Hôtel de Ville (City Hall)

The Hôtel de Ville of Aix-en-Provence stands on the square that bears its name, at the edge of the old town, and it is the finest civic building in the city. Aix was the capital of Provence for centuries, the seat of the parliament and the count's court, and the town hall reflects that status. It was built between 1655 and 1678 by the architect Pierre Pavillon, a native of Aix, with sculptors who carved the decoration, and its style is Italian in feeling, with a balanced facade, rich in Baroque details such as fruit garlands and carved cartouches. The stone is a warm ochre colour, quarried locally at Bibemus, the quarries on the east side of the city that the painter Paul Cézanne later made famous in his landscapes.

The most remarkable feature of the building is the wooden doorway, a majestic piece of carving with lion heads, which gives access to the courtyard. The building has a plan with a front part facing the square and a U-shaped inner courtyard, paved in cobblestones, from which the main rooms can be reached. The courtyard is a quiet space, and a peek through the gate shows an elegant composition of ochre walls and arches.

The square in front is one of the most agreeable in Aix. At one side stands the Tour de l'Horloge, the clock tower, built in 1510 on the base of a Roman gate and later fitted with an astronomical clock in 1661, with figures that represent the four seasons, so that it marks the passage of the year. An eighteenth-century fountain stands in front of the town hall. On certain days, a flower market occupies the square, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and on the first Sunday of every month a second-hand book fair takes place, which draws collectors and browsers. Next to the square, the old grain hall, built in the eighteenth century, is now used as a post office, with its sculpted pediment, so the whole place has the feel of a civic centre.

The building is a working town hall and the place where civil marriages are held, as in every French commune, so access is limited and security checks may apply. The courtyard may be seen when the doors are open, and entry is free. Check the hours if you want to go in.

The square suits walkers and those who enjoy architecture, and it is close to the Cours Mirabeau, the Musée Granet and the Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur.