Plaza Sights in Provence — 4 of Our Favourites

a fountain at night on a street in provence

1. Cours Mirabeau

Location: Aix-en-Provence

This 400 metre long stretch of of tree-lined boulevard divides Aix en Provence's old town at its northerly end from the new to the south.

It's lined with cafés, galleries, bookshops, hotels and restaurants and has a large market every Saturday which pretty much takes over its entire length.

Cours Mirabeau is a popular place to go for a leisurely stroll, drink coffee and people watch, stop for breakfast, shop for food and to cool off in summer. It has four fountains, the most well known of which is the Fontaine de la Rotonde at the far end which also serves as a roundabout. The three statues that adorn the fountain indicate the principal activities of the city: Justice (oriented Cours Mirabeau), Agriculture (to Marseille) and Fine Arts (towards Avignon).

The three other fountains are the Fontaine des Neufs Canons (fountain of 9 canons) which was built in 1691, the Fontaine d'Eau Chaude (fountain of hot water) thanks to its 18 degrees C temperature and the Fontaine du Roi René (King René).

2. Place de la Republique

The centre piece of this square is the famous Roman obelisk which sits on top of a fountain. It dates from the 4th century and was originally located at the Roman circus in Arles, moving to its current location in 1676.

The fountain was a later addition, built in the 19th century, when bronze statues around it were also added.

Around the square you'll find the town hall of Arles, St. Anne's chapel, the church and cloister of St Trophime as well as a couple of places to sit and watch the world go by.

3. Hotel de Ville

Location: Aix-en-Provence

The town hall or 'Hotel de Ville' in Aix en Provence originally dates back to the fourteenth century, with two subsequent building phases taking place in 1655 and 1678.

The building, attached to a large clock tower, houses the portraits of many Counts of Provence and Kings of France.

The fountain in the square outside was built in 1755 and is topped with a Roman column. It acts as the centrepiece to the square where many people come to the market or just to watch the world go by.

The granary is a large and imposing building which was built in 1754 and has a large triangular-framed carving depicting a man and a woman who signify the Durance and Rhone rivers and the benefits of their life giving waters.

The square is home to a few cafes and restaurants making it a nice spot to stop off for a coffee or a bite to eat.

4. Place du Forum

Place du Forum is probably most well know for the bright yellow cafe depicted in one of Van Gogh's paintings, which lies to the side of the main square.

In the centre you'll find different restaurants all keen to grab your attention, but back in Roman times this would have been close to the centre of all things political and social - the Roman Forum.

The square is also home to the luxurious Nord-Pinus Grand Hotel, a favourite stop-over for many writers and artists over the years.

Today locals and visitors alike meet here for a coffee or a bite to eat in one of the many cafes and restaurants.