The Mossy Fountain

This fountain is no ordinary sight! It’s called “Hot Water Fountain”, or more commonly, the “Mossy Fountain”. Can you tell why? It’s actually a natural hot spring with a year-round temperature of 18°C (64°F), hence the mossy look. It’s perfect for all sorts of aquatic plants to thrive. The water comes from the Bagniers thermal baths, but be warned – you can’t drink it! Built in 1667 by architect Jacques Fossé to designs by Jean-Claude Rambot, this fountain was the very first one on the brand new Cours Mirabeau. It was once topped by a statue of a newt, but it was destroyed just 3 years after its construction, and replaced by a statue of four children holding a basin overflowing with water. Today, under all that moss, there’s not much left of the original fountain – it’s been eroded beyond recognition. Back in the day, however, it was very useful! Up until the 20th century, people used it to wash their clothes and fill buckets to clean their doorsteps and stairs. It was super handy in winter too, since it was one of the few fountains that never froze! No wonder it has always been a local favorite. And it remains so today, thanks to its unique shape formed by the three different moss species all over it. Take a moment to look back across the square to your left. That beautiful building on the corner, at number 38, is a former townhouse, known as the Hôtel Maurel de Pontevès, or Hôtel d’Espagnet. It was built by Jean Lombard and Pierre Pavillon for Pierre Maurel de Pontevès, a wealthy merchant ennobled in 1639 after becoming the King’s Intendant des Finances, aka the Chief Financial Officer. It was built in 1648 and remains today the oldest private mansion on the Cours Mirabeau, which did not yet exist at that time. It then passed into the hands of the d’Espagnet family, hence its second name. Have a look at the entrance; the front balcony is held up by two atlantes, those immense figures flanking the door. They were designed by Jacques Fossé, who also designed the fountain we just saw! With its grand entrance, ornate gardens and elegant mix of Baroque and Mannerist architectural styles, it’s no surprise this building was listed as a historical monument in 1990. Today, it houses the city’s commercial court.