Built in 2005 in the lush parklands of Aix-les-Bains at the initiative of the Moroccan ambassador, the Mohammed V Fountain was created to commemorate the agreements that led to Morocco's independence, negotiated in Aix-les-Bains in 1956. Now, this symbolic monument will be gracefully restored by the local Moroccan community, which has enlisted artisans skilled in traditional zellige tilework. Recognized as a major part of Aix's heritage and listed as a historic monument since 2008, the fountain—owned by the city—requires specialized restoration work. According to Le Dauphiné Libéré, the maintenance and conservation of the fountain fall under the responsibility of the municipality, but its «unique design, combining wooden structures and zelliges (Moroccan tiles)», calls for «highly skilled professionals». «The municipality therefore reached out to the Moroccan community, which generously offered to undertake the restoration free of charge», the newspaper reports. As a result, an agreement was signed between the City of Aix-les-Bains and the Franco-Moroccan Cultural Association, represented by its president, Mohamed Gaidi. The mayor welcomed the initiative, noting that the fountain is expected to regain its original splendor by 2026—just in time to mark the anniversary of the independence agreements.
