Mimosa Festival in France
Fête du Mimosa at Mandelieu-la-Napoule
The Mimosa Festival celebrates the bright yellow fluffy flower which flourishes in February and brightens France's southern winter landscapes. The Côte d'Azur is ablaze with the fresh yellow glow of blooming mimosa which cheerily brightens public places and private gardens with its colourful bushes. This treat from Mother Nature is called the 'winter sun' by the locals and looks like a sea of yellow from January to March.
The arrival of its thick golden clusters of flowers which results in a flowering golden haze heralds the oncoming of spring and warmer weather, and is celebrated across towns in Provence. Forming a striking contrast with the vibrant blues of the Mediterranean, these evergreen trees with their bunches of fluffy, powdery, and fragile looking bright yellow small balls attract nearly 100,000 visitors each year.
More...
Mimosa Introduced to France
Seeming to flower almost overnight, and last for around six to eight weeks, the flowers have a honeyed fragrance. Native to Australia, mimosa was first introduced in France in the 19th century when wealthy homeowners imported exotic plants to brighten up their winter residences. Thriving in the mild Mediterranean climate the bushes quickly spread throughout the region. Cut mimosa flowers were an important and major export for the local economies and contributed to the success of the Grasse perfume industry.
After a severe frost in 1929 which froze and destroyed most of the crops, it was decided in 1931 to celebrate the survival of the trade with a mimosa festival. It was organised in Mandelieu-la-Napoule, the town that also boasts the title of being crowned the mimosa capital, and it has been an annual event ever since. Combining culture, folklore and customs, the fête includes night-time parades and floral processions with decorated floats.
Paris flower market with mimosa, ranunculuses and narcissi
During the mimosa festival you can buy cut flowers, take perfume making classes, attend walks and talks with crop owners. The beautiful bright bunches of cut flowers can even be found in florist boutiques in Paris during February.
Locals call mimosa the 'winter sun' and celebrate the flower's arrival every year with the festival. - France Magazine
Bormes les Mimosas, the town at the start of the Route du Mimosa
Route du Mimosa
To see this cheery flower at its best, there are a number of towns you can visit. You could also follow the Mimosa route or Route du Mimosa. Located at the foot of the Massif du Tanneron, Mandelieu-la-Napoule is one of eight towns along the Route du Mimosa, which stretches from Bormes-les-Mimosa to Grasse.
Route du Mimosa or Mimosa road is 130 kilometres long and links the coastal town of Bormes-les-Mimosas to Grasse, the city of perfumes. The Mimosa travel route runs partly along the coast before getting lost in the hilly hinterland.
Towns along the Route du Mimosa
Towns along the route are: Bormes-les-Mimosa > Le Rayol Canadel > Sainte Maxime > Saint-Raphael > Mandelieu-la-Napoule > Tanneron > Pergomas > Grasse.
Tanneron, along the Route du Mimosa
Pin to plan your trip to the Mimosa Festival in France
