The Saint-Mitre Quarter in Aix-en-Provence

The origins of the Saint-Mitre quarter in Aix-en-Provence

A quarter located ten minutes north-west of the centre of Aix-en-Provence, Saint-Mitre was for a long time sparsely populated and little developed. It takes its name from a legendary Catholic saint called Mitre. This young Greek vine-grower is said to have died a martyr in Aix-en-Provence in 466, at the age of 33. It is only over the past twenty years that an urban development plan has allowed the quarter's full potential to be realised. At the same time, the city of Aix itself has developed, thanks to its natural surroundings, its historic heritage and the presence of a major university, which makes it a lively and innovative city.

Located on the edge of the city, Saint-Mitre has become a quarter favoured by families seeking a peaceful living environment without giving up the benefits of a large city. It consists mainly of small residences, detached houses with gardens and a few bastides. The quarter also attracts those working in Marseille, as it takes barely more than 30 minutes to get there.

The highlights of the Saint-Mitre quarter in Aix-en-Provence

The must-see spot in the Saint-Mitre quarter is certainly Parc Saint-Mitre. It lies between Avenue Jean Monnet and the Eguilles road. At weekends, families and friends come here to stroll. It is not uncommon to spot newlyweds having their photographs taken here.

This lovely park is home to a Japanese garden, a planetarium and a Noh theatre, which was donated to the city by the Kano family, a renowned dynasty in the ancestral art of Noh, the Japanese theatre whose roots go back to the 7th century. Tanshū Kano was a Noh master of the Kita school and devoted his life to promoting his art. He passed away in 2016 and was named Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres. The theatre's magnificent stage is the only Noh theatre stage made of Japanese cypress wood outside the Asian archipelago. Around the theatre lies an authentic 6,500 m² Japanese garden that invites quiet contemplation.

Adjoining the park, the Peiresc planetarium is the ideal place to discover astronomy as a family. A little further north, the Chapelle Saint-Mitre-des-Champs, dedicated to the saint who gave the quarter its name, was built in the 19th century. It features superb wall paintings and period stained-glass windows. Traces of an earlier 16th-century chapel can also be found there. An association is today working to have it restored.

Living in the Saint-Mitre quarter in Aix-en-Provence

Saint-Mitre is a peaceful family quarter with a population of just over 23,000, where life is good. It attracts young families wishing to offer their children a pleasant upbringing.

Well served by public transport, it has numerous restaurants, shops and supermarkets, as well as the city's main shopping centre. Shopping enthusiasts can therefore indulge their hobby just a few minutes' walk from home.

Parc Saint-Mitre is the quarter's main place to relax. People come here to run, picnic or simply sunbathe. Parents also bring their children here to play and socialise. The presence in the quarter of the Château Double school, both a primary school and a secondary school, and the private Sainte-Geneviève school, makes it a favoured living environment for families with children. Parents keen to offer their children an English-language education will also be delighted to learn of the proximity of the bilingual private school IBS of Provence, just 11 minutes away by car. Thanks to this wealth of assets, it features among the top 5 best quarters in Aix-en-Provence.

It is therefore an ideal quarter for those seeking a main residence, as well as for those wishing to invest in property in Aix-en-Provence!

Property prices in the Saint-Mitre quarter in Aix-en-Provence

The Saint-Mitre quarter is made up of roughly three-quarters apartments and one-quarter houses, most of which have a small garden. Apartments sell for around €5,300 per square metre. Houses sell for slightly less, between €5,250 and €5,300 per square metre. A few more luxurious bastides and townhouses also come onto the market from time to time, and the price per square metre for these prestigious properties can exceed €9,000.

In Saint-Mitre, for example, one might find a spacious apartment of around 100 m² with three bedrooms for around €6,000 per square metre. A grand 19th-century residence with four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a sunny terrace would cost a little under €2 million. Rarer and highly sought-after, a 17th-century bastide of around 300 m² with a swimming pool would sell for between €2.5 and €3 million.

If you are looking for a spacious, pleasant place to live for your family and are considering the purchase of a property in Aix-en-Provence, do not hesitate to make use of our luxury real estate agency in Aix-en-Provence and our consultants to discover exclusive prestige properties in the Saint-Mitre quarter and its surroundings.