Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Logis du Bras d'Or, also known as the house of Darius Milhaud, is a building built in the late seventeenth century after the opening of the Sextius course in Aix-en-Provence. This course, a major commercial axis between the suburbs of the Cordeliers and the ancient city, gave the inn a strategic position. The building, typical of Provencal architecture of the time, reflects the importance of economic and social exchanges in this growing urban area.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the property was acquired by the father of Darius Milhaud, trading in almonds. The latter, from a former Provencal Jewish family, spent his childhood there. The house thus becomes an emblematic place linked to the life of the composer, whose work will be deeply marked by its Aixese origins and its travels. The house, classified as a Historical Monument in 2002, today bears witness to this dual heritage: architectural and cultural.

Darius Milhaud (1892-1974), a major figure in French classical music, drew inspiration from Provençal traditions, jazz, and South American music. His childhood in this house, in the heart of a family of music, has a lasting impact on his career. The house, now owned by the municipality, embodies both the urban history of Aix-en-Provence and the artistic heritage linked to one of the most prolific composers of the twentieth century.

The building, located at 2 Barthélémy-Niollon Square and 2 Joseph-Villevielle Street, has been fully protected since 2002. Its inscription as a Historic Monument underlines its heritage importance, both for its architecture of the late seventeenth century and for its role in Milhaud's personal history. The house remains a symbol of the links between the built heritage of Aix and modern musical creation.

External links