes and choose what you want in them or you can buy assorted chocolate bars.  They make wonderful presents (the lines are long during the holidays) or a treat for yourself. They are open Monday-Saturday from 9:00am to 6:00pm and are located at:

7 Rue Rifle Rafle
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 21 13 26
www.puyricard.fr

                                       

      

Sports & Recreation

How to Get Involved in Sports in Aix

  While living in France, your children might want to do some after school activities.  There are a variety of sports activities and special interest things that you and your children can choose from. 

Team Sports

  This is also a great way to meet other French people and learn new vocabulary. A.S.P.T.T.  (I don’t actually know what the acronym stands for) is a sporting association that is located in Les Milles.  Here children can play basketball, soccer and even do gymnastics.  Their phone number is 04 42 24 39 74.  Sign ups are usually in September, but some sports actually start as late as October.  

  At A.S.P.T.T. they have a booklet on all sports activities, when to sign up, and when they start.  The prices are very reasonable.  This booklet might also be available at the Hotel de Ville.  The Hotel de Ville usually has a lot of information on other activities for adults and children.  For more information on what the Hotel de Ville offers, go to www.mairie-aixenprovence.fr. This web site will tell you all about what is going on in town.

Summer Activities Card For Kids

  If you want real specifics then go to www.mairie-aixenprovence.fr/plan.php and search through the scroll bar on the left.  It has different areas of interest: culture, children, sports, the economy, and tourism.  There is an activities card that you can purchase for your children, ages 11-18, so they can take advantage of all the interesting activities offered in the summer months like art, museums, sports, science and cultural outings.  The cost is only 25 euros and it is well worth it as many things are then free or at a reduced price.  It is called Carte Surf and you can purchase it at the Hotel de Ville which is located at:

Place de l’Hotel de Ville
13616 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 91 90 00

Or you can also purchase it at:                                  
37 Boulevard Aristide Briand
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Email: [email protected] 

Soccer and American Football

  If you have children who play soccer and are really good, you might try AUC(Aix Universite Club).  They are located in the Stade Ruocco at Pont de lArc.  Aix even has its own American Football Team for young boys, the Argonautes. Their web site is www.argos-aix.com.  The association is located at the
                                            
Office Municipal de Sports
Maison des Sports
Complexe du Val de l’Arc
Avenue des Infirmeries
Tel: 04 42 91 54 40
04 42 26 89 55

  Please note that your son must be at least 12 years old by the day of registration.

Many Other Activities For the Whole Family

  Aix offers many other recreational activites for the whole family. Two good web sites to visit are www.aixenprovencetourism.com/aix-loisirs.html and www.virtualis.fr/sorties-sports.html. They will give you a list of parks, pools, and equestrian centers.  There is also fencing, boating, fishing and any other activity that you might be interested in. Both sites have addresses and phone numbers for all activities.

Gyms

  For those of us adults that prefer to work out in a gym, I know of two in Aix that are good.  The first one is Gym Concept and it is located at:

27 Boulevard Aristide Briand
13100 Aix-en-Provence
Tel: 04 42 23 50 80
Their web site is www.gymconcept.com.

  The other one is Aix en Ligne Form and it is located at:

Ave Jean Dalmas 13090 Aix-en-Provence

Theater, Dance, Art

How to Get Involved in the Arts in Aix

  While living in France, your children might want to do some after school activities.  There are a variety of activities and special interest things that you and your children can choose from. 

Theatre, Art, Music

  If your children like theater, music, or arts and crafts, then the Maison des Jeunesse et de la Culture Jacques Prevert is where you should go.  It is located just down from the “Rotonde” at:

24 Boulevard de la Republique
13100 Aix en Provence
 
  They have classes for children from ages pre-school through middle school.  Registration for most things is held twice a year and the price is reasonable. When you enter the front door there are booklets on the table of the classes that will be offered during the year.   

Dance Classes

  My two younger girls decided that they wanted to take a jazz class and my older daughter wanted to do a hip hop class.  I think the best dance school for those who are a little more serious and want to make a one year commitment is Aix City Ballet.  Don’t let the name fool you.  The school is very well known for its ballet but they offer many other types of classes.  My girls really loved going and learning all the dance moves and at the end of the year all the classes show off what they have learned in a recital.  This is a huge deal and runs for two nights.

The recital takes place downtown in one of the most beautiful theaters I have seen.  It is a classic Louis XVI theater and the recital is usually a sold out performance.  I figured it would be one of those things were the stage is like in your local school and real small.  I was way off.  This performance was about four hours long and the children actually have costumes and their make-up professionally done. The students practice several days a week during the last two weeks before the performance. 

Photos of The Performance

  For photos of last year’s performance, go to www.photo13.net.  Click on “galleries” then scroll down to “9 juin-Theatre du Jeu de Paume Don Quichotte”. The screen will then say the photos have been moved. Click where it says “here”.  There are 36 pages of the performances. Aix City Ballet is located at 27 bis rue du 11 novembre just behind the Subway sandwich shop.  Their telephone number is 04 42 27 54 54. Here are a few photos of my children in the performance.
   

If your children are really into are then the place to go is L'Ecole Superiuere d'Art d'Aix-en-Provence. The school is located on Rue Emile Tavan.  Their phone number is 04 42 27 57 35.  They also have a web site that will give you more information on the classes that are offered, however, it is only in French.  That site is www.ecole-art-aix.fr. Click on “ecole” then “Enseignants Ateliers Ouverts”.  This is where you will find the after school classes for all ages.

  This is a college for the arts, but on Wednesday afternoons and week day evenings they offer classes to any one.  Two of my daughters took classes there during the school year.  They both took a painting and drawing class and my oldest daughter took an animation drawing class.  The teacher for the animation class actually published a comic book with the class art in it.  My daughter was really impressed with him and highly recommends the class.  His name is Eric Cartier and the class is called Bande Dessinee. 

  The school has one day a year to register and the lines are long.  I suggest getting there very early. The registration is usually during the third week of September.  Their dates change according to the year so go into their office ahead of time for a list of classes and the dates and fees.  You have to bring proof that you are a resident in Aix and bring your children’s passports and proof they are in school. You might need to bring a utility bill, too, as proof of residency. This is because prices are much cheaper if you live in Aix. The total amount for all classes must be paid at the time of registration. All classes are held Wednesday afternoons and weekday evenings.

Other Fun Ways to Keep Busy

   Aix offers many other recreational activities for the whole family.  Two good sites are  www.aixenprovencetourism.com/aix-loisirs.html and www.virtualis.fr/sorties-sports.html.

  In Aix-en-Provence there are numerous activities to get involved in.  If you are interested in all the other types of activities go to www.aix-en-provence.com/ancpa/french/sports/artsmart.htm.  The scroll down bar has a list of every sport and activity that is available.  It will show you the names of the associations with their addresses and phone numbers. I have to say that the more your family gets involved in extra-curricular activities, the more French people you will meet and the better you will become at speaking and understanding the language.  You will also acquire new vocabulary outside of the classroom.

Places to Visit

This page will be up and running soon.  Please be patient.  For now, check out my photo albums and this will give you some ideas of the places that are my favorite to visit.

Feedback & Site Updates

I welcome your comments and would love to hear about your experiences in Aix-en-Provence.

Feel free to leave me up dates on the going-ons of Aix.  I would love to incorporate them into my site, if possible.

My email is :

[email protected]

Best wishes to all!!