Aix-en-Provence vs Cádiz

Ted. We have been in France for about 10 days now and I have some first impressions, contrasting our home here with our home for the past two months in Spain.

Compared with Cádiz, Spain, Aix-en-Provence, France:

is roughly 25% more expensive.

is just as sunny.

is a bit less windy.

is a few degrees colder (but our apartment, all cafes and shops have heat so it is more comfortable).

has people who are more willing to smile and greet you on the streets.

has less graffiti on the buildings.

has more dog poop on the sidewalks.

has wider streets.

has LOTS more Americans.

is much more Americanized (muffins, Subways, shop names, etc).

has more English speaking locals, allowing us to make more connections.

has a thrice weekly market which is much bigger and more diverse (clothes, fabrics, used books, etc).

has much less fresh seafood.

has a much bigger choice of cheeses.

Do we like one more than the other? No. They're just different and “Vive la difference!”