I recently bought this post card dating from the early 20th century showing the cours Mirabeau resplendently lined with a double row of plane trees.
What a difference today. Last year, 23 had to be taken out in the cours Mirabeau and now, it seems, more are to follow from the cours and two other parts of the town centre. The issue is ‘chancre coloré’, so contagious that trees in a 35m radius of an infected tree have to be removed. They must be taken swathed in tarpaulin, after which the cutting-tools, machinery and lorries have to be disinfected.
La Provence is reporting that the following trees are being felled this and next week:
- Place Jeanne d’Arc. 21 to go. Two trees were affected and the other 19 were in the contamination zone.
- From 21st January, another 8 trees will go from the cours Mirabeau, this time from the bottom end. All infected.
- Three trees from the top of the cours Mirabeau have been found to be contaminated with a ‘lignivore’ fungus which attacks and weakens the wood. They have to come down.
- In ave Pierre Brossolette, 12 plane trees will be removed w/c 11th February.
Replanting will take place, in 1-3 above by maples, and in ave Pierre Brossolette, by micocouliers.
Below a photo I took in the spring of the long gap on the right hand side, looking down the cours Mirabeau, where so many trees have already gone. The new maples seem to have ‘taken’. But it will be a long time before we get the shade provided by the old plane trees in my vintage post card.
aixcentric 
this is so so sad. Wonder if you know what the issue was a few days ago when the cours area was closed down because of a gas leak. I tried to walk from near the Gare and the whole area was closed and police said there was either a leak or an explosion. They would nt let anyone come down the street.
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I also have bought & saved old postcards -mine have the plane trees with the leaves giving that beautiful. People who are older Aixoises have told different stories-that they haven’t cleaned the pruning tools properly for years & thus spread this disease which is in most of France, but it’s interesting that on lots of highly trafficked roads in France where the Plane trees have been for hundreds of years, they seem fine.
How maples can ever give shade from the hotter & hotter sun is a mystery to me. They seem to grow up rather than out & Micoculiers are very delicate & seem more suited to parks as you see in Paris.
There are so many conflicting stories, it’s hard at this point to know what to believe
Very interesting to hear your accounts from older Aixoises. Thank you Deanna.
They say they have done a lot of research about replacements and seem to be trying to give them a good start. We shall see……
So sad to hear of the removal of more plane trees. We will be in Aix for the month of April and are dreading to see the Cours without them. Still a beautiful city – but oh! What a loss! Thank you for keeping us updated.
It IS sad, but the Cours is still beautiful I think!
I am confused. Are they not replanting plane trees?
Not plane trees – they have chosen hardier species…..
The Cours is one of the most beautiful streets in France and the trees are part of the charm. It will be sad without them.