© _SeeStTropez
© _SeeStTropez
© _SeeStTropez
© _SeeStTropez
Bormes les Mimosas, Var
One the most flowery villages in France with stunning sea views
If you're looking for a medieval village with fine sea views, plenty of flowers and fine dining restaurants on cobbled lanes, then Bormes les Mimosas is for you.
With plenty of gourmet restaurants to try, this sleepy little hillside village is made even prettier by the careful nurturing of blooming flowers throughout the year. The mimosa tree after which the village is named, blossoms from January to March.
In terms of things to see, there is a medieval ruined castle, sadly not open to the public, artisan shops and a market. The closest beach (family-friendly) is at La Faviere, where you can also find a marina and a diving club.
There's not much to be said about the nightlife in Bormes-les-Mimosas, although the streets are filled with the music of buskers on summer evenings and there are some nice terrace cafés and bars to enjoy some aperitifs and the wonderful view before heading to dinner. If you're fancying a night at the clubs, head to Saint Tropez
Bormes les Mimosa has several budget hotels where you can stay, offering simple bedrooms with sea views.
History & Culture in [locality]
Bormes les Mimosas is a very pretty medieval town, with a ruined castle guarding over a village of pink-stone buildings spilling down the hill on narrow, winding lanes.
It's a wealthy town these days, full of expensive shops and fine dining restaurants. The 'les Mimosas' part of the name was added in the 60's to reflect the incredible greenery and flowers the town is known for- in particular the mimosa (Australian wattle) tree which blossoms from January to March.
The views across the coast are stunning, making it a lovely place to wander through the boutiques and find a nice terrace restaurant for a long, leisurely lunch. Down at Port-Bormes and Le Lavandou you can do much of the same. It's a tough life on the Côte d'Azur.
Sights & Attractions in [locality]
In terms of things to see, there is a medieval ruined castle dating from the 12th century, which although not open to visitors, does afford a nice view over the coast and a park bench to enjoy it under the parasol pines.
If you continue climbing uphill past the castle you'll reach an absolutely spectacular lookout spot in the grounds of the 13th century Romanesque chapel. There's also the 18th century Church of Saint-Trophyme and the Chapel of Saint-Francois-de-Paule, who 'saved' the village from the plague. Nearby in Cabasson is the Bregançon Fort, the summer residence of French presidents.
Events in [locality]
As you can imagine, many of the events in this town are floral-based. But certainly worth the trip to enjoy...
Things to do in [locality]
The densely forested Maures hills rise up behind the town, providing hiking and mountainbiking paths galore for 'outdoor' types. Down by the sea you can rent a boat for the day and explore the coast, go diving in the crystal clear waters, or just hit the nearby beaches for some watersports. Or, of course, you could just have lunch.
Dining in [locality]
With plenty of gourmet restaurants to try in the area, why not go Michelin-starred when it's really quite reasonably priced?
La Rastègue is the only Bormes restaurant to currently hold a Michelin star, impressing the inspectors with modern French cuisine using fresh, local produce. It also has a nice terrace view.
Lou Portaou has a simply wonderful rustic setting in a romantic grotto- archway in the middle of town, serving good and inventive (if slightly expensive) Provencal food.
For something simpler, have a pizza at L'Azzura or a crepe at Crepe d'Or.
Down at Port-Bormes, CAP120 is the most popular for elegant waterfront dining.
Directions
As with many other towns in Provence, the historic village is up on a hill away from the coast, with a newer part of town leading down the hill, and a marina village 'Port-Bormes' a few kilometres away on the sea.
Bormes les Mimosas village is inland of Le Lavandou (which used to be part of Bormes but broke away in 1913), on the stretch of Var coastline about halfway between Saint Tropez and Toulon.
