Photos: Rolf Kranz, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 GFreihalter, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Bjs, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Rolf Kranz, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 GFreihalter, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Bjs, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Thermes Sextius and the springs that named the city
Your local guide
Léa Chastel
View profile
Highlights
- A spring still warm after two thousand years
- Roman stone inside a modern spa
- One water source, reused for centuries
- The street that still follows old water
- Aix's history, read through a spring
About this tour
This longer session traces the warm springs that gave Aix its name, from the source itself through the Roman stonework preserved inside a modern spa to a later Baroque fountain fed by the same water. You see how one source of water shaped building after building on the same spot for two thousand years. It is a slow, layered look at something most visitors never notice under their feet.
We move stop by stop in roughly the order the site was built, pausing longer wherever the stonework is visible up close. Questions come up naturally as the history overlaps at each stop, and I am glad to go back over anything unclear. A short reading list follows for anyone who wants the fuller history.
This suits anyone genuinely interested in how a city layers itself over centuries, and it rewards a longer attention span than a quick walk. It also works well as a second or third session in Aix, once the obvious landmarks are familiar.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 10 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Aix-en-Provence before heading out.
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The spring source 21 min
The camera looks at the point where warm water still rises from the ground, the same source that gave the city its Roman name. I explain the temperature of the water and why the Romans built here specifically.
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Old stonework in the modern spa 21 min
Through a glass panel in the newer building, you can see sections of the original Roman wall left in place. I point out the layering, newer concrete built directly around older stone.
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The Baroque fountain nearby 21 min
A short distance on, the camera settles on a smaller fountain added centuries after the Romans left, using the same underground water. I explain how the site kept being reused for the same purpose.
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The street above the springs 21 min
From street level, you look down toward where the water still runs beneath the modern city. I point out the slight slope in the road that follows the old spring line.
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Your questions 18 min
Time to ask anything about Aix-en-Provence: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 8 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Tapenade and Quartier Mazarin, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Paris time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 6 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Aix-en-Provence, showing you The spring source and Old stonework in the modern spa live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I carry my phone through the site while we talk.
Times shown in Paris time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
Reviews
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Verified booking
Brilliant guide
Our guide knew every corner and the stories behind it. We learned more in two hours than in a week of reading.
How reviews work
Only travellers who booked and paid through Locals Guide and whose tour took place can leave a review, within 60 days of the tour. Every review is marked "Verified booking". We check reviews before they appear and publish positive and negative ones alike; we remove only reviews that break our rules (insults, personal data, unrelated content). Guides cannot pay for, edit or hide reviews, and ratings are the plain average of all published reviews.
Next: Thu 5 Nov · 6 seats left From 35,00 €
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