Place et Fontaine d'Albertas (Albertas Square and Fountain), Aix-en-Provence

Jean Agar, the adviser to the Parliament of Aix in the 16th century, sold his house to a family from Marseilles, the Paulhes. The Paulhes, in turn, sold the house to the d'Albertas family in the 18th century. The d'Albertas were originally from Alba, Italy. They settled in Provence in the 14th century.

In 1724, the Marquis Henri Reynaud d'Albertas, adviser to the King, engaged Laurent Vallon, architect of the city, to give his mansion a serious re-do. Henri had bought houses opposite his residence and had them demolished. Henri died in 1746. His son, Jean-Baptiste d'Albertas, entrusted Georges Vallon, son of Laurent, to carry on.

Georges Vallon, the new architect of the city, built an elegant small square in front of the d'Albertas residence, modeled after the royal plazas of Paris. Four mansions line the square (Place d'Albertas). They have near identical facades and wrought-iron balconies before large windows.

The fountain monument (Fontaine d'Albertas) is a large chalice of cast iron standing in a large circular pool. The pool is surrounded by a miniature iron railing fashioned by students of the School of Arts and Crafts of Aix-en-Provence.