Student Life

The Town and the University

Aix-en-Provence is located approximately 30 kilometers north of Marseille and the Mediterranean coast. The region is famous for its Gallo-Roman ruins, picturesque hillside villages, beautiful abbeys, and lively markets. Its natural beauty and pleasant climate make it an ideal location for hiking and other outdoor activities. Aix lies at the foot of the Montagne Sainte-Victoire, immortalized by Paul Cézanne, a native of Aix. The population of Aix is close to 145,000.

Wellesley-in-Aix participants generally appreciate the informal nature and openness of the Provençal people; the relaxed pace of daily life in Aix; and proximity to major sites, such as the spectacular coastal cliffs or calanques between Marseille and Cassis, the Roman arenas in Arles and Orange, and World Heritage sites like Avignon. The sunny climate and easy access to Spain, Italy and North Africa also make southern France a desirable place to live and provide an interesting contrast to Paris and the north.

Culture in Aix and Marseille

Aix is a city rich in literary, cultural and artistic events, particularly in 2013 with the designation of Marseille-Provence as the Capitale européenne de la culture or MP 2013. Aix’s annual summer opera festival attracts distinguished performers and audiences from all over the world. The city also boasts a music school, the Conservatoire Darius Milhaud, named for a composer and Aix native and is home to choreographer Anjelin Preljocaj’s renowned Pavillon Noir theatre. The Grand Théâtre de Provence features opera performances, concerts, and classical and contemporary plays throughout the year and the Théâtre de la Manufacture and the Théâtre du Bois de l'Aune offer free shows all year long.

In addition to the many cultural and artistic events, sports like hiking, kayaking and biking, among others, are also popular in the Aix region. We encourage students to join a club or team and to take advantage of organized activities like hiking, yoga and dance classes or cooking and wine-tasting classes. Joining a chorus or musical group, being part of sports team, taking pottery or photography lessons, or doing volunteer work, for example, are excellent ways to meet French people and improve your language skills while having fun. The MJC Prévert (youth and culture center) offers various classes and is located near the WIA center. Individual cultural stipends allow WIA students to be reimbursed for activities of their choice in French.

The program actively encourages students to take full advantage of the convenient, reliable shuttle service connecting Aix-en-Provence and Marseille. Each student receives a bus pass enabling them to travel to Marseille for just 2 euros round-trip. This accessible option opens the door to exploring the vibrant multicultural life of the port city. Whether discovering global cuisines in Belsunce, enjoying street art and cafés on the Cours Julien, or experiencing contemporary culture at the Friche de la Belle de Mai, students are invited to engage with Marseille’s dynamic urban identity.

With iconic destinations like the Vieux Port, Corniche Kennedy, and the Calanques just a short ride away, students can immerse themselves in a broader Mediterranean landscape and lifestyle. We believe that the combined experience of Aix and Marseille offers a unique and invaluable perspective on life in southern France today.

We encourage students to use public transportation to explore nearby destinations as well: Nice, Lyon, Grenoble, and Montpellier. Each semester, the program organizes a weekend trip to a nearby region as well as a few day trips in Provence and other group activities. Destinations have included Lyon, Arles and the Camargue, the island of Porquerolles, Avignon and les Baux de Provence, the villages of Gordes and Roussillon, and the Montagne Sainte-Victoire. Students also take advantage of trips organized by Sciences Po or other local student groups.

Housing, Meals & Transportation

All housing is organized and managed by the program in Aix-en-Provence. Students fill out a questionnaire and final placements are confirmed upon students’ arrival in France. The majority of WIA participants opt to live in homestays, which provides daily interaction and conversation with French hosts. All hosts are carefully selected by on-site staff. Students in homestays have their own rooms, wireless access, and daily breakfast and most evening meals are provided.

Subject to availability, students may also opt to live in 1 of 3 single rooms with ensuite bathrooms and cooking facilities in a private student residence hall for French students in central Aix. WIA provides linens, cooking utensils and dishes.

Beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year, the program is excited to launch a new housing initiative designed to foster daily intercultural exchange. Selected program students will have the opportunity to live in a shared apartment with a French-speaking roommate, offering an immersive linguistic and cultural experience with a peer. The 3 bedroom apartment is located in Aix-en-Provence's multicultural neighborhood of Encagnane. The apartment is fully furnished and equipped with modern amenities, conveniently located a five-minute walk to the centre-ville and the main bus station.

All students receive a monthly allowance for lunches and dinners not provided by the host family. Students living in apartments or the residence hall receive extra funds for food, cleaning supplies, laundry costs, etc.

The program provides bus passes to all students regardless of where they live, and reimburses occasional taxis for students who live farther away from the city center as well as transportation costs to get to classes in Marseille.

Program activities and excursions

Each semester, students participate in hands-on culinary workshops at Tanja, a beloved local restaurant known for its organic Moroccan cuisine, as well as immersive visits to regional farms such as La Ferme Pastière in Meyrargues, where they gain firsthand insight into sustainable agriculture in Provence. In October 2025, students will spend a weekend in Uzès attending the third edition of festival Saveurs et Savoirs, a celebration of France's multifaceted French food heritage and culinary know-how.

At the WIA center, students can take an active role in the organization of a semesterly intercultural conference that brings to Aix prominent scholars, writers, and public intellectuals engaging with pressing global and regional issues. Recent guests have included Dr. Keithley Woolward of Columbia University’s HiLi Master Program or Dr. Maboula Soumahoro of the Université de Tours. Students are also able to meet and converse with leading French studies scholars conducting research in the region, such as Dr. Danielle Beaujon.

Beyond structured activities, the program challenges students to step outside their comfort zones. Rather than offering a purely curated experience, we encourage meaningful engagement and self-directed exploration, fostering deeper connections with the host culture and community.

Cooking with Marie at Tanja

Touring La Ferme Pastière

Conversing with historian Danielle Beaujon

Centre Wellesley & On-Site Staff

The WIA program is headquartered in a converted house located in a residential area about a 10-minute walk from the town center. It is open during regular business hours, and onsite staff are available daily.

The center includes a small library and large common room, a computer room with printers, a fully-equipped kitchen, and an outdoor terrace for student use. Free wireless access is available at the center and in the outdoor area. Students may drop by at their convenience to pick up mail, eat lunch, use the library or printers, work with the program tutor, and speak with staff. Group tutorials, lectures, and group meetings are held in the common room or on the patio.

The Wellesley-in-Aix staff includes a full-time permanent resident director and a tutor/student activities coordinator who are available to assist students with all academic, administrative and practical matters. The resident director is the primary emergency contact person on site, handles all academic issues and acts as the liaison between the program and university partners in Aix as well as with the French, Francophone, and Italian Studies department and Office of International Study at Wellesley.

Internships and volunteering in Aix and Marseille

Different internships and voluntary opportunities are offered to students depending on their interests, such as: teaching at the Collège Sainte Catherine de Sienne in Aix, becoming a researcher's assistant at Iméra in Marseille, assisting a researcher at the Archives Nationales d'Outre Mer in Aix, assisting a journalist with the Ancrages association, or helping French pupils with their homework in Aix's centres sociaux, among many other activities.

Wellesley-in-Aix onsite team

Le jardin du centre Tavan

Orientation

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