1905 – 2025: 120 years of aviation in Mandelieu.
The aviation and piloting craze in France began when Clément Ader, a self-taught man of modest origin, designed an airplane, the bat-like Éole, the first of its kind to be propelled by its own power, and it took off on October 9, 1890, for about fifty meters and for a few seconds. The race to the sky could begin.
Men and women are now enthusiastic about the progress in the design of flying machines as well as the exploits of pilots.
On the Côte d'Azur, the same passion reigned, and the first flights were made in 1905 in the Siagne Valley. But it was five years later that Mandelieu caught fire. A major rally was organized there, with 20 francs awarded to the pilot who completed a "cruise," meaning starting from the Mandelieu racecourse, going around Sainte Marguerite Island, passing over the tip of the Croisette in Cannes, and returning to his starting point. The undisputed winner was a Russian, a certain Nicolas Popoff, aged 000, who flew a Wright biplane to the fantastic height of 32 meters, a record—the previous year, Blériot crossed the Channel at an altitude of 207 meters—in 76 minutes and 18 seconds.
The Aeronautical Club of France and then the Aeroclub of France were founded by wealthy enthusiasts in 1897 and 1898 respectively. The Côte saw the founding of its first flying club in 1921. And air shows followed one after another everywhere. But the problem for everyone was the creation of dedicated airfields.
On the French Riviera, the La Californie airfield in Nice was expanding to accommodate private planes from several European cities. Forty-seven in August 1938! A feat. At Cannes-Mandelieu, regular flights to Paris and London began in 1931.
However, it was not until after the Second World War that the roles were divided between Nice and Cannes-Mandelieu, with the proliferation of large aircraft, the latter airport being unable to accommodate them for security reasons. This prompted it to specialize in business aviation, for which it is, in terms of traffic, the second busiest in France behind Le Bourget.
Did you know? News June 2025.
On Raguette Beach, a bronze sculpture of the B-24 Liberator that disappeared on May 25, 1944, in the Gulf of Napoule has been installed to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Mandelieu-La Napoule, on August 23, 2024. This project will pay tribute to the airmen who sacrificed their lives for freedom during World War II.
A look back at this strategic mission of May 25, 1944, by the Allied forces: two groups of B-24 Liberator bombers from the 15th Air Force, the 464th and 465th Bomber Groups, were tasked with destroying the Givors railway junction, south of Lyon. This operation aimed to weaken German communications in southern France, in preparation for the Allied landings. However, during the return to their temporary base in Italy, several aircraft were attacked by German flak and Luftwaffe fighters.
Among them, the B-24 "Table Stuff," piloted by Second Lieutenant Donald L. Garniss, was severely damaged and ultimately crashed into the sea off the Gulf of La Napoule after the 11 crew members parachuted out. Despite searches, neither the aviators nor the wreckage of the aircraft were ever found, leaving behind a poignant mystery and a profound need for commemoration.
