AIX, an ancient city, the capital of Provence, in France. It is an archbishopric; and has a parliament, a court of aids, a chamber of accounts, a seneschal's jurisdiction, a generality, and an university. It is a well-built city; and most like Paris of any place in the kingdom, as well for the largeness of the buildings, as in respect of the politeness of the inhabitants. It is embellished with abundance of fine fountains and several beautiful squares. The preachers square is on the side of a hill; it is about 160 yards in length, and is surrounded with trees, and houses, built with stone, three stories high. The town-hall is at one end of the city, and is distributed into several fine apartments: the two lowest are taken up by the board of accounts, and by the seneschal; that above is designed for the sessions of parliament. The hall of audience is adorned with the pictures of the kings of France on horseback. The hotel of the city is a handsome building, but hid by the houses of the narrow street in which it is placed.
The cathedral church is a Gothic structure. The church of the fathers of the oratory is a handsome building; and not far from thence is the chapel of the blue penitents, which is full of paintings. The convent of preachers is very fine; in their church is a silver statue of the Virgin Mary almost as big as the life. There are other churches and buildings which contain a great number of rarities. The baths without the city, which were discovered not long since, have good buildings, raised at a vast expence, for the accommodation of those that drink the waters. E. Long. 5. 32. N. Lat. 43. 32.
Aix, a small island on the coast of France, between the isle of Oleron and the continent. It is twelve miles north-west of Rochfort, and twelve south-south-west of Rochelle. W. Long. 1. 4. N. Lat. 46. 5.