Discovering the mimosa
From January to March, the valleys, hills and gardens of the Côte d’Azur are covered in these bright little yellow balls, with their heady fragrance and downy feel.
The aroma of the mimosa is extracted from these little flowers to make syrup, sweets, pastries, perfume..
The Mimosa Route
Taken from January to March, the 130km route offers magnificent scenery where the blue of the sky and sea mingle with the green and yellow of the mimosa hills. From Bormes-les-Mimosas to Grasse, eight communes offer a journey through the land of the little yellow marble: artisan chocolate-makers and bakers, corsos and other traditional festivals, forceries, nurserymen, perfumers, etc.
And every year at the end of January in the old village of Bormes-les-Mimosas, Mimosalia is the first botanical event of the year. A rendezvous for garden lovers, it brings together France's leading nurserymen and collectors. More than 80 exhibitors showcase rare plants and unusual varieties, as well as garden decoration and fittings. Plant-related activities are also on offer, including workshops for young and old, tours of the town's gardens and exhibitions.
Find out more about the Mimosa Route :
Corsos fleuris
A descendant of Carnival, the corso fleuri is now an integral part of Var's festive tradition. It's a relatively recent tradition, dating back to the end of the 19th century. On Saturdays, the floats are decorated with thousands of flowers, and on Sundays they parade through the village streets.
Fanfares, folk groups and costumed characters accompany the parade. In Bormes, Sainte-Maxime and Saint-Raphaël, mimosa splashes across the parades, while elsewhere it's multicoloured carnations or other cut flowers that dress the floats. A flower fight always brings the festivities to a close!
The main corsos are in Bormes-les-mimosas, Carqueiranne, Cavalaire-sur-Mer, Cogolin, Draguignan, Le Lavandou, Ollioules, Roquebrune-sur-Argens, Saint-Raphaël and Sainte-Maxime.
The Tanneron massif
A link between the Var and the Alpes-Maritimes, this massif, formed of crystalline rock, is almost entirely covered by forests of mimosa and eucalyptus.
From January to March, it is covered in an intense yellow mantle. The Tanneron massif is the largest area in France planted with mimosa, both cultivated and wild, with 200 hectares! A veritable festival of colours, from gold to emerald to azure. But what's most striking is the explosion of scents that can't be found anywhere else.
Growing mimosa
A member of the acacia family, the mimosa was originally found in tropical regions. It was imported to the Côte d'Azur by the English in the mid-19th century to decorate their gardens. Some species have acclimatised so well that they have returned to the wild.
The forceries
Horticulturists, or "mimosa growers", flower the mimosa in forceries. In these rooms, the atmosphere is heated to 90% humidity and the mimosa flowers are pumped full of nutrients. The mimosa blooms in just 48 hours! The forceries are concentrated in the Tanneron massif. Some, such as Bruna Bosi's in Tanneron, are open to the public, giving visitors a chance to discover the secrets of this expertise.
The National Collection
The CAVATORE family and their nursery are recognised as the national mimosa specialists. Thanks to 25 years of passion, experience and research, the CAVATORE family now has the only collection in France awarded by the Conservatoire des Collections Végétales Spécialisées, with 180 species and varieties of mimosa. The mimosas are grown naturally and ecologically, in unheated greenhouses. They are exported all over Europe!
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