Aix-en-Provence - quartier Mazarin

This post covers the section of the tour between #2 and #3 on the map.

Leaving Cours Mirabeau on Rue Laroque, we entered the new section of the city, quartier Mazarin, the south side of Cours Mirabeau.  In 1646 the city plans were devised to extend the city ramparts to the south.  The streets followed a grid (unlike what we will see north of the main street in the medieval section) and had a large number of hôtel particuliers built for nobility and wealthy merchants.  (Wikipedia defines hôtel particulier as a townhouse of a grand sort.) 

We walked three blocks and then turned left on Rue Cardinale.  (Of note, Emile Zola boarded at the College Bourbon  from 1852 until 1858, where he met Paul Cezanne.)  Walking two more blocks, we came to Fontaine des Quatre-Dauphins in the center of the Plaza of the Four Dolphins (Place des Quatre-Dauphins).  This square was designed and created by Jean-Claude Rambot and has one of the most notable fountains.

Beautiful iron work and wooden doors.

 It is my guess that the 3' iron posts stop people from parking on the sidewalk.

 The keypad entry to the apartments.  The door handle is in the middle of the door.

After a few blocks on rue Cardinale, we turned left on Rue Frederic Mistral. This street took us back to Cours Mirabeau and our tour of the quartier Mazarin was complete.