The arboretum and exhibition.
Located in the heart of Emmanuelle de Marande Park in the Mimosa district, this exceptional arboretum, probably unique in France, covers nearly 10 m². More than 000 species of mimosa have been planted along a promenade in the park, punctuated by panels detailing the main characteristics of the specimens.
Access: Entrance is free but you can also benefit from a guided tour offered by the Mandelieu Tourist Office. Information from Stay Advisors. Tel: 04 93 93 64 64 – tourisme@mandelieu.com
Podcasts.
Two versions are available in French, on simple download.
Children version
Adult version
Acacia farnesiana is one of the first mimosas introduced to Europe in the 16th century, at the Villa Farnese in Rome, whose name it bears today. During a trip to Rome, the monks of Lérins brought it back, and its cultivation developed on the heights of Vallauris for its very fragrant flower, which was used in perfumery. It is also known as Cassier.
The Acacia currens 'Bon Accueil' was created in Capitou (Mandelieu) in the 1920s by a horticulturist with a passion for botany.
It is the result of a cross between different species of mimosa. It was so named because at the time it was the first mimosa intended for cut flowers to bloom. The mimosa grower had given his colleagues plants to spread the variety, and he realized a little too late that he had not kept enough for himself.
Acacia vestita 'Saint Helena' is so named because when Napoleon was buried on Saint Helena there was a tree at the spot where he was buried. It was long believed that it was this mimosa, which was therefore named 'Saint Helena'. But botanists realized much later that no mimosa grew spontaneously on this island! The mimosa, however, kept this name.
EXHIBITION > The arboretum also hosts an open-air exhibition called THE MIMOSA SAGA, which traces the history and evolution of mimosa cultivation: from its exploitation through to forcing and conditioning techniques.
This exhibition tells the story of men and women who modestly contributed to building a national image for this town, giving it an identity and a brand thanks to laborious work and know-how which, more than a century later, offer a fantastic opportunity to establish Mandelieu-La Napoule in the winter tourist landscape in France and beyond its borders.
This exhibition pays tribute to the families of mimosa growers, those who, thanks to their work since the 1920s, have been able to export this small, fragile and delicate flower that covers our hills every winter, making it not only an economy but also a tourist attraction.
The exhibition.
