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In this Issue: |
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Aix en Provence, the City with the 100 Fountains |
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A Course for Horse-Drawn Coaches |
In the mid 17th century, the city's notables, members of the prestigious parliament,
decided to clear
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The Hôtel d'Espagnet |
Among the magnificent residences that line the Cours Mirabeau, there is one in
particular that
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The Hôtel d'Albertas |
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Many townhouses are worth a stop, some offering a particularly expressive mascaron,
or a wrought iron balcony
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The City with the 100 Fountains |
Aix is a city of springs, as witnessed by the numerous fountains that decorate the
small shaded town squares. . .
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Cézanne's Studio |
It is at the Mignet middle school that two great artists, the writer Emile Zola and
the painter Paul Cézanne, met
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onjour!
this month, let's head out to the heart of Provence to visit Aix-en-Provence, a charming city
about 22 miles north of Marseille. Famous for its thermal springs, Aix is also a city of warm
colors and plenty of atmosphere, where life is quite nice. If you are only visiting, you will
enjoy strolling along the streets in search of the mass of architectural treasures the city
contains.
But before continuing, please remember that you can access and read all the newsletters already
published at http://www.francemonthly.com/
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Beneficial Waters
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Like many other cities in Provence, from the earliest times, Aix suffered from the vagaries
of history, whether they were barbarian invasions, relentless wars, or devastating epidemics.
Ever since antiquity, when the first inhabitants settled just a bit north of its current
site, close to the Mont Saint Victoire, the city has taken advantage of its natural hot and
cold springs.
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"Fontaine de la Rotonde"
(Click photo to enlarge)
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The first Gaul people, the Salyens, were convinced that these waters enabled women to
give birth to the strongest and most beautiful babies in the world. In 123 B.C., the
Roman consul Sextius Calvinus came to the help of the inhabitants of Marseilles who
were constantly fighting the Salyens. After defeating the inveterate Gauls, he built
a Roman garrison town on site and founded the city of Aix. During the entire Gallo-Roman
period, it enjoyed an excellent reputation as a Thermes resort, and grew considerably.
Barbarian invasions did return several more times over the centuries, interrupting a
promising destiny. In 960, the Saracens invaded Provence one more time but it would
be the last. Indeed, the counts of Provence had organized themselves to protect their
land and belongings and effectively pushed them back forever. In the early Middle Ages,
Aix rose from its ashes and a new town developed around its cathedral.
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The "Good King René"
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When King René settled in the Palais Comtal, his palace in Aix, he had great urban
planning in mind for this city he was so fond of. Aix was already an important
university town that attracted many erudite and well-read people who came to study
law, theology and medicine. He added a touch of poetry by inviting artists and writers,
as well as Flemish and Italian painters and sculptors who, in particular, contributed
to the embellishment of the Palais Comtal and the cathedral. The inhabitants of
Aix-en-Provence loved King René because he assured the city's continued prosperity.
However, when he died on July 10, 1480, they were dismayed to learn that their king
had bequeathed Provence to his nephew, Charles III, whose own heir was none other than
Louis XI, King of France. So when Charles himself died two years later, Provence was
de facto attached to the kingdom of France, much to their chagrin. The inhabitants
of Aix-en-Provence did retain a certain amount of exemptions, but the wound was still
an open one when, 20 years later, the city formed a Parliament. From that day on, the
magistrates of this prestigious law court never gave up the fight to retain the privileges
of Provence despite the centralizing policies of the kings of France.
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Recipe for June 2008
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Tomatoes Tart
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A Course for Horse-Drawn Coaches
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In the mid 17th century, the city's notables, members of the prestigious parliament, decided
to clear an avenue that would link the Mazarin neighborhood in the south of the city to the
neighborhood of the counts in the north. They wanted a new road worthy of Aix, the capital
of Provence. With that in mind, they defined very strict planning rules which, among others,
only allowed the construction of townhouses along it.
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The Cours Mirabeau
(Click photo to enlarge)
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This beautiful avenue lined with elm trees was destined for noblemen only. Decked out in
all their finery, they would come there to stroll, if not to strut about, at a time that
cultivated the art of appearance. So when in 1730, a poor merchant took the course with
his donkey, he was handed down a hefty fine for his insolent misdeed. No stores were
allowed there. It wasn't until 1748, about a century after the road was built, that the
first dispensation was granted. A Mr. Hugues, a soft drinks seller, asked to open a café.
After discussing the matter, City Council agreed to his request which almost set off a riot
in the neighborhood. The Cours d'Orbitelle became the Cours Mirabeau in 1876.
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The Hôtel d'Espagnet
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Among the magnificent residences that line the Cours Mirabeau, there is one in particular that
draws attention, the Hôtel d'Espagnet.
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The hôtel d'Espagnet
(Click photo to enlarge)
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Today, it houses the court dealing with trade disputes, but it originally belonged to
Pierre Maurel, a man who had made his fortune in the wool industry. His dazzling rise
in social status was not enough for this wealthy and ambitious middle-class man, because
what he wanted above all was a title of nobility, and a real one. He wasn't satisfied
with the one he got when he was appointed Auditor at the "Cour des Comptes", the national
audit office. This had allowed him to become part of the "nobility of the robe" which was
granted by the king to those who could afford it. Indeed, selling this title to the
wealthiest allowed the monarch to fill up the kingdom's coffers while satisfying their
egos. Pierre Maurel wanted to belong to the "real nobility" whose military origins were
lost in the mists of time. This was the "nobility of the sword" granted for acts of bravery
in combat. He obtained it from his third wife, Diane de Pontevès, whose name he appropriated.
Pierre Maurel de Pontevès then only had to acquire a princely residence worthy of his new rank.
