Spare time in Aix

Since I don’t have many classes, I can explore Aix and the South of France. But during the week and in the evening, I don’t feel like taking the bus to a different city by myself. I would like to tell you about my life next to the IAE and those touristic visits.

The day before I went to Aix, I saw a movie called ‘Yes man’. This movie really helped me a lot in the first weeks of my exchange period! When people had ideas for the evening, the next day or weekend, I often said: Yes! I want to come! There were some activities that I’ve never done in Holland like going out, having lunch in restaurants and ‘climbing’ a mountain. Now I’m going out at least once a week, what a change!

There are some nice bars in Aix. I like all the Irish bars, because they have my music style and the atmosphere is great. We often went to O’Shannon, an Irish pub on the Rue de la Verrerie. That street has lots of bars and the “Feria de la Verrerie” is a wonderful experience (for students). ESN (an international student network) organizes parties and happy hours in the Wohoo Bar; we go there almost every Tuesday night. The bars with terraces (great in the evening until mid September) are situated on or near the Cours Mirabeau and the ‘Hotel the Ville’. I don’t like clubs, but IPN is definitely a “go” for international students. It’s normal that the rooms of the bars and clubs are under the ground like caves.

I run once or twice a week. I could have paid for a membership (+/- 10 euros?) for the university sports centre. However, I didn’t choose it, because I needed a doctor’s “attestation” (the French loves this word!) etc. It’s too much administration for me… Be careful! Running in Aix is harder than in Holland. Because of two reasons: in the summer months it’s hot from 7.30 AM until 8.00 PM and Aix has (too) many steep streets/hills. Still, the Parce de la Torse is great for it. I’m not sure about running along the river Arc, but I’ll try to run there as well in the next weeks. I often see runners in Puyricard, where the IAE is located, but I’m not yet ready to take the bus in my sports outfit!