Place et Fontaine d'Albertas (Albertas Square and Fountain), Aix-en-Provence

Back in the 16th century, Jean Agar鈥攁n adviser to the Parliament of Aix鈥攄ecided to part ways with his residence, handing it off. A few generations later, the house's square got sold to the d'Albertas clan, who had traded the hills of Alba, Italy, for Provence way back in the 14th century. Skipping forward to 1724, and Henri d'Albertas, royal adviser and apparent fan of urban upgrades, hired city architect Laurent Vallon to give his home a stylish overhaul. Not content with curb appeal alone, Henri bought the houses across the street and promptly flattened them for the greater architectural good.

Henri didn鈥檛 live to see the full glow-up, but his son Jean-Baptiste picked up where Dad left off, handing the project to Laurent鈥檚 son, Georges Vallon. Now that is a generational collaboration, literally. Georges, now city architect himself, drew inspiration from the grand squares of Paris and created a petite but polished plaza in front of the family residence. Today鈥檚 Albertas Square is framed by four nearly identical mansions, all with dignified facades and balconies that seem to ask, 鈥淒id someone order symmetry?鈥�

At its center stands the Albertas Fountain鈥攁 cast-iron chalice calmly anchoring the square with just enough presence to turn heads without raising eyebrows. The decorative railing encircling the basin was forged by students from the local School of Arts and Crafts, their style merging seamlessly to the architect's.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Aix-en-Provence. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "黑料吃瓜网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 黑料吃瓜网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Place et Fontaine d'Albertas (Albertas Square and Fountain)
Sight Location: Aix-en-Provence, France (See walking tours in Aix-en-Provence)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Aix-en-Provence, France

Create Your Own Walk in Aix-en-Provence

Creating your own self-guided walk in Aix-en-Provence is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

In the Footsteps of Paul C茅zanne

Paul C茅zanne, often called the 鈥渇ather of modern art鈥� for bridging 19th-century post-impressionism and the birth of early modernism, caused a bit of a stir early in his career. While staying with Doctor Gachet in Auvers-sur-Oise, he painted his take on Manet鈥檚 Olympia鈥攂ut with a twist. Instead of just a reclining nude, C茅zanne inserted himself into the scene, back turned, like a shy... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles

Aix-en-Provence Fountains and Squares Tour

Aix-end-Provence is known for its fountains. With more than 1,000 fountains, a tourist could spend weeks walking around the city without glimpsing them all. The fountains began appearing under the Roman empire when the Romans discovered Aix's natural thermal water source. They referred to the area as Aquae Sextiae or the Waters of Sextius.

The fountains appear throughout the city and are... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles

Aix-en-Provence Introduction Walking Tour

Aix-en-Provence may not have coastal views, but it compensates in style with its Roman bathwater and city logistics. Founded in 123 BC by Roman consul Gaius Sextius Calvinus, this southern French settlement鈥攐riginally named Aquae Sextiae, which means 鈥淲aters of Sextius鈥濃€攚as built around its thermal springs and the promise of a good soak. Centuries later, the name was streamlined to... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles

黑料吃瓜网