Credit photo : Les petits voyages d'Azur
It is one of the treasures of the French Riviera: mimosas in bloom!
It is part of our daily lives, when we live on the French Riviera.
It's no surprise to find mimosa at every turn of the road, but always the same wonder!
We decided to let the kids enjoy this beauty, by taking them on a family outing to Bormes les Mimosas.
Obviously, with young children, the walk is a little longer than with a couple.
But they were curious and keen to see these famous yellow flowers!
Leaving Saint Tropez, we walked along the coast through Cavalaire, Le Rayol Canadel and Le Lavandou. We were able to admire them all along the way,although there are also mimosa in Saint Tropez!
Credit photos : Les petits voyages d'Azur
Credit photo : Les petits voyages d'Azur
Credit photo : Les petits voyages d'Azur
Places not to be missed
The mimosa flowering season stretches over 130km between the Var and the Alpes Maritimes (2 departements belonging to the Region Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur)
The Mimosa Route offers a number of milestones.
Bormes les Mimosas
Credit photo : Les petits voyages d'Azur
This small village is the starting point for the mimosa route.
Situated in the heart of the Massif des Maures, with a bird's-eye view of the Mediterranean and the islands of Hyères (Port Cros, Porquerolles and Le Levant), Bormes will delight you with its little passageways, its village square and its winding streets.
If you're coming with a stroller, note that there are plenty of stairs to climb in the medieval part of the village.
You'll be able to see trees in the village, but also on the road that runs along the coast (my favorite, because you'll enjoy the mimosa and the splendid view of the sea!).
Credit photo : Les petits voyages d'Azur
Credit photo : Les petits voyages d'Azur
Credit photo : Les petits voyages d'Azur
Sainte Maxime
On one side the sea, on the other the Maures mountains! Sainte Maxime is the perfect seaside resort for families. The town offers a pedestrian center with numerous boutiques, a lovely promenade and hiking trails in the massif.
Credit photo : Route du Mimosa
Mandelieu
Let's move on to the direction of Cannes and Nice! Mandelieu la Napoule is close to Cannes, and stretches from the sea to the hills.
When you arrive in Mandelieu, you'll have a wonderful view of the magnificent mimosa hills.
Between the port side of La Napoule, with its beaches and castle overlooking the sea, and the small center of Capitou, Mandelieu offers a lovely flower-filled break on the Côte d'Azur.
If you'd like to visit a mimosa forcerie (heated greenhouse), you've come to the right place!
The nearby villages of Pegomas and Tanneron will also delight you with their yellow flowers and mimosa crafts.
Credits photo : Office de tourisme de Mandelieu
Grasse
The mimosa route ends in Grasse, perched high in the hills.
Grasse is also the capital of perfume, with the famous Fragonard, Molinard and Galimard factories offering tours and workshops to concoct your own fragance!
The ideal time to see mimosas
There are several types of mimosa, with slightly different flowering dates.
You can see them from late December to March.
However, I strongly advise you to come and admire them from late January to early February. That way, you'll have every chance of seeing the hills flooded with yellow.
This is also when the corsos take place.
A corso is a parade of floral floats. It's a real day of festivities, with associations displaying their greatest talents for the beauty of their floats.
It's a long-standing tradition (Bormes les Mimosas celebrated its 100th corso in February 2020).
The four main towns offering a corso are Bormes les Mimosas, Cavalaire, Sainte Maxime and Mandelieu.
Credit photo : Les petits voyages d'Azur
Products from the mimosa
Mimosa can be found in many different forms.
In perfume of course, in soap, but also in culinary flavors with the mimosa syrup.
For my part, I much prefer to admire them on the hillside and take photos of this yellow gold against the blue backdrop of the Côte d'Azur sky.
What do you think?
If you're a fan of the mimosa flower, the tourist office offers a mimosa bouquet delivery service.
To buy one, have a look at Mandelieu tourist office website !
Credit photo : Instagram Mandelieu Tourisme
Links to the tourist offices
Updated february 2024
For your trip on the French Riviera or throughout France, do not hesitate to contact me!
I would be happy to share with you ideas for a stay or organize your trip according to your wishes
A très bientôt !
Frédérique
