Hôtel Boyer d’Éguilles

You’re looking at yet another private mansion, the Hôtel Boyer d’Éguilles, named after a former member of the Aix-en-Provence parliament. His wife, Madeleine de Forbin d’Oppède, actually started building it in 1659, after her husband passed away. His son, Jean-Baptiste de Boyer d’Éguilles, renovated it a few years later and made it into the stunning townhouse it is today; its interior is even more impressive! Fast forward to the early 1900s, and the mansion was bought by an industrialist named Auguier, who turned it into a pasta factory. It was listed as a historical monument in 1936 and was subsequently restored. It housed the Natural History Museum for the next 14 years, until 2014, when it began to accommodate various stores. Today, the building still sports its original Baroque façade, with a giant entrance gate leading into a beautiful courtyard. The entire property was designed along the lines of Parisian mansions, hinting at the wealth of the family who once lived here. If the gate is open, feel free to enter the courtyard and marvel at the building’s stunning architecture!