While on a study abroad trip, it's easy to grow fond of places you might never visit again. It's a bittersweet feeling because I'd like to see as many new places as I can, but sometimes you fall in love with a town's micro-cultures. It might be a winter thing, but the villages we've visited on this trip all seem to have a micro-culture. Some villages are flooded with movement and voices while others flow with calm quiet and whispers.

Aix-en-Provence is home to one of the most energetic micro-cultures I've seen. And after visiting three times now, it's a place I feel I've known for ages. The people in Aix, tourists and locals alike, express a beautiful diversity. In age, origin, and style, Aix feels like an international hub compared to most of the other villages I've visited. In three days alone, I ate fresh market food, sushi, Indian, Italian food, and more. Everything was authentic.

Apart from the food and friendly faces, Aix has a beautiful plethora of fountains. To give you a hint of what I mean by that, the city's nickname is "The City of a Thousand Fountains." Around every corner, water flows from a stone spout; sometimes the mouth of a fish, and others with moss are natural from nearby springs. La Rotunde, in the city center, is the most famous fountain in the city. However, the smaller hidden fountains are my favorites.

Lastly, if you're interested in a bit of history, walking amongst Aix is walking the life of Paul Cézanne. Claimed by Picasso as the "mother hovering over," Cézanne dedicated his life and work to Aix and its surrounding beauty. Mont Saint Victoire, right outside of the city was Cézanne's favorite landscape to paint, but while inside, his footsteps are labeled as ground plaques along alleys and walkways marking his significant sites.

Regardless, of whether your goal in Aix-en-Provence is to experience a true french market, eat amazing food, follow the footsteps of Cézanne, or simply just explore, you're sure to find moments of true bliss. And if you can't find bliss, there are plenty of fountains instead.