Fodor's Expert Review Caumont Centre d'Art

Part of the Culturespaces network of museums and monuments, this arts center is a jewel in the organization's impressively laden crown and is one of Aix's top cultural attractions. Given that the center is housed in the glorious Hôtel de Caumont, one of the city's most spectacular 18th-century mansions, it's no wonder that its period rooms are a joy to behold. It hosts two world-class art exhibitions per year in beautifully conceived spaces (the inaugural show was devoted to Venetian master Canaletto), and there are daily screenings of the film Cézanne in the Aix Region and a series of jazz and classical performances. The elegant gardens have been painstakingly restored to their original 18th-century layout, and you can enjoy a drink, light lunch, or dessert in the garden restaurant. The indoor Café Caumont is easily Aix's most elegant.