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Sunday, February 10, 2013

3 Top Things to do in Provence in February

Colourful fragrant mimosa

No time for winter blues here in the South, there’s too much going on in February for that.
The villages peppered in and around the coast have planned three perfectly delightful events to liven up the month:

-- The mimosas are blooming and soon it’ll be Fête du Mimosa

-- The lemons are ready for the Lemon Festival in Menton

-- Carnival time in Nice

The Mimosa Festival

Fête du Mimosa is a festive season involving at least 8 towns of the Var and the Alpes Maritime departments of the region. If you don’t know what they are, mimosas are fragrant yellow plants that Captain Cook brought back from Australia; those heavenly flowers that transform the Autoroute du Soleil every February into a world of colour and perfume.

The mimosa trail, all 130 kms of it winds along the coast from Nice, Bormes les Mimosa, St. Raphael, towards Cannes ending up in Grasse where mimosa is used for making perfume.

Mandelieu La Napoule calls itself Capital of the Mimosa Trail. And quite rightly so as it was here that the first mimosa festival was held in 1931.

Among the many activities planned from 15 to 24 February are flower parades, guided tours, exhibitions, concerts and the even the crowning of the Mimosa Queen.

Floats, parades and other activities for the festival will   kick off earlier in St. Raphael --  9 to 17 February.

Lemon Festival in Menton

Menton, a quiet elegant little town between Monaco and the Italian Riviera becomes full of activity, colour and energy in February with an artistic celebration, Fête du Citron.

This is a true work of art – designs, decorations and floats all made up with tons and tons of oranges and lemons.
Hotel owners came up with the idea back in 1895, a way of entertaining the rich who came here in the winter months.

It worked.

Today Menton attracts more and more visitors every year when the streets are transformed; taken over by musicians, dancers, citrus themed floats etc.
Fete du Citron starts February 16 and will continue  for a month.

www.feteducitron.com

Carnival in Nice

Nice is just as spectacular in February as in summer months with blue skies, a mostly mild climate and healthy Riviera lifestyle – perfect for a carnival.

Carnival in Nice is different every year with different themes, different floats, lots of street entertainment and concerts.

Starting February 15 with the grand parade, organizers say the program this year will be rich with excitement and good humor. A theme labeled King of the Five Continents can only mean diverse regal entertainment in this bubbly vibrant city.

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