aixcentric

…have come from the work being done to renovate the burnt-out brasserie in Aix’s Cours Mirabeau.Work is now completed on clearing 1-2 metres of calcinated debris from the site, and securing the structure of the 17th century building which was so badly damaged in the 2019 blaze.

Three things have emerged which surprised the workforce and have posed questions for the proprietaire who resides in Morocco and has been confined for a year behind closed frontiers, according to La Provence.  The first was two layers of flooring beneath the current one.  It is thought the original one will be re-installed.

Second surprise was that the café began with a very different staircase, une escalier monumentale, which had been amended over the centuries.  Hopefully this will be recreated.

And finally, examination of layers of paint have revealed the original colour – grey, not the deep green we are all familiar with.  I’d vote to keep it green but all these decisions have to be made by the DRAC (Direction Regionale des Affaires Culturelles) and the ABF (l’Architecte des Batiments de France) who probably don’t need Aixcentric opinions.

Progress anyway, and the best outcome for completion is, apparently summer 2023.