It’s 9 months since the November morning when fire ripped through Aix’s most famous cafe, Les Deux Garcons. At last I have some news to report…
Examinations over the summer revealed ‘alarming’ cracks, and supports had to be put in place to hold the windows steady; but the new floors installed in 2000 had helped the structure withstand the worst of the fire, and scaffolding is now in place to allow for a stage of more detailed diagnostics. This will be followed by cleaning the building of all the fire damage and adding further strengthening supports.
Renovation can then begin in earnest and the good news is that the proprietor has said that he wants to recreate the brasserie as it was. Understandable as he was brought up at 57 cours Mirabeau. He envisages 2-3 years to complete the renovation. Won’t it be great to see that sunny terrace lined with diners once more?
Have you ever featured ML Longworth murder mysteries that all take place in Aix? We rented an apt this past winter by St Savieur Cathedral and our landlords had all of them on the bookshelf. Ms Longworth has lived in Aix and Paris for about 20 years I think. What I liked about the books was that they really gave me an insight into the culture, the history and the layout of Aix. Plus, she’s an excellent writer and the plots were unpredictable. I noticed they were selling them in one of our fave hangouts, Book in Bar.
Bon jour! Francesca Nadzam
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Yes indeed! If you type ‘Longworth’ into the search bar, all my reviews will pop up. And I’m planning to feature her Christmas-themed novel end November.
But you have prompted me to write a post on all her novels which might be a comfort for all those who love Aix and are missing it during these strange times….so I’ll do that very soon. Thanks and best wishes.
Thank you Lynne for this interesting up date and so encouraging that the proprietor is thinking of preserving this important cultural landmark. As always you find out the important news about our beautiful provençal.
Thanks for the kind comments Liz! I hope you and Pierre are keeping well and keeping your heads down during this strange period of time! X Lynne