Route du Mimosas

What a treat to discover the blooming minosas of Provence.

To finally enjoy the deliciously scented, tiny and round flowers with petals shaped in millions of electric yellow colourballs, hanging from the boughs of the dainty stems, perfectly matching the blue sea.

Just add the exquisite mimosa smell, and you’ll have the perfect excuse to escape any local winter weather for a while; the Mimosa blooming takes place from January to March.

The Route du Mimosas is a scenic route through south-east Provence, largely near the coast of the French Riviera, designed to show the countryside and towns of the region at their best during early spring when the mimosas are in flower.

Along the Route du Mimosas you’ll also find some extraordinary scenery and the natural mountainous beauty of Provence.

You will in fact enjoy the yellow clouds already on the A8 heading way west out from Nice. The highway is literally decorated with wild mimosa from Mandelieu la Napoule and the Estérel mountains onwards.

The main towns along the route have attractions specific to the route, for instance gardens open to the public, festivals and of course biking and walking on public paths where you enjoy the flowers.

The route du Mimosa passes through the following towns and villages along its 130 kilometres, the first half in the Var region, which I’m so fond of:

Bormes les Mimosas
Rayol Canadel sur Mer
Sainte Maxime
Sainte-Maxime
Saint Raphael
Mandelieu la Napoule
Tanneron
Pégomas
Grasse

The mimosa was introduced on the French Riviera around 1850. It became the “king of winter” thanks to the mild climate. There is even a local Mimosa brotherhood that endeavors to live traditions in the region of the “Golden Triangle”.