Hôtel Ricard de Saint Albin

Hôtel Ricard de Saint Albin is an 18th-century private mansion in the heart of Aix-en-Provence, standing on Rue Mazarine in the Mazarin quarter — one of the most elegant corners of the old town. Also known as Hôtel de Ribbe, the building and its garden have been listed in their entirety as a French historic monument since 1991.

Who built it?

The mansion was built in the early 1700s for Pierre de Ricard, lord of Saint-Albin, who in 1708 became president of the Chamber of Inquiries of the Parliament of Provence — the title that gave the house its original name. Ricard himself didn't occupy it permanently; he leased it to a succession of noble tenants, including the Marquis de Vibraye, whose wife was born into the Grignan family, and from 1728 to Louis Palamède de Forbin, Marquis de Solliès. Both the Grignan and Forbin names carry weight in French history: it was a daughter of the celebrated letter-writer Madame de Sévigné who married into the Grignan line.

How did ownership change over time?

The mansion's story traces the fortunes of Provençal aristocracy. In 1756 it was bought by Claude François de Forbin-la Barben, who resold it in 1774 to Pierre-Symphorien de Pazery-Thorame. The final change came in 1830, when the Countess de Ribbe acquired the property — giving the house the name by which it's most commonly known today, Hôtel de Ribbe.

What will you see inside and in the garden?

The building is a textbook example of a residence built for Provence's parliamentary nobility: set between street and garden, with a suite of interconnected salons and rooms across two floors, all facing south and flooded with light through large windows. This layering of urban façade and private garden is exactly what makes the house so representative of Aix during the Enlightenment.

The garden is arranged around a monumental fountain crowned with a statue of Neptune, framed by clipped boxwood parterres laid out in embroidery-like patterns and shaded by centuries-old chestnut and linden trees. It's one of the few French-style gardens of this scale still intact in the city centre.

When and how can you visit?

Hôtel Ricard de Saint Albin sits at 10 Rue Mazarine, right in the Mazarin quarter, a short walk from Cours Mirabeau. Because it remains largely a private residence, access is typically organised around guided group visits — for instance during heritage open days or themed walks through the Mazarin quarter — often with a cap on group size. It's worth checking the current visiting schedule before planning a trip, since the house isn't open to the public year-round.

Walking the surrounding streets is a good way to take in the district's other hôtels particuliers from the same era — the whole neighbourhood forms a coherent ensemble of classical Provençal architecture.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between Hôtel Ricard de Saint Albin and Hôtel de Ribbe? They're the same building — the first name comes from its early-18th-century founder, the second from the de Ribbe family who bought it in 1830 and under whose name it's most often known today.

Can you visit the garden? Yes, the garden with its Neptune fountain and 18th-century boxwood parterres is part of the protected monument and is opened during organised visits.

Since when has the building been protected as a historic monument? The entire property, house and garden together, was listed as a French monument historique in July 1991.

Where exactly is the mansion located? At 10 Rue Mazarine in Aix-en-Provence, within the historic Mazarin quarter close to the old town centre.