Driving around the French Riviera from late January to March you’ll see a riot of yellow flowering trees everywhere for it’s mimosa season on the Côte d’Azur. This beautiful bright golden flower, known as wattle in its native country Australia, is one of the best things about winter in the region.
Mimosa Season on the Côte d’Azur
Mimosa is the first flower to bloom every year, offering a glimpse of spring. The glorious little balls of yellow fluff resembling miniature suns, herald the end of winter sometime around mid to late January. At Lou Messugo our tree is nearly always out in time for Australia Day on January 26th and though I probably couldn’t tell you exactly when most of our plants flower, of this I’m sure. Why? Because I’m half Aussie and mimosa comes from down under. Wattle is Australia’s national flower so it seems appropriate that it should bloom for its national holiday.
Mimosa’s origins in Australia
Mimosa was originally brought back from Australia in the mid 19th century by aristocratic English travellers who spent their winters on the Riviera. They thought the climate would suit it and they were right; those first few specimens have now spread to become the largest mimosa forest in Europe just outside Mandelieu in the Massif de Tanneron.
Mimosa industry
The delicate golden orbs that make up the flower have a lovely light perfume which contributed greatly to the development of the perfume industry in nearby Grasse. Nowadays mimosa is still very much used in the production of perfume and also for the cut flower industry. It is exported all around the world from France and one third comes from the Mandelieu area. It’s the staple income for many villages nearby and to celebrate this vital contributor to the local economy Mandelieu has a Mimosa Festival every year in February.
Explore the mimosa forest
To really get a feel of the enormity of the mimosa forest and to envelop yourself in its beauty you need to walk on one of the many signed paths in the Massif or take a scenic drive from Mandelieu-La Napoule. Head out of the town on the D92, enjoying the gorgeous panoramic view of the coast, across Cannes to the Lérins islands and over to the mountain peaks. The road then penetrates through the heart of the forest to the village of Tanneron passing many of the hiking trails (recognisable by their wooden signs, click here for detail).
Route du Mimosa
Leave Tanneron on the sinuous D38 that winds down to St Cassien Lake offering lovely views over the Siagne valley and the forest. From Lac St Cassien follow signs back to the A8 to return along the motorway, itself bordered by the magnificent trees. For a longer drive start at Bormes les Mimosas and follow the official tourist route, the Route du Mimosa, 130 kms from Bormes to Grasse.
Walk in the forest
Every year we go for at least one walk in the mimosa forest during the season. One year we went just after a heavy snowfall which created a huge amount of damage. There were broken branches and collapsed trees everywhere. Thankfully the following year there was little sign of such destruction.
There are many signed walks in the forest, just pick one and go. Walking along a ridge looking over the trees the views are superb: patches of yellow in the green or acres of solid yellow unlike any forest view I’ve ever seen, truly unique. In photos it can be hard to see the difference from autumnal images of leaves turning yellow but in reality it’s totally different, unbelievably pretty, and much more impressive than my photos suggest.
Have you seen a mimosa forest? Do you know your country’s national flower? I’d love to hear from you.
Related Reading:
Oleander- the Flower with Power
Processionary Caterpillars – What are They?
This post was originally published in March 2013 and has been updated
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And I thought a mimosa was champagne and orange! The wattles are flowering now in Adelaide where I live and other parts of Australia and tomorrow is 26 January. The latest issue of France Today has an article about the “Mimosa Trail” in the Cote d’Azur but no mention of the Australian connection, just that these plants have colonised the area.
The Mimosa looks so beautiful, thank you for all that interesting information.
I never knew you were half Australian! The blooming of Mimosas must be such a treat each year, particularly around January and February when the winter doldrums are still in effect! I’d love to take a walk through the forest..seems to me it would be a guaranteed brightening of the day. Thanks for linking up with #faraway files
Ha! Well now you know Corey. Half British, half Australian and as of a few days ago French national too! The mimosa season is such a joy on the Côte d’Azur, the swathes of yellow certainly do lift your spirits at the end of winter.
What a beautiful reason to visit in winter!! We were just talking once again about visiting some time this year, though I’m a little sad to miss this season! I would have loved to follow the Mimosa trail! #FarawayFiles
Be spontaneous and come now! The mimosa will be out for the next couple of weeks and we have availability! Failing that, I really do hope you get here later in the year. There’s always a good reason to visit.
