21, rue Gaston de Saporta

Located at 21 rue Gaston-de-Saporta in the historic center of Aix-en-Provence, the Hôtel Boyer de Fonscolombe is a listed private mansion (hôtel particulier) dating from the 17th century. It is also known as the Hôtel de Saporta or Hôtel de Vitrolles, reflecting the prominent families who successively occupied the building.

Origins and Early Owners

The mansion was built around 1650 for Charles de Grimaldi, Marquis of Régusse and President of a chamber of the Parliament of Provence. Like many Aix mansions of the period, it reflects the social rise and political influence of the parliamentary nobility.

In 1724, the property was acquired by the Forbin family, Lords of La Barben, before being sold in 1743 to the Boyer de Fonscolombe family, whose name remains most closely associated with the building.

The Boyer de Fonscolombe and Saporta Families

The Boyer de Fonscolombe family belonged to Aix’s upper bourgeoisie. Irène Boyer de Fonscolombe, the sole heiress of the mansion, married Charles-Auguste de Saporta in 1822. Following this union, the building is sometimes referred to as the Hôtel de Saporta.

Their eldest son, Gaston de Saporta, later inherited the property, ensuring its continuity within the family during the 19th century.

An 18th-Century Redesigned Façade

The present façade results from a major redesign in the mid-18th century, attributed to Laurent Vallon, one of the leading architects of Aix’s classical period.

Unlike more richly decorated private mansions, Vallon opted here for a restrained and horizontal composition:

• stonework with rusticated bands,
• clearly defined cornices,
• absence of mascarons and elaborate ornamentation,
• a low, almost flat carriage gateway arch, reinforcing the sense of balance and sobriety.

This architectural restraint gives the façade a discreet elegance, characteristic of late Provençal classicism.

Architectural Layout and Character

As was customary for Aix private mansions, the building is organized around an inner courtyard, although this space was reduced in the 18th century following a property division with the neighboring Hôtel Thomassin de Saint-Paul.

The interior retains volumes typical of aristocratic residences, with reception rooms and layouts suited to the prestigious lifestyle of parliamentary families.

In the courtyard of the Hôtel Boyer de Fonscolombe stands an elegant light-stone fountain with a vertical composition. It rests on a small polygonal basin and features a carved mascaron from which a thin stream of water flows. A fluted column supports a small covered urn, completing the restrained design. The fountain can only be seen when the entrance gate is open; visitors should not enter if it is closed.

Heritage Protection

The Hôtel Boyer de Fonscolombe has been listed as a historic monument since December 1989, acknowledging its architectural and historical importance within Aix-en-Provence’s urban fabric.

Present-Day Use

Today, the building no longer serves a residential. It houses the Institute of Public Management and Territorial Governance of Aix-Marseille University.

Although it is not open to regular public visits, the mansion remains visible from the street and forms part of the city’s heritage walking routes, close to the Cours Mirabeau.