Dating in Aix-en-Provence, from fountain to fountain

The Cours Mirabeau and the Rotonde

A grand avenue lined with plane trees, the Cours Mirabeau is the beating heart of the town, with its legendary cafés and seventeenth-century mansions. At one end, the Rotonde Fountain lifts its allegorical figures above a majestic roundabout; at the other, the Roi-René Fountain watches over the passers-by. People meet here at any hour, for a coffee, an aperitif or simply to walk up the avenue arm in arm.

Old town and Place d’Albertas

The old town unfolds in a maze of lanes where you come across the Fontaine Moussue, warm and cloaked in moss, then the enchanting Place d’Albertas, square, cobbled and framed by classical façades. Along Rue Espariat and the lively Place Richelme with its market, boutiques and terraces follow on naturally. A stroll with no fixed route is often the best excuse to extend a first conversation.

Mazarin Quarter and cathedral

Across the Cours, the Mazarin Quarter lines up noble residences around the Four Dolphins Fountain, a dream setting for a walk at dusk. The nearby Saint-Sauveur Cathedral blends Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque in a mosaic of styles. On Lyad, members from Aix share their favourite terraces; it is up to you to find someone to raise a glass to this Provençal gentleness.