I found the following article of great interest.
http://fontfeed.com/archives/leau-et-les-reves-a-typographic-fountain-in-vence/
The article is entitled ““L’Eau et Les Rêves”, A Typographic Fountain In Vence”.
The typographic fountain is displayed in Google Streetview.
William Overington
18 August 2010
I found amongst the photos a winter view of the “L’Eau et Les Rêves” typographic fountain.
William Overington
23 August 2010
Amongst the photos provided at the next position along to the right in Google Streetview are the following.
The lettering is for PHARMACIE DU GRAND JARDIN.
The typeface seems to be on the border between serif and sans serif.
For example, the verticals of the P and the H are wider at the ends than in the middle.
I remember reading somewhere that this can be done to try to give an effect of lettering carved into stone.
If this typeface was designed with that intent, then it is interesting that the letters are freestanding in front of what may be stone or simulated stone.
As the typographic fountain is in the Place du Grand Jardin, I tried to locate the pharmacy in Google Streetview. I found it in an oblique view at a distance, after having found the location of the pharmacy from its website.
The website is particularly interesting because in its opening animation there is a reproduction of an artwork. I am wondering whether that is a well-known artwork that happens to feature the pharmacie or whether it an artwork specially produced for the pharmacie.
http://www.pharmaciedugrandjardin.com/
William Overington
25 August 2010
The font with flared ends is a fairly common design.
One font I found is Optima Black which can be centered and stretched into something close to the street sign.
The Swash font shown in the video is familiar also though I couldn’t find an example right now. It appears to be used by an amateur! as swash caps are originally designed as initials to a word and not all stacked together in a swash jumble.
