Ken and I have been living the relaxed Provençal life in Aix-en-Provence. It’s a nice town, fairly large and propserous with a lot of students in the various universities. And being in Provence it’s very relaxed and open, lots of outdoor cafes and casual life.

Our time has been dominated by French classes from 9am to 12:30pm every day. The school is excellent and I’d well recommend it. The teachers are professional and friendly and excellent. We’re taking private lessons but they also have a variety of group lessons with students ranging from retired American tourists to young Swedes intent on passing a French certification exam. The school also provides a variety of social activities and a bit of a home base in Aix. Definitely a good place to spend a couple of weeks on a vacation.

3 hours of class a day turns out to be a lot. After class, and lunch, and a nap, there’s not much time for a walk and a glass of wine before dinner. I’m telling you, Provence is quite demanding. So I haven’t seen too much of Aix other than wandering lots of little streets. The town is a bit raffish but also quite pleasant.