Tour the stone quarry of Bibemus in Aix-en-Provence in the footsteps of Paul Cezanne

Walking tour in Aix en Provence

Tour Price : $250 Duration : 2 hours Languages: French, English

Paul Cezanne is a child of the city of Aix-en-Provence where he was born in 1839.

He was raised in Aix, worked in Aix - with many stays in Paris - died in Aix, is buried in Aix. He developed a true passion for the surrounding countryside. A place in particular was of interest, the Mount Sainte-Victoire that he featured on 87 compositions.

At the bottom of the rock formation, the former stone quarry of Bibemus really desserves a visit.

Paul Cezanne worked there in the 1890's. In Bibemus, the painter invented cubism and abstraction. The site is extraordinary, peaceful, beautiful. Colors are vivid and spectacular. The artist who had a great passion for the spot, was fascinated by the geometric shapes of the rocks, their warm colors, the contrasts between stones and trees, the light. He completed amazing compositions in the quarry.

The views on the landscape around are breathtaking. The valley, olive trees, lavender fields, vineyards, big pine trees, that can be seen on different compositions.

Besides the connection with Cezanne, the site is also a way to discover the history of Aix-en-Provence since the Romans who founded the city in 122 BC, started to extract stones here in 88 BC. Extraction lasted until the middle of the 19th C. Therefore, the stone can be seen all over the historical centre of Aix-en-Provence on the facades of the former noble houses built in the 17th and 18th C. It gives a very warm color note to the city and adds to the beauty of the architecture.

Additional information