La Rotonde is the formal entrance to old Aix, a circular pool thirty-two metres across topped by three colossal statues representing Justice, Agriculture, and the Arts — facing Aix, Marseille, and Avignon respectively. Lions and swans flank the lower basin; water cascades down the rockwork at all hours. It was built in 1860 and still acts as the city's main traffic roundabout, which makes admiring it a slightly hazardous business.
The fountain marks the meeting point of the Cours Mirabeau, Cours Sextius, and the avenues that lead south to the train station and east to the Mazarin quarter. Most arrivals into Aix end up at La Rotonde at some point. Photograph it at night when the lights pick out the statues and the surrounding cafes spill onto the wide pavements.