Richelme Square and the Boar Fountain, Aix-en-Provence

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Richelme Square and the Boar Fountain, Aix-en-Provence

Richelme Square and the Boar Fountain, Aix-en-Provence

Richelme Square (Place Richelme) is widely known as the oldest and one of the most beautiful squares in Aix-en-Provence. The centrally-located square is surrounded by buildings with gilded facades and looming trees that cast comforting shadows.

During the daytime, Richelme Square hosts a food market that has been around since the 14th century. While the square is popular with tourists, most shoppers are locals. Visitors can enjoy shopping alongside residents before sitting at one of the tables to enjoy a picnic lunch.

The daily food market closes every evening. Richelme Square then becomes a spot for dining or having drinks. It is not a party atmosphere but an elegant place to relax.

The Boar Fountain (Fontana del Porcellino di Aix) is a primary feature of Richelme Square. The giant bronze boar is fashioned after a 17th-century statue in Florence, Il Porcellino (Italian "piglet"). The Boar was first displayed at the Town Hall, then moved to Richelme Square in the 1980s. It is situated outside the upmarket food chain, The Daily Bread (Le Pain Quotidien). The Boar Fountain is a great place to meet friends after browsing the market.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Aix-en-Provence. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "ϳԹ: 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.

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Richelme Square and the Boar Fountain on Map

Sight Name: Richelme Square and the Boar Fountain
Sight Location: Aix-en-Provence, France (See walking tours in Aix-en-Provence)
Sight Type: Statue/Public Art
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Aix-en-Provence, France

Create Your Own Walk in Aix-en-Provence

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.
Aix-en-Provence Fountains and Squares Tour

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
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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—originally named Aquae Sextiae, which means “Waters of Sextius”—was 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
In the Footsteps of Paul Cézanne

In the Footsteps of Paul Cézanne

Paul Cézanne, often called the “father of modern art” 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’s Olympia—but with a twist. Instead of just a reclining nude, Cézanne 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