University of Wisconsin–Madison

France: Felix Shouse Tourino (Food in Aix-en-Provence)

The food culture of Aix-en-Provence, in my limited experience, occupies an interesting middle ground between the strictly French cuisine of a smaller, provincial town and the varied fusion cuisine of a larger city. Aix has many traditional, tourist-oriented restaurants, food stands, and bakeries, often positioned close to the city center and the rotonde, and boasting hefty price tags. The restaurants serve classical French fare like moules frites; the food stands, crêpes; and the specialty bakeries usually offer madeleines and calissons, an Aix-en-Provence special made from almonds, oranges or melons, and royal icing.

Felix smiles in a selfie. He is wearing a brown leather jacket and has curly brown hair. The table in front of him has a tray with French fries and a "taco" with a bite taken out of it. It looks like a burrito with criss crossing marks on the top.
Me at Chicken Boubou eating a “tacos.”

The best-touristed parts of the city are where you can see the influence of French tradition, but the areas more frequented by the student population reveal Aix’s affection for more modern street food and a variety of different cuisines. The many well-loved kebab joints (Kebab Corner, Paristanbul Kebab, and Istanbul City Kebab, to name a few) serve as a student-oriented alternative to Aix’s finer dining, and many city center streets have at least one pizza stand or small fast-food restaurant.

One new thing that I’ve tasted (among many) is what French people call “tacos.” French tacos are nothing like Mexican tacos, however; instead, they’re essentially a panini-toasted burrito filled with a meat of your choice, French fries, sauce, cheese, and the traditional street food veggie blend of salade-tomate-oignon. My favorite place to eat in Aix, Chicken Boubou, offers a student deal for €5.90, which comes with a sandwich of choice – I always order a “tacos” made with chicken tenders – fries, and a drink.

A photo of Felix, a male student, from the shoulders up. Felix is smiling with his mouth closed and has short, dark brown, curly hair. He is wearing a dark green t-shirt and is standing in front of water.

Felix Shouse Tourino

Hometown: Saint Joseph, Minnesota

Major: History; French

Program: Academic Program in Aix-en-Provence

One of my academic goals is to conduct research on my senior thesis while in Aix-en-Provence. I want to write about the French colonization of Algeria, and the Colonial Archives are located in Aix-en-Provence. This will allow me to research my senior thesis subject on-site while simultaneously studying abroad!

I chose my program because I wanted to experience a full year of language immersion. I want to improve my French skills as much as possible, and a year in France at a French university will give me the best opportunity to do so!