Aix's grand fountain-lined avenue
Every great French city has its great boulevard. In Aix, that’s the Cours Mirabeau – and it sets the bar high.
Laid out in 1651, it was designed to impress. And it still does today. Rows of trees arch overhead, creating a long green tunnel of shade in summer. On one side, grand 17th-century “hôtels particuliers” – the old townhouses of Aix’s wealthy families. On the other, a parade of cafés, terraces, brasseries, and bookshops at street level.
The fountains are part of the magic. Four dot the length of the boulevard: a grand one at each end and, in the middle, the mossy Fontaine Moussue and Fontaine des Neuf Canons. Those latter two are permanently encrusted with algae, fed by the thermal spring below. It’s been growing there for centuries, but nobody seems to mind.
The most famous café, Les Deux Garçons, has been serving coffee on the Cours since 1792. Cézanne was a regular. So was Émile Zola. These days it’s still a working café, but it’s also a heritage monument.
Every Saturday, you can wander the stalls of the Cours Mirabeau market – clothes, food, books and more can be bought here. There are plenty of benches too along the boulevard, so sit down and people-watch, or enjoy the shaded views.
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