Where to eat in Aix-en-Provence

If you have always had the idea that France = nouvelle cuisine made only of unusual sauces, I can tell you that (thankfully) this is absolutely not the case. Since I like to taste the typical dishes of each country, I decided to dedicate a post entirely to the best places to eat in Aix-en-Provence and where you can fully enjoy the local gastronomy, always with an excellent value for money. Let's begin.

Crêpes

The crêpes were my lifeline, my safe haven where I took refuge every time I missed pizza (because yes, every good Italian begins to miss it after a short period of time).

First of all, it is good to differentiate: in France savoury crêpes are called galettes, while only the sweet ones are properly defined as crêpes.

The galettes are actually typical of Normandy, but, fortunately, they can now be found of excellent quality in the other regions as well. Their peculiarity lies in the fact that the dough is made up of half type 00 flour and half buckwheat flour. From this they take a brownish colour and a more "fragile" consistency, but I can assure you that it is absolutely worth it! The shape of the galettes is also square, and not round as one would expect.

Cider is the drink that often accompanies the crêpes (which can be dry or sweet depending on how you like it). It’s an excellent alternative to beer for people like me who unfortunately don't like it. It's still slightly alcoholic, so I'd say it's a sweeter version of beer.

Where to eat

There are essentially three places where I tried this delicacy, which I will put into order of preference, from the best to the "worst" (if this can even be defined).

1. La Crêpe Sautière: located in the city centre, in Rue Bédarrides. It has a wide range of crepes, both sweet and savoury. The staff are very kind, as is the host, and will always try to serve you with a smile. At the end of the meal, you will be satisfied with the quality and quantity, especially if you decide to also eat dessert.

   

   The site is also very beautiful: from the outside it looks small, but in reality it has many tables and has that slightly rustic air that gives even more charm to the whole place. The prices are normal, barely more expensive than a crêpe from a street vendor, but in a restaurant. For broke students like me, I recommend it for a special occasion, like friends or relatives visiting, or for a romantic dinner.

   The link to the restaurant website (which also has excellent reviews on TripAdvisor): http://lacrepsautiere.com - https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g187209-d866326-Reviews-La_Crep_Sautiere-Aix_en_Provence_Bouches_du_Rhone_Provence_Alpes_Cote_d_Azur.html

2. Crêpes à Gogo : this place is located on Victor Hugo Avenue, in the subway beside the Rotonde roundabout. In spite how it may seem (A crêperie in an underpass? Small and dirty? ) there is always a queue that blocks the passageway and the crêpes are excellent. It was one of the reasons that led me to return to Aix this summer: P

   It offers a wide variety of crêpes, friendly service and moderate prices. However, there is no place to sit, but a few meters away are the benches of the Cours Mirabeau (the main course), where you can sit and enjoy the beautiful day. What's more to like?

3. Pâte à Crêpe: in the Place des Augustins (always central), a lively and very pretty pedestrian square, where there are also other bars. Out of the three, it is the one that I like the least, but it is a great alternative if the previous two are closed.

   Pros: at midday they offer a menu that allow you to eat both sweet and savoury and save a little bit of money. Good prices, but they’re obviously higher than Crêpes à Gogo. I really like the location however, especially in summer as it is nice to eat outside, on the characteristic Provençal terrasses.

   

Other savoury delicacies

Although I spend a lot of time talking about crêpes, during my Erasmus I didn’t only eat crêpes, but also quiches and baguettes.

These can be found of excellent quality in any boulangerie (bakery) and the main advantage is that they cost very little, so if your Erasmus budget is running low and you don't know what to eat, I recommend trying these places.

In my opinion, the more of these that are small and hidden, the better: they are the ones that make not only the best bread, but bread made according to tradition. On the other hand, I do not recommend chains (such as Paul's), which still sell good products, but which, in my opinion, have something industrial about them and so they lose their typicality.

My favourite bakery was is Rue Espariat. Below is a photo (I admit that it’s beauty also comes from the building).

There is also a small green room outside along the side of the Palais de Justice Square: it is managed by an elderly lady who specialises in making quiche, highly recommended given the kindness, the prices (which are low) and the quality. Pay attention to opening times because it doesn't stay open for very long.

Kebab

A separate post should really be devoted to kebabs. Although we may think that nowadays we eat it everywhere, the kebabs they make here are different.

In the past years there have been some strong waves of immigration, and the Arabs who settled in the south of France have opened many premises, where they make the real Kebab, the one with a capital K. The peculiarity is that the taste is stronger and they often put French fries inside.

In Aix there is what has been named the best kebab of France of 2013 I believe, and it's at the bottom of Rue Mignet. Super recommended.

Also around Place Des Augustins (where there is Pâte à Crêpes) there are various kebabs, which, in my opinion, are just as good, but maybe a little heavier to eat.

Sweet specialities

Calissons. They are the typical sweets of the city, which cost a fortune but are very good (and nutritious). They are made with a kind of apricot paste covered with a thin layer of almond paste. Described in this way, they do not sound very appetising, but I can assure you that they are good.

The only flaw is indeed the price. They are very, very expensive, especially if you buy them in boutiques along the Cours Mirabeau, where they sell very beautiful gift boxes. I personally went to pick them up at the supermarket, where they certainly won’t be as good, but you can at least eat them without having to sell a kidney to pay for them.

And on a rainy day what can you do? Well, go to Coco Bohème. It is a very nice place that makes hot chocolate in particular (very tasty with marshmallows and more), but also tea, coffee and infusions. But be careful: the French hot chocolate is like our chocolate milk.

When you enter it is compulsory to take off your shoes (both in case of rain and sun... so take care with the socks that you choose). Then you go down a floor underground where you can’t use your mobile phone (eeeeeek) and where there are comfortable benches and sofas where you can spend a whole afternoon daydreaming. You can study, chat or even play the numerous board games that are available free of charge by the café.

I nearly forgot: on rainy days the hot chocolate costs half the normal price. Not bad, eh?

What to avoid

Finally, what are the foods to avoid in Aix?

Aix is generally considered the Paris of the south, for its architecture and prices. Avoid the pizza, which costs from ten euros onwards, and which often doesn’t have any mozzarella on it but another cheese, and which has nothing on pizzas from Italy.

Avoid the pizza from Aix. For me, that means avoiding theft and an unsatisfactory meal.

Finally, you should also abandon the idea of ice-cream. What my French friends defined as "Aix's best ice cream" would actually be standard gelato in Italy, so I wouldn't say it’s exceptional, but it does cost a fortune.

But, on the other hand, you go on Erasmus to discover new cultures and new traditions (especially culinary), right?