Aix-en-Provence Aix-en-Provence Aix-en-Provence (; , ; ), or simply Aix (; medieval Occitan "Aics"), is a city-commune in the south of France, about north of Marseille. A former capital of Provence, it is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the department of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix numbers approximately 143,000. Its inhabitants are called "Aixois" or, less commonly, "Aquisextains". Aix ("Aquae Sextiae") was founded in 123 BC by the Roman consul Sextius Calvinus, who gave his name to its springs, following the destruction of the nearby Gallic oppidum at Entremont. In 102 BC its
Economy of Rhône-Alpes Economy of Rhône-Alpes The economy of Rhône-Alpes is the second most dynamic economy in France and the 6th region in Europe. The economy of this region based on three major cities, Lyon, Grenoble and Saint-Étienne. The primary sector employs 4.9% of regional assets (France: 6.8%) for 3.5% of regional gross domestic product (GDP). It is a sector in decline, particularly in mountain areas, as it fails to provide farmers with sufficient incomes, since their incomes are below a quarter of the average national income. Nevertheless, the region remains a large agricultural region. This sector is divided evenly between crops and