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Street · Aix-en-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Cours Mirabeau
Aix's main avenue, lined with plane trees, mansions and cafés, with fountains along the way. It links the Rotonde to the fontaine du Roi René and separates the old town from the quartier Mazarin.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Cours Mirabeau
The Cours Mirabeau was created in the mid-17th century, when the Parliament of Provence ordered a carriage promenade to be opened in place of the old southern city walls. Michel Mazarin, archbishop of Aix, parceled out the adjacent area and created the quartier Mazarin, with straight streets and noble mansions.
The avenue runs from the Rotonde, the large fountain at the city's entrance, to the fontaine du Roi René, which depicts the king who ruled Provence in the 15th century. In between are the fontaine des Neuf-Canons and the fontaine Moussue, covered in moss, which spouts warm water from a thermal spring.
On the north side are cafés and restaurants with terraces; on the south side, the hôtels particuliers, 17th- and 18th-century mansions with ornate gates and balconies supported by atlantes. The four rows of plane trees, planted at the end of the 19th century, provide shade year-round, except in winter.
The name honors the Count of Mirabeau, a deputy from Aix in the French Revolution. For locals, the Cours is the place to stroll, meet friends and sit at a café.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
30 minutes to 1 hour to walk the avenue. With a stop at a café, more.
Best time
In the late afternoon, when activity on the terraces increases and the light filters through the plane trees. In December, the Cours usually hosts the Christmas market. On market days, part of the avenue has stalls selling clothes and crafts.
How to get there
It's in the centre, about a 5-minute walk from the bus station and a 10-minute walk from Gare d'Aix-en-Provence. From the Aix-en-Provence TGV station, the bus stops at the bus station, near the Rotonde.
Tip
Start at the Rotonde and walk up to the fontaine du Roi René. Touch the water of the fontaine Moussue: it comes out warm. The cafés on the Cours are expensive; the squares in the old town have more affordable options.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Cours Mirabeau
What is the quartier Mazarin?
It is the neighborhood south of the Cours Mirabeau, created in the 17th century by Archbishop Michel Mazarin, with straight streets and noble mansions. It houses the Musée Granet, the Hôtel de Caumont and the fontaine des Quatre-Dauphins.
Why is one of the fountains covered in moss?
The fontaine Moussue is fed by a thermal spring, with warm water, and the constant humidity has allowed the moss that covers the stone to grow.
Where should you start the walk?
At the Rotonde, the large fountain at the entrance to the center, near the bus station. From there the Cours rises in a straight line up to the fontaine du Roi René.