Aubagne

Aubagne is a market town about 17 km east of Marseille in the Bouches-du-Rhone department of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France. It is known for santons, the clay nativity figures of Provence, as the birthplace of the writer Marcel Pagnol, for the Musee de la Legion etrangere, and for the hills of La Treille, which are used for walks associated with Pagnol's stories. The fastest transport is the TER Zou train from Marseille Saint-Charles or Blancarde, which takes about 8 to 17 minutes depending on the service, with trains every 10 to 30 minutes and tickets from about EUR 5 on aggregators. Driving takes about 25 minutes via the A50. Because the journey is so short, Aubagne works well as a relaxed half-day or full-day trip. A suggested arc starts in the morning with the town centre around Cours Barthelemy, where the market and the santon workshops and shops can be browsed. Lunch can be taken at a cafe or restaurant in the centre. The afternoon can be used either for the Musee de la Legion etrangere or for the Pagnol country walks around La Treille, where the trails are rough and need proper footwear. Visitors should check opening days for the museum and workshops before travelling, as small venues often close on certain weekdays. Weekday mornings are the best time for the town itself, and the walking trails are most pleasant in spring and autumn, when the heat is lower. Summer afternoons on the hills can be hot and dry. The town centre is flat and easy, so the overall exertion is easy, rising only if the La Treille walk is added. Santon shopping makes Aubagne a good stop in the weeks before Christmas, though the craft is available throughout the year. Return trains are frequent, which makes the day flexible and easy to shorten or extend.