Church of Saint-Jean-de-Malte and Granet Museum

Built in the 13th century, most likely in the 1270s, the church of Saint-Jean-de-Malte is the very first Gothic church in all of Provence, even predating the Mazarin neighborhood! It came to replace an earlier chapel that had already been there for a century. You see, the Counts of Provence chose this site as their final resting place and they had to build something much bigger than a simple chapel to accommodate their noble tombs. Standing tall with a single nave and a 67-meter-high bell tower, it is the highest building in Aix and the oldest Gothic monument in all of Provence. Originally, it sat outside the city walls all the way across the fields, but as Aix grew, the church came to be part of the Mazarin district. Sadly, the tomb of the Counts of Provence, which once stood here, was destroyed in 1794. But fear not, there’s still plenty to see! Inside the church, you’ll find a replica of the tomb, beautiful paintings, stunning stained-glass windows, and a super modern pipe organ, installed here in 2006 to replace the old ones. Right next door is the incredible Granet Museum, Aix’s very own Museum of Fine Arts. It is housed in a 17th-century building, formerly the Priory of the Knights of Malta, and it displays over 750 works of art, including paintings and sculptures. It officially became the Museum of Fine Arts in 1838, and eventually took the name of François Marius Granet in 1949. Granet was a famous local painter who died in 1849. He was a member of the French Academy of Fine Arts, an Officer in the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour, and, above all, one of the museum’s most generous benefactors, for he donated many of his works. Today, you can wander through the museum and admire pieces from the Renaissance, as well as works of modern and contemporary art. You’ll see paintings by Picasso, Cézanne, Monet and, of course, Granet, plus some archaeological finds and a whole gallery of sculptures. And if you’re craving for more, there’s also an annex a few streets away, housed in the former chapel of the White Penitents.