I’ve never seen Mimosa forest before but it looks gorgeous! Yellow is my favourite colour, so I would definitely enjoy exploring this area!
Oh you would Rhonda, you definitely would. You’ll have to plan a trip for the second half of February one year.
I didn’t realize the Australian connection either — although it is not surprising.
I can’t even remember the Washington State flower, and I’m not so sure the USA has a national one!
National flowers aren’t very well known, I’m not sure if I knew about wattle from my mum or from when I researched this post. Either way I don’t think many people are even aware there’s such a thing!
The national flower of the United States is the rose. I think we might have a mimosa tree in our yard, or at least one that looks just like these. I can imagine it must be so beautiful so see them all blooming at once.
I think of the rose as being very English, but there’s no reason it can’t be American! Thanks for this info Hilary
This is so cool! I would have never known about an actual mimosa forest in the South of France, so thank you so much for sharing this. I can’t wait to share it with my garden-loving mom! Gorgeous, gorgeous photos, too, of course.
Thanks Christy, I hope your mum likes the post.
Fantastic pics, daffodils here oooop in the grim north, and they’re all flowering now. I bet the Mimosa festival is great if it takes in so many of the local villages.
daffs are lovely too. There’s nothing like a garden full of them, so pretty.
I’ve never seen a Mimosa forest, but what a gorgeous sight it would be! We’ve got a lot of similar trees here in California that blossom in January. I’m not a tree expert (at all!), but I think they’re Acacia trees. Thanks for introducing me to the word “wattle”. 🙂
I’m not a tree expert either Catherine but I think wattle/mimosa is a sub species (or some such thing) of acacia, which would explain the similarity.
That’s such an interesting post, Phoebe! I have never seen a Mimosa forest before, but your photos made me travel: beautiful shots!
Thank you Mel.
How interesting- I had no idea that the mimosa came from Australia. Here in Nice it’s the traditional carnival flower. I just thought it always bloomed during carnival. Back in the US, we had a pink version.
It’s such an integral part of Côte d’Azur February don’t you think Margo?
How interesting! I thought mimosa looked a lot like wattle! I honestly didn’t know it was the national flower of Oz, but I should have – growing up in rural West Australia. I thought mimosa was a cocktail with orange juice and champagne, or is it white wine ;). Great post.
It’s OJ and bubbles Sally, which is a perfectly acceptable thing for an Aussie to think of when hearing the word mimosa. As for not knowing the national flower, I find these things out when I start to research for a blog!
Lovely photos Phoebe. We have hundreds of Crocuses and Snowdrops out at the moment which are equally pretty but less impressive in presence and colour. WATTLE this ridiculous weather do next?
Thanks Corinna, crocuses and snowdrops sounds lovely
Wattle day in Oz 70 years ago was 1st September, first day of spring. It made me sneeze . Your photos are amazing. Thanks for sharing them.
Wattle/Mimosa makes a lot of people sneeze around here, it’s a high allergen, but luckily it doesn’t get to me.
Wish I was there!
You should visit next year in February, you’d love it! Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment.
Wow…interesting to read and know about other places and the simple stuff in people’s life as a walk or different kind of flower! Thanks for the post!
Thanks for commenting Meire. Where do you live? Like you said, it’s always interesting to hear about other people’s lives!!
Thanks for this flow of spring, Phoebe!
It looks like the snow is still stubborn here in Canada, so I need to be more patient 🙂 I am really looking forward to the spring to come once and for all!
Aren’t we all Delia! It’s very late here this year too! It’s always a pleasure to see you here, thanks for commenting Delia! ?
Great colours, didn’t realise the Australian connection mate
Well now you do Adam! You learn something new every day, hey mate? ?
Lovely! We have them here, too, in California, and every spring when they pop out I think of you!
And I think of you too Rachel as you gave us ours. It’s such a lovely reminder of you and it’s very happy in our garden despite all the attempts of the snow to damage it. It’s growing big now. Did you ever go to Tanneron when you were here?
We did not, unfortunately! So much left undone, but I suppose that will keep us plenty busy when we make our way back again for a visit!