Aujourd’hui: Grève-mode in Aix — which buses are napping, and how to have fun in centre-ville anyway (plus tonight’s Polyglot Club)

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Le bus & la grève (quick, useful, true)

  • Today’s disruptions (Aix en Bus / La Métropole Mobilité): as of the latest update, lines 5, 7, M1, M2 and M3 have numerous cancelled departures (“horaires non assurés”). Check the official live page and the red-boxed timetables before you head out. (Aixenbus)

    • Line 5: multiple cancelled runs in both directions.

    • Line 7: a string of afternoon/evening trips dropped.

    • M1 / M2 / M3: lots of cuts across the day; M1 is also on a detour because rue Cardinale is closed (so certain central stops aren’t served).

  • Pro tip: the Aixpress (line A) isn’t listed among today’s impacted lines on the official page; still, always re-check live just before you go. (Aixenbus)

  • Plan B inside centre: the Diablines (tiny electric shuttles A/B/C) run Mon–Sat, 08:30–19:30, ~every 10 min—perfect for weaving through Mazarin/Sextius when big buses are sulking. You can just flag them down on the route. (Aixenbus)

Stuck in centre-ville? Make it a win.

Morning & midday markets (all walkable):

  • Flower market – Place de l’Hôtel de Ville (Thu 08:00–13:30). Bring 2 euros and a tote; leave with a jungle. (Aix en Provence - Office de Tourisme)

  • Textiles/artisanat – Cours Mirabeau (Tue/Thu/Sat 08:30–14:00). Scarves and tablecloths that whisper “tu vas dîner chez moi.” (Aix en Provence - Office de Tourisme)

  • Daily food market – Place Richelme (every morning). Snack, chat, conjugate manger. (Provence Guide)

Museums with generous Thursday hours:

  • Musée Granet — “Cézanne au Jas de Bouffan”
    Today (Thu) it’s open 12:00–22:00 (yep, late!). Place Saint-Jean de Malte. (Musée Granet)

  • Hôtel de Caumont – Niki de Saint Phalle
    Open 10:00–19:00; café garden = A+ refuge when buses refuse. 3 rue Joseph-Cabassol. (Caumont Centre d'Art)

  • Pavillon de Vendôme
    10:00–12:30 & 13:30–18:00; quiet garden for a “my bus ghosted me” reset. (Aix en Provence - Office de Tourisme)

Mini walking loop (no ticket required): Rotonde → Cours Mirabeau → Fontaine des Quatre-Dauphins → Place d’Albertas → back via Rue Espariat. (Historic nuggets to impress your inner guide.) (Aix en Provence - Office de Tourisme)

If you only do one social thing tonight…

Polyglot Club — Soirée polyglotte (Aix)

  • When: Tonight 19:00–21:00 (arrive/leave when you like)

  • Where: The Kennedy’s Pub, 38 rue de la Verrerie (centre)

  • How much: €2 entry to support the club + buy a drink (there are happy prices)

  • Why go: name-tag, new pals, and a safe space to say grève 14 different ways. (Meetup)

Survival French (by level) — for transit hiccups & small talk

  • A1: Bonjour ! La ligne M2 circule aujourd’hui ?

  • A2: Excusez-moi, quel est le prochain départ maintenu pour Rotonde ?

  • B1: Avec la grève, est-ce que ce bus dessert encore “Musée Granet”, ou faut-il descendre à un arrêt de report ?

  • B2: Je confirme : les horaires non assurés sont uniquement ceux en rouge sur le site, c’est bien ça ?

  • C1+: Suite à la fermeture de la rue Cardinale, pourriez-vous préciser les reports d’itinéraire et les arrêts non desservis ?
    (Those “red boxes” you see on today’s PDFs = cancelled runs. Show the pic at the stop if needed.)

Nerdy-but-handy links

  • Live traffic / strike updates + PDF of cancelled runs per line. (Aixenbus)

  • Diablines central shuttles (flag-down service & hours). (Aixenbus)

Your turn 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️

Did your bus show? Which Diabline saved you? Best stall at Richelme today? Drop a quick comment with (1) your line, (2) a tiny win, or (3) a tip for fellow learners. I’ll go first: I said “horaires non assurés” with such confidence that the driver apologized to me—then we both laughed and checked the PDF like adults. Your move!