corner; the city feels

corner; the city feels like a living, breathing museum of his life. His atelier on Lauves Hill is a short walk from the city centre. In the two-roomed studio, surrounded by aromatic pine trees, olive orchards and vineyards, Cezanne worked from 1902 until his death. Upstairs, it feels as though he has just stepped out, his easel, paint-stained smock, and even some of the original still life objects he painted are bathed with soft light from the tall windows. Abi says you can ‘feel Cezanne’s presence. It’s a haunting, intimate glimpse into the artist’s world. To be inside his studio and see his possessions, the spots in his garden where he chose to paint different facets of the landscape of Provence, choosing different shades at different times of the year. It feels like being part of his life in this beautiful, secluded area.” A restoration of the ground floor kitchen, as it was in Cezanne’s day, is ongoing and due to reopen gradually from the summer of 2025. Just ten minutes further on, you’ll find the Jardin des Ateliers, with one of the most iconic views in all of France, the Montagne Sainte- Victoire. This jagged, moody mountain was Cézanne’s muse and obsession. Says Abi, “The scene changes hour by hour, rose hues at dawn, shimmering in the noon heat of a summer’s day, golden at dusk. From here, you can appreciate and understand why Cezanne had such an obsession with the mountain.” Montagne Sainte-Victoire Atelier des Lauves Then there’s the Bibémus Quarries, a childhood playground turned lifelong inspiration. You can still see the little stone hut where Cézanne stored his paints and canvases. The ochre cliffs and arches are frozen mid-collapse, like ancient sculptures holding their breath. Take a guided tour just before sunset to admire the radiant colours - it’s utterly transporting. Cezanne’s inspiration was the palette of the world he saw before him - earth tones and red ochre, olive green, vibrant orange, carmine and burnt Sienna, cobalt blue and ripe plum. What fascinated him wasn’t just the beauty of Provence, but its structure. He saw buildings as blocks of colour, trees as vertical strokes, and landscapes as puzzles of light and form. His style laid the foundations for Cubism and earned him the admiration of Picasso, who famously called him “the father of us all.” But during his lifetime, few recognised his genius. In fact, he hardly sold a painting and rarely signed his work, considering it unfinished. Towards the end of his life recognition came from fellow artists, Monet was the first to buy a Cezanne - for 50 Francs (about 8 euros). But when the city’s museum Musee Granet was offered paintings after his death, director Henri Pontier sniffily declined, stating that Cezanne’s art would enter the museum only over his dead body, a policy which was followed for decades. However, in 2025, Aix will host a range of events celebrating its prodigal painter with a blockbuster exhibition at the Musée Granet, featuring over 130 works gathered from around the world, including paintings, drawings, and watercolours, all created in and around Cezanne’s family home, Jas de Bouffan. Cezanne’s 4 Seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn Winter, circa 1860 Oil painting on plaster wall, laid down and mounted on canvas; Petit Palais, Museum of Fine Arts of the City of Paris, Gift of the heirs of Ambroise Vollard, 1950 © Grand Palais Rmn/Bulloz Agency The stone hut Cezanne rented in Bibémus Quarries 20 | The Good Life France Bibémus Quarries © Aix-en-Provence © photo M. Fraisset The Good Life France | 21