Having just returned to Aix after some weeks away, my second shock (after seeing the excavations being filled in – inevitable I know) was to see the gaps in the Cours Mirabeau where plane trees had been. I had read about the ‘chancre coloré’ that had infested these magnificent trees, and had read that some were to be felled, but it hadn’t prepared me for the change in store….
My first photo (above) shows the view looking down the cours. There are a couple of trees left outside the Roi René café then a long gap, past Les Deux Garcons, nearly down to Monoprix.
This photo shows the view up the road, as you come out of the Renoir cinema.
I just couldn’t believe how peculiar it all looked.
The pictures do show though some of the replacement planting: 61 maples are being installed during March. They are already 15 years old and are resistant to the virulent disease that has felled the beautiful 150-year old plane trees.
Iconic is an over-used word but the plane-trees really were so much part of the character of the town: sculptural against the blue skies in the cold of winter, protectively shady in the heat of the summer.
Aix centre ville really is changing.
See below – how it used to look!
aixcentric 
What a shame! That’s one of the best “people watching” places in France and those trees gave it such character.
I agree….but they were getting dangerous. 150 years is quite an innings!
What a change! And remember the cheery wrapped plane tree trunks during the Yayoi Kusama exhibit? To be fair, a very large branch came down and just missed hitting me one day back in 2013 as I was walking past Les Deux-G on my errands. I stopped, gasped, and turned to meet the glance of a man sitting in the cafe. He nodded at me, raised his glass of wine, and told me I was lucky. Indeed.
Oh yes those red and white dotty trunks were just amazing. Didn’t know one had nearly felled you though….I read they were increasingly dangerous. But it will take some time for the new ones to have much impact. X L
I was quite disappointed by the lack of trees and construction by the fountain. What a shame. At least the food and drinks were great and there’s the blood moon eclipse.
I’ve got quite used to the trees now, and they seem to be growing well. Hopefully the iconic green canopy will be back in a few years……
I think that the over-pruning destroyed the trees.