Aix-en-Provence: Audio Guided Walking Tour (2:20 – 24 audio comments)

This is the pretty square in Verdun. Here we enter another district of the city, designed before that of Mazarin. It was in fact developed from 1583, in order to extend the city, which grew considerably in previous centuries.

Before talking about the Church of the Madeleine, let's focus for a moment on the square where it is located, the Place des Prêchers. It owes its name to the former convent that was not far away.

This small square located not far from the Town Hall houses twice a week the Provençal market in Aix where fruits, vegetables, cheeses and other typical local products adorn the stalls that are displayed there.

Here you arrive at the Town Hall Square, where the Clock Tower already stands in front of you.

On your left is the Cardiners' Forum, one of the city's main squares. Do not hesitate to take a short detour to discover it.

On your left is a building that contains the Vieil-Aix Museum. It is located in the former private mansion Estienne de Saint-Jean, built in the 17th century, certainly by Pierre Puget.

Let's look to the right now: at the end of the square, we see a building classified as Historic Monuments, the former Palace of the Archbishops. Get closer to observe it.

Here you are in front of the astonishing Saint-Sauveur Cathedral. It is built on the site of the ancient Roman forum, the main square of the ancient city, called Aquae Sextiae.

Take a look to your right. Here you are in front of a funerary monument built by Joseph Sec, a bourgeois from Aix in the 18th century, who was a Jacobin, penitent gray, wood merchant and master carpenter.

A true testimony to the city's medieval past, this tower is the only rempart of the rampart that surrounded Aix-en-Provence in the Middle Ages.

On your right is a small street that is nothing exceptional at first glance, but which is one of the places where the famous Emile Zola lived during his life.

Behind you stands the imposing Pavillon de Vendôme. We owe this superb building to the Duke of Vendôme, Louis de Mercoeur, governor of Provence, who wanted, in 1664, to build a building for the woman he was madly in love with, Lucretia de Forbin Solliès.

If there is one thing that characterizes the city of Aix-en-Provence, it is water! The city has in fact been famous for its warm waters, and has been since Antiquity.

Here you are on the pretty little Place des Tanneurs. In its center, there is a fountain, of course. Get a little closer to observe it.

Here you are on the Place du Général-de-Gaulle, where you can see the most famous fountain in Aix: the Fontaine de la Rotonde.

The Cours Mirabeau is one of the most popular places in Aix-en-Provence. It was built in the 17th century, in place of the ramparts. An esplanade was then created to be a place for the Aix nobility to stroll.

You are in front of the Hotel de Caumont, one of the most beautiful private mansions in the city. It was built between 1715 and 1742 by George Vallon, at the request of François de Rolland, president of the Court of Auditors.

Here is the Place des Quatre Dauphins, where there is a fountain of the same name, built by Jean-Claude Rambot and Pierre Pavillon in the 17th century.

The Mazarin district appeared during the 17th century. It was born from the desire of Michel Mazarin, archbishop of the city, and brother of the prime minister of Louis XIV, to extend the city to the south in order to enlarge it.

The Saint-Jean-de-Malte church already existed before the formation of the Mazarin district. It is in fact the very first Gothic church in Provence.

Place Forbin marks the end of Cours Mirabeau. It was developed at the same time as this one to become one of the city's central squares.

This very particular fountain is called the Hot Water Fountain, or more commonly the Mossy Fountain. Can you see why?

Here you are in Albertas Square. It is another fountain that we see here, and this one deserves a little more attention than the others.