With its many cafés and, above all, its farmers' market, Place Richelme is a must for Aix residents.
Formerly known as Place aux Herbes, because of its proximity to the grain market and the presence of growers trading there, it was renamed Place Richelme in the 1930s.
It was named after Marie-Rose Richelme (1836-1902), a benefactress from Aix-en-Provence and niece of Marseille opera tenor Louis-Ferdinand Richelme.
This change has in no way altered the village's tradition of market gardening, and the daily farmers' market continues to delight locals and tourists alike.
The many cafés and restaurants also contribute to the liveliness of the square, both day and night.
Since the 1980s, Place Richelme has boasted its own fountain: the Fontaine au Sanglier.
This is a reproduction of a work by 17th-century Florentine sculptor Pietro Tacca.
