France Guide
Provence
Arrival
Cours Mirabeau, which replaced the town's old southern fortifications, is the main thoroughfare of Aix, with the multi-fountained place Général-de-Gaulle, or La Rotonde, at its west end, the main point of arrival. The gare SNCF is on rue Gustavo-Desplace at the end of avenue Victor-Hugo, the avenue leading south from the square; the gare routière is on avenue de l'Europe, at the end of avenue des Belges ( 
08.91.02.40.25). The TGV station is 10km to the southwest of Aix; regular shuttles connect the station with the gare routière (every 30 min: daily 4am–11.30pm; €5). Driving into Aix can be confusing: the entire ring of boulevards encircling the old town is essentially one giant roundabout, circulating anticlockwise; hotels are signposted off this ring in yellow. Parking in Aix is almost impossible; the ring is probably the best bet for on-street parking as the old town is pretty nightmarish; there are also some good, modern underground car parks dotted around the boulevards (from €1 for 40min).