Every January, Cavalaire is covered in gold. It’s mimosa season and like a thousand suns it lights up the hills! A feast for the eyes.
The scientific name of the mimosa is Acacia dealbata, and yes, it does belong to the large family of acacias!
It flowers from January to early March, depending on the year. Mimosa can be recognised by its clusters of bright yellow flowers and its delicate scent.
Although for many of us the mimosa is a symbol of the French Riviera, it is actually a species native to Australia. The beauty of its flowers led people to import it to the Mediterranean!
The Corso du Mimosa has become a tradition in Provencal villages, and Cavalaire is no exception. Every year a weekend is dedicated to this event. More than 2,5 tonnes of mimosa decorate the floats in a festive flower parade.
The night parade on Saturday evening, when the illuminated floats take over the streets of Cavalaire, is without a doubt Cavalaire’s speciality.
Day or night, the atmosphere is festive and the crowds love this moment of sharing!
Despite its beauty, mimosa dealbata is classified as an invasive species throughout southern Europe due to its rapid growth. This is because it reproduces asexually by sprouting from the ‘mother plant’ or main stock and producing large numbers of seeds.
This high rate of reproduction means that the mimosa forms dense clumps or forests, preventing the local flora from developing and severely disrupting biodiversity.
That’s why you might see sheep or donkeys grazing on Pardigon’s land in the spring, feasting on new mimosa shoots.
