Mimosas on the rocks

Yesterday we visited Bormes les Mimosas, which has nothing to do with the combination of orange juice and sparking wine (as wonderful as that drink is), but has everything to do with other, headier delights. The village, roughly 20 minutes from our villa, begins casting its spell before you even see it. You must reach it via a lush, narrow, winding road, assending into the rocky hillside. Every corner of the drive revealed another bank of flowering bushes and picturesque homes and businesses.

We were told by our guidebook (and the brief mention on our villa site, Your Taste of Provence) that Bormes les Mimosas has Medieval roots. It stands to reason that a community would spring up and thrive in terrain easily defended against invaders. What is surprising is how it continues to thrive, both as a tourist destination and a haven for artists and artisans. Their wares are on display in dozens of cramped shops, arrayed along winding, sharply angled streets.

A botanical garden is another prize we discovered, as we made the considerable effort of scaling miles of hillside walks and stairs. This last photo shows a view from the top of the garden. In the distance are the rooftops of much of Bormes les Mimosas.

One benefit of exploring Provence at this time of year – after high season but still on the cusp of summery weather – is the dearth of other foreign tourists. That’s not to say this village was quiet. No, it was swarming with other sightseers. But they were mostly vacationing nationals. These French tourists were almost all far older than us, and it was impressive to see how well they scaled the city, albeit slowly.

Although are still struggling to make out even the simplest French sentences, I am fairly sure that on the whole, we were more vocal than our French elders about the work-out provided by this charming, centuries-old Stairmaster!

Today we go to San Tropez. What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday abroad!