Hôtel Boyer de Fonscolombe

It is located 21, Rue Gaston de Saporta (formerly known as the rue de la Grande Horloge) in Aix-en-Provence.[1][2][3]

It was built as two separate houses for the Roman Catholic archbishopry, as it is next door to the Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur.[1]

In the sixteenth century, it was purchased by two families: a baker, and the de Rascas family.[1] In 1635 and in 1642, Charles de Grimaldi-Régusse (1612-1687) purchased the two townhouses and merged them into one.[1] (He also lived in the Hôtel de Grimaldi-Régusse, another hôtel particulier located at 26, rue de l'Opéra in Aix.) In the eighteenth century, his descendants sold the hotel to the Forbin La Barben family.[1]

In 1743 (shortly before his death), Honoré Boyer de Fonscolombe (1683-1743) inherited it from his sister.[1][4] His son Léon-Baptiste-Laurent de Fonscolombe inherited it and restored it.[1] For example, in 1757 he restored the facade.[3] In 1821, the parents of Gaston de Saporta (1823-1895) inherited it, and he grew up there, as did his son, writer Antoine de Saporta (1855-1914).[1] Later, the de Saporta family sold it to the de Vitrolles family, who rented it.[1]

It was purchased by the French state in 1950, and it was assigned to the Ministry of National Education in 1955.[1] It has been used by the Aix-Marseille University since 1965.[1]

Inside it has paintings ceilings and gypseries.[3] It also displays paintings by Nicolas Pinson (1636-1681) and Esprit Antoine Gibelin (1739-1813).[1]

It has been listed as a monument historique since 1989.[1]

43.5314°N 5.4471°E / 43.5314; 5.4471