Gardens and Parks of Mandelieu
The gardens of the Château de La Napoule.
A remarkable garden! A bit of history!
The gardens of Château de La Napoule were laid out in 1919 by Marie Clews, the new owner of the Château. They feature classical references (French-style driveway, pond and Italian influences, a small, lush forest reminiscent of the English style), but also a great freedom and heterogeneity characteristic of the art of Henry and Marie Clews. The garden was originally designed as a green and white painting. All the plants were evergreen, with very few flowers in summer and only white, and birds, also white, would break up the greenery. Moreover, the garden maintained an identical appearance in summer and winter.
Since 1947, the Château de La Napoule – its façade and gardens – has been listed in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments. Maintained as much as possible in its original state, the garden is regularly restored, and certain parts are redesigned identically.
The main park opens with a large French-style driveway that gives the entrance to the park all its majesty. On either side of this central axis, beyond the hedges that border it, we discover small green rooms, perspectives, ponds, "panoramas" where the gaze escapes towards the sea, a small bridge in the middle of the tall trees.... The garden harmoniously mixes spaces designed and built with a "mess" of greenery and large hundred-year-old trees. Many small hidden places, invisible from the driveway, can only be discovered by random strolls.
The different gardens: the Château grounds actually contain 4 gardens.
The main garden and three other small gardens: the La Mancha garden, the terraces on the sea and the secret garden.
The Parc des Oliviers: a Mediterranean promenade on the banks of the Siagne.
The park is composed of Mediterranean species, covering nearly 11.000 m². The trees that compose it, including a predominance of olive trees, are in harmony with the Mediterranean climate. It is a true place of contemplation bordered by the Siagne River, which makes this place quite bucolic.
Robinson Park: a family park on the banks of the Siagne.
Shaded and carefully landscaped, it offers a children's playground, sports facilities, lawns for relaxing, and picnic tables. A nearby ground-level water fountain (dry fountain) allows youngsters to cool off in summer in a fun and safe space.
Argentière Park: a space for families and sports enthusiasts.
Bordered by the Riou de l'Argentière River, it is surrounded 360° by hills that turn yellow in winter. It is the very last of the developed spaces shared by walkers and families.
These 15m000 accommodate 2 trees, thus creating shaded areas perfect for meetings and discussions. Some meet there to settle down and play board games, the little ones have fun around the children's games set up in the heart of the garden...
Emmanuelle de Marande Park: an arboretum in the heart of Mandelieu.
It is a mimosa arboretum considered to be the Mimosa Museum. The green lung of the Capitou district, the park covers nearly 10000m2. More than a hundred different species of mimosa have been planted along a promenade in the Park, punctuated by panels showing the main characteristics of the species.
It hosts a open-air exhibition called THE MIMOSA SAGA around the history of Mandelieu and mimosa.
Did you know? The town of Mandelieu is crowned with 3 FLOWERS by VILLES ET VILLAGES FLEURIS
