In the Footsteps of Churchill and the Aga Khan

I'm continuing my survey of places to stay in Aix with a visit to the Grand Hotel Roi René, whose illustrious guests have included Winston Churchill and the Aga Khan. I love grand hotels, especially when there's a bit of history, intrigue and romance attached - the Beauvau in Marseille (which once housed Chopin and George Sand) and the Hotel d'Europe in Avignon (Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning) both spring to mind. So how did the Roi René stack up? Click here to read more.

Food, Glorious Food

I was recently invited to a preview visit of the Camp des Milles, a huge former brick factory just outside Aix en Provence which was used as an internment camp at the beginning of the Second World War and opens to the public as a memorial early next month. Over 10,000 people were locked up here: political dissidents, "enemy aliens", artists, intellectuals and Jews - sometimes all five categories at once. Visiting the camp could have been depressing, but in fact it's thought-provoking and, in a strange way, inspiring - mainly because the artists holed up there found extraordinary ways of transforming their experience. On near-starvation rations, they covered all the walls of one room with surreal frescoes celebrating a superabundance of food.... Click here to read more

The Black Pavilion of Dance

I've been doing a little exploring outside the immediate centre of Aix around the Cours Mirabeau and have made some fascinating discoveries. Like the mysterious and dramatic Pavillon Noir, designed by the starchitect Rudy Ricciotti, which rears up on a a tiny strip of ground on a side-street just off La Rotonde. This is the home of the world-famous dance company Ballet Preljocaj (it's performing at the Edinburgh Festival next week) and hosts a packed programme of activities, including open rehearsals, dance classes, workshops and apéro-performances at which you can chat to the dancers over a drink after the show. And the building itself, which offers regular free guided visits once a month, is intriguing in its own right. I went on one of these tours backstage to take a look. Click here to read more.

A Little Night Musing in Aix en Provence

It should come as no surprise to hear that the founders of the Hotel Le Mozart are lovers of classical music and an atmosphere of serenity inhabits this long-established hotel just outside the centre of Aix en Provence. Its budget rates have made it a favourite with visitors to a city where accommodation can be very pricey indeed. Tucked down a side-street and set somewhat back from the road, the Hotel Le Mozart is easy to miss - and in fact I've often walked past it myself without paying much attention. But, in Aix recently, I finally went in to have a look round. Click here to read more.

Two Olive Farms in Provence

Olive tree groves are a distinctive feature of the landscape all across Provence - and olive oil is ubiquitous in the local cuisine (not to mention Marseille soap!) So when we received invitations recently to visit two olive estates in the area, it was impossible to resist. Each one was stunningly located: the Domaine Terre de Mistral snuggles in the foothills of the Mont Sainte Victoire, while Castelas sits in the valley just below Les Baux de Provence. Both are producing very high quality AOP oils that are light years away from the el cheapo mass-produced Spanish stuff on sale at Tescos. Click here to read more.

One of the Best Dining Spots in Aix en Provence

I've been meaning for a long time to eat at Le Poivre d'Ane. Set on the Forum des Cardeurs, the Restaurant Row of Aix en Provence, it seems at first sight identical to its undistinguished neighbours. But this very long established, much-loved local institution recently received a bib gourmand in the Michelin Guide and is most certainly one of the best, and best-value dining spots in town. Recently, I finally got the chance: after showing house guests round the city, we were generously invited out to dinner. And the experience proved well worth the wait. Click here to read more.

A World a-part: Modern Art in the Alpilles

The a-part Festival of Contemporary Art must be one of the most enjoyable ways of getting a little shot of culture while visiting Provence. A cluster of towns and villages all across the Alpilles participate in an extravaganza of modern art in some of the region's most stunning locations, both open-air and indoor. I visited a show of gorgeous ceramics in the Hôtel de Manville, Les Baux de Provence, where the creators were present (above, the Belgian sculptor Johan Creten invites me to lay hands on one of his precious artefacts). But you could equally well sample street art in Saint Rémy or go Mexican in Tarascon. Best of all, it's all free! Click here to read more.

A Penthouse on Marseille's Old Port at Knockdown Prices

In Marseille recently, I thought I'd swing by the Hotel Hermes. It's a bit of an institution and one friend of mine swears by this hotel with incredible views of the Old Port at knockdown prices. As if that all weren't enough, the Hermes has been undergoing an extensive refurbishment programme. It was high time to have a good look round.... Click here to read more.

The Provençal Painter Drunk on Colour

... And now here's an example of Expressionism, Provence style. I'm definitely on a bit of an art kick at the moment, with a visit this week to the press view of L'ivresse de la Couleur (The Intoxication of Colour), a new show in Marseille devoted to René Seyssaud, a local-born painter. I loved his fabulously intense colours and amazing compositions. Pictured: Les Pointes Rouges at Agay, circa 1902. This terrific exhibition of some 80 works is on until 18 November. Don't miss! And click here to read my full review.

This Summer's Must-See Art Show in Aix en Provence

We were in Aix yesterday to show some house guests around (they loved it of course, and treated us to a superb meal at Le Poivre d'Ane, one of the city's best restaurants - more about that soon). And while my friends were strolling round the Old Town, I popped into the Musée Granet to catch its current show, a marvellous display of modern work - German and American Expressionism, Picasso and more - from the collection of Frieder Burda, a German publishing magnate who is passionate about cutting-edge art. It's the first time these paintings have been exhibited outside Germany. Click here to read more.