We have to save biodiversity and Cezanne landscapes threatened by a gigantic real estate project in Aix-en-Provence.

Whereas the city of Aix-en-Provence is organizing a great « Cezanne 2025 » exhibition this summer, the city is about to launch an oversized building project which will destroy biodiversity and a major site of Cezanne inspiration where the master painted at least 52 of his artworks, including his very first Sainte Victoire oil paintings... We associations, call upon Cezanne' admirers all over the world, to save the very landscapes which gave birth to his paintings and support our action by signing this petition.

This «  new town project », on the heights of Aix-en-Provence, threatens the most emblematic landscapes painted by Cezanne ; called «  La Constance »situated on the Valcros plateau, it envisions to build 3, 600 homes, 6000 square meters of shops and 70 000 square meters of so-called tertiary activities. It is expected to transform more than 40 hectares of agricultural land, damaging a rich biodiversity and a waterway, impacting in fact twice the area, destroying for ever this major site.

Despite numerous initiatives taken by local associations and «  Sites et Monuments de France » a major one, contesting the city's choice for the size and designation of this project, landlocked between two motorways and railway, threatening thus the health of future residents with high levels of noise and pollution far exceeding the present norms, it has just received a favorable opinion from the investigating commissioner...

The supreme irony of this jugment is that it is promulgted at the very moment that the city of Aix is about to lauch in great pomp, it's Cezanne exhibition on the occasion of the renovation of the Jas de Bouffan country house of the painter, from which he walked to paint or draw the landscapes about to disappear...

Cezanne in fact always painted «  on location », strolling from the family house to the Valcros plateau where he captured his most acclaimed panoramas of the Sainte Victoire, the surrounding bastides and the natural space around. The 52 oil-paintings, watercolors and drawings painted there are part of the heritage of the city of Aix and more, belong to the heritage of humanity as their patterns illuminate the museums worldwide.

How could we accept a situation in which a temporary exhibition celebrating Cezanne with 130 of his paintings is taking place while the city of Aix at the same time organizes the destruction of the landscapes that inspired him ?

The Cezanne « curse » cannot happen again. We must put an end to the succession of missed opportunities, acts of contempt, misunderstandings towards the painter in his hometown : from the first Cezanne retrospective in Lyon, in1939, because Aix didn't want it or the Cezanne's studio about to be destroyed by the city, saved in extremis by its purchase from Marcel Provence and American patrons...

Today's planned massacre by the city of Aix, would be a moral failing towards future generations. We have the moral obligation to preserve this masterful interaction between an artistic genius and the still existant landscapes at the heart of his work.

To this end, the associations are demanding the suspension of this project, a large concertation with the local authorities and with the support of Senator Guy Benarroche, the listing of the Valcros plateau and its panoramas as a UNESCO World Heritage site by the French Government.

We thank you in advance for your signatures and contributions to this petition.

Update of May 19, 2025.
Launch of a fundraising campaign : Support financially our action here.
A legal battle is now underway to stop the ZAC de la Constance project in Aix-en-Provence. To see this battle through to the end, we need your help. This battle requires resources: legal fees, technical expertise, field actions, etc. Your financial support is essential to advance our cause and bring us closer to our goal: to preserve this unique site for future generations. A fund has been set up on the Sites et Monuments website, France's leading heritage preservation organization, a partner in this initiative. Thank you in advance for your help. If you live in France, please note that any donation of €15 or more is eligible for a tax reduction of 66% for individuals, within the limit of 20% of their taxable income (article 200 of the CGI) and 60% for companies, within the limit of 5 ‰ of their sales (article 238 bis of the CGI). So a donation of €15 will actually cost you just €5.10. It's a simple, concrete way to defend a world heritage.
Support financially our action here.

Signatories
Association Sites & Monuments
Association pour la Sauvegarde des Paysages de Cézanne
Association Route Cezanne
Association Arc Fleuve Vivant
Association Devenir
Association SPRA (Sauvegarde du Pont des 3 Sautets, ses Rives et ses Abords)
Association pour le développement des alternatives à la voiture à Aix (ADAVA)
Collectif Danger Aix Avenir (CD2A)
LPO (Ligue de Protection des Oiseaux) Paca

See the video on Youtube