Aix-en-Provence has 155 historic monuments, and one of my favorites is Fontaine d’Eau Chaude (Hot Water Fountain), also known as Old Mossy because of the thick layers of moss covering its exterior. Constructed in 1667 by architect Jacques Fossé, its water flows from a natural thermal spring at a temperature of 18ºC (64-degrees Fahrenheit). Old Mossy is the oldest of the four landmark fountains along the famous Cours Mirabeau, and possibly the most mysterious of Aix-en-Provence’s historic monuments. It’s said that its original ornamental carvings of a newt were replaced three years later with sculptures of four children holding the basin, but to this day no one actually knows for certain.
