page_title: Aix-en-Provence
section_title: Economy
hierarchical_section_title: Aix-en-Provence / Economy
caption_attribution_description: English: Calissons from Aix-en-Provence. Français&#160;: Des calissons d'Aix-en-Provence.
context_page_description: Aix-en-Provence, or simply Aix, is a city and commune in Southern France, about 30 km north of Marseille. A former capital of Provence, it is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the department of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix-en-Provence numbers approximately 143,000. Its inhabitants are called Aixois or, less commonly, Aquisextains.
context_section_description: Industries formerly included flour-milling, the manufacture of confectionery, iron-ware, hats, matches and the extraction of olive oil.
  Current economic activities include:
  Tourism.
  Entertainment, particularly opera and dance.
  The semiconductor and electronics industry in Rousset, to the south of Mont St Victoire, specializing in microchip technology for credit cards.
  Education and research. In Aix the University of Aix-Marseille specializes in the humanities, law and economics.
  The computer software industry.
  The manufacture of santons, traditional hand-crafted figurines, often associated with provencal Christmas creches.
  The manufacture of olive oil.
  The manufacture of calissons, a lozenge-shaped confection made from almonds, orange peel, sugar, and crystallized melon. Each year in early September, there is a mass in French and Provençal in the medieval church of St Jean de Malte to bless the calissons –  la bénédiction des calissons. This ceremony has been held since the 17th century to mark the deliverance of Aix from the plague. It is currently accompanied by a colourful provencal pageant, involving most of the local calisson manufacturers and their wares. About calissons, Provençal novelist Marcel Pagnol wrote that, to make true calissons "'You need one-third almonds, one-third fruit confits, one-third sugar, and a quarter savoir faire.''
  Viticulture: the local Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée is Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence AOC, with many vineyards between Aix and the River Durance to the north. The reputed appellation of Palette AOC is represented by the estates of Château Simone in Meyreuil and Château Crémade in Le Tholonet, to the east of Aix. There is a fair of local wine producers every year on the last Sunday in July on the Cours Mirabeau. Grape varieties include grenache, syrah, cabernet sauvignon, and notably vermentino.
  Chocolate: the well known Chocolaterie de Puyricard is situated in the hills to the north of Aix.
  The airline Twin Jet has its head office in Aix-en-Provence.
caption: Calissons, a specialty of Aix.
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