He built this magnificent townhouse, with a façade decorated with two beautiful "atlantes"
(male figures used as columns) supporting a balcony. He demanded that these atlantes be the
only ones in the city to face outwards. As he was very rich and very powerful, his request
was respected. And so, while you can admire other beautiful atlantes on other façades in the
city, you might also notice that they all present themselves in different positions.
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The Hôtel d'Albertas
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Many townhouses are worth a stop, some offering a particularly expressive mascaron
(an ornamental animal or human head), or a wrought iron balcony bearing the coat of
arms of the original owner's family, or a magnificently sculpted walnut door. Should
you push such a door open, you will no doubt discover behind it splendid architectural
and pictorial treasures.
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The hôtel d'Albertas
(Click photo to enlarge)
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The Hôtel d'Albertas is a residence well worth a visit while strolling along the streets of the city.
In 1745, it was a matter of importance to own the most beautiful, most imposing and costliest
townhouse in the city. The Marquis Henri-Rainaud d'Albertas was one of the region's extremely
influential notables, as members of his family had held seats in the Parliament for seven generations.
This powerful magistrate built a magnificent townhouse on Rue Espariat. However, he bemoaned the fact
that the houses facing him from the other side of the street were blocking the views from his windows.
After 20 years of negotiations, he managed to acquire them all and had them demolished. In their place,
he built a semi-circular town square. From then on, he could view a real open-air theater from his
windows and had performances given there that he could enjoy from his balcony.
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The City with the 100 Fountains |
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Aix is a city of springs, as witnessed by the numerous fountains that decorate the small
shaded town squares or spill their beneficial water at the bend in a charming little
street. Such is the case with the "Fontaine des Quatre-Dauphins" (Four Dolphins), set in
the middle of a small square, a reminder that in the mid 17th century fountains no
longer had a solely utilitarian role. Indeed, while they used to discreetly stand
against a wall, they were eventually built in the center of town squares and therefore
become an integral part of the urban setting. The "Fontaine des Neuf Canons" (Nine Cannons)
on the Cours Mirabeau, built in 1691, originally served as a drinking trough during the
seasonal migration of livestock to summer pastures. The "Fontaine Moussue" (Mossy) is even
older. Built in 1667, the upper basin was originally supported by four cherubs, and still is
only the cherubs themselves have vanished because of the phenomenon of calcification. In
winter, you can see steam escape because it is warm water that spills out of this fountain,
which each year becomes a little more taken over by moss. Finally, there is the huge "Fontaine
de la Rotonde", built in 1860 to mark the main entrance to the city. A dozen superb-looking
lions seem to be protecting the three statues that stand as allegorical representations of
the three main cities of Provence: Aix, Marseille, and Avignon. There are 27 fountains in
the historical center, and no doubt each one of them has a story to tell.
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Cézanne's Studio
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It is at the Mignet middle school that two great artists, the writer Emile Zola and
the painter Paul Cézanne, met and developed a deep friendship.
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the Mount Saint Victoire
(Click photo to enlarge)
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Emile Zola was the son of Italian immigrants, with an unusual appearance and a strong accent
that made him the whipping post of his classmates. Paul Cézanne came to his defense. Years
went by until Emile Zola eventually went to Paris and invited his friend to come join him there.
Paul Cézanne was from a wealthy middle-class family, but he was also a loner, and Parisian life
didn't agree with him. He always returned to the family country house, the Jas de Bouffan. In
November 1901, he bought a small country property, which today stands in the Aix city heights.
He found that this residence offered him the highest and most beautiful viewpoint of the Mount
Saint Victoire, which fascinated him and inspired him to represent it in 44 oil paintings.
Furthermore, he had in mind to produce a huge painting for which he needed a lot of space.
It would become the famous "Les baigneuses". He converted the place to accommodate his working
habits, setting up a north/south exposure, and choosing specific wall colors and flooring. He
avoided colors that were too bright and would interfere with his paintings. He came there every
day, from the crack of dawn to the evening hours, until the day he died, four years later. You
can visit this mythical place today, thanks to James Lord and John Rewald, two young American
art history students who bought his property and then gave it to the city. Everything was left
in place, the way Cézanne had it, and today it seems that he could enter at any moment and get
back to work.
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An Invitation to Travel... |
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Aix is a very beautiful city of Provence. It is impossible to pinpoint just exactly what it is
that makes up its charm. Maybe it is the warm earth-yellow glints bouncing off the residences
built of the local Bibemus stone maybe it comes from the fountains you pass by, fragrant with
the scents of Provence. In the early 19th century, when the Industrial Revolution disrupted the
world, the small city of Aix believed that it was nothing more than a simple and temporary fad
phenomenon. "Sleeping Beauty" did not change a thing. So in today's modern world, it is
understandable that we fall under the charm of days gone by. Every neighborhood, and every
street corner, contains an architectural treasure of one sort or another that uncovers a
charming love story or reveals the vanity of a wealthy notable. There are many more sights
to take in, such as the Cathédrale St Sauveur, a mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles since
it was never destroyed and only enlarged over the centuries the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville
(Town Hall) and its magnificent Halle aux Grains (Grain Exchange) that goes back to a time
when wheat was taxed and the oldest monument in the city, the Tour de l'Horloge (Clock Tower)
which was built in 1510. It is one of the medieval city gates, with an astronomical clock and
a wrought iron bell tower made to withstand the mistral wind and let it pass through. And then,
finally, there is the Place Richelm and its market, so typical of Provence markets with its
shimmering colors and heady scents. Farmers used to come to them to sell their vegetables,
spread out on a bench. One of these benches was called “the king's bench” because legend has
it that when the kings of Naples lost their kingdom, they became so poor that they had to come
sell the vegetables from their own gardens, just like any other simple farmer, on this particular
bench. Aix is all at once, a city where former ways of life are still cultivated today!
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