Are you planning a trip to the French Riviera and hoping to check out some lesser-visited villages? You’re in luck because this coastal region is full of charming towns worth exploring, one of the closest being the hill village of Mougins, France.
I actually didn’t make it to Mougins during my first visit to the French Riviera. Like most people, I loaded up my itinerary with more famous towns like Monaco, Menton, and Antibes. However, it was when I started researching Pablo Picasso’s history in the French Riviera that I discovered the legacy he left in Mougins, France.
Folks – when I realized that this town was within 30 minutes from Antibes (my favorite home base), it was a no-brainer to visit on my next trip.
Perhaps you are wondering whether Mougins is worth adding to your French Riviera itinerary? While I know what I feel on the subject, below I’m listing out 10 reasons why Mougins, France deserves a spot on your itinerary.
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Why Mougins, France is Worth Visiting During Any French Riviera Trip
1. Mougins is a Charming & Convenient South of France Village
As far as the beauty of Mougins, I think the above photos (and the others in this post) speak for themselves. This manicured village is full of winding lanes and charming squares lined with intriguing restaurants and galleries.
Being only 25 minutes from Antibes, 15 minutes from Cannes, and 13 minutes from Grasse by car, Mougins is easy to combine with other towns for a variety of day trip possibilities. The town is easiest to reach with a rental car, although it is possible to reach via bus as well. Drivers will be relieved to find ample free parking right outside the historic center.
2. Take in Views from Miles
Like many other villages along the Cote d’Azur, Mougins was strategically built upon a rocky outcrop for defensive purposes. Dating back as far as the 1st century BC when it bore the name Muginum, the town sits at an elevation of 260 meters (853 feet).
From the outskirts of historic Mougins, you can glimpse sweeping views over nearby towns like Grasse, as well as towards the snow-capped Alps to the northeast. As you wander the village, the occasional opening between buildings reveals views out towards Cannes and the Mediterranean sea.
3. View Original Medieval Architecture
Many years after the Roman period, Mougins became a fortified city during the 12th century. The village was built in a spiral layout with cobblestone streets and shady alleyways, surrounded by defensive ramparts only penetrable via three arched entryways.
Today, only one of these old stone archways remains: the Sarrazine Gate. It is still possible to detect traces of where hinges once supported a wooden door.
4. Mougins Has Excellent Gastronomic Offerings
Mougins boasts a storied dining scene going back to the influence of Roger Vergé – a chef who helped transform traditional French cuisine while living in the city during the 1960’s and 70’s. His famed restaurant Le Moulin de Mougins received the first of what would be three Michelin stars in 1970 – just one year after opening!
In fact, the town of Mougins boasted 7 stars collectively in 1992, making it the most starred village in France for a time. You can still taste this legacy today at L’Amandier, which was Vergé’s second restaurant in Mougins, or at the annual Les Étoiles de Mougins festival, which celebrates international gastronomy.
Are you simply in town and hungry? Take your pick from around 50 restaurants to satisfy whatever craving you have. I was lucky enough to wander into L’Étage on a whim, where I enjoyed the Formule du Midi (lunch menu) and was treated like gold even as a solo diner with no reservation.
Related: The 16 Best Restaurants to Visit in Cannes
5. Visit an 11th-Century Church
Point me to a medieval village and I’ll point you to its ancient church. Indeed, like many historic towns of its time, Mougins boasts the beautifully preserved Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur church, parts of which date back to the 11th century.
Located just off the Place des Amis, you can wander into this church any day of the week for free. Be sure to take note of the 18th-century gilded carboard statues of Saint Joseph and Saint Mary, the 11th-century altar stone in the choir, as well as the church organ. While the organ was built in 1995, it was modeled after an 18th-century German-style baroque organ and was just restored in 2024.
6. Walk in the Footsteps of Celebrities
Many artists of the 20th century passed through the village of Mougins, beginning with Francis Picabia when he built his home there in 1924. This brought of string of his contemporaries into the village, including the likes of Fernand Léger, Jean Cocteau, and eventually Pablo Picasso in the 1930’s.
Picasso initially would stay at the Vaste Horizon hotel (now an Italian restaurant) where he once angered the owner by covering an entire bedroom wall with drawings. While the sketches were temporary, Picasso would make his stay more permanent in 1961 when he purchased the Mas Notre-Dame-de-Vie (mentioned later).
Other celebrities who spent time in Mougins include Christian Dior, Edith Piaf, Winston Churchill, Coco Chanel, and many others. However, it was Picasso who left the most enduring legacy. To learn more about the artist’s time in Mougins during your visit, sign up for this guided tour that gives exclusive access into the Vaste Horizon hotel.
7. Honor the Legacy of Female Artists from Around the World
On June 21, 2024, the Female Artists of the Mougins Museum (FAMM) opened with the mission to “stop the underrepresentation and undervaluation of women artists”. Its four floors display about 100 works created by 90 celebrated female artists spanning from the late Impressionist period of the 19th century to modern Abstract Expressionism.
Inside, you will find works by the likes of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo and paintings by Blanche Hoschedé Monet (Claude Monet’s stepdaughter and daughter-in-law), among a myriad of other established and emerging talents.
8. See Where Picasso Spent His Final Years
As mentioned earlier, Pablo Picasso eventually settled in Mougins at the 12th-century Notre-Dame-de-Vie, also known as Chateau de Vie. He purchased it from the Guinness family, who had lived there and had a family monumental tomb erected in the adjacent chapel garden in 1931. During the Guinness period, family friend Winston Churchill was a frequent visitor to the villa, where he enjoyed painting in the gardens.
From 1961, Picasso lived here with his wife Jacqueline and continuously create art in the space until his death on April 8, 1973.
The property is open seasonally for visitors (check hours here). You can either drive down and park in limited spots near the villa or hike down from the old village (about 30 minutes each way).
Either way, don’t forget to keep a lookout for views of the old village perched on a hill in the distance as you make your descent. If you hike down, be ready for a sweaty uphill return.
9. Wander Down Vibrant Rue des Orfèvres
During your wanderings in the old village of Mougins, don’t forget to take a whimsical detour down the imaginative Rue des Orfèvres. This narrow cobblestone lane is covered in leafy vines and potted plants, with the occasional tiny gallery tucked in between. Look up to see surprising sculptures and chandeliers and don’t be surprised if you stroll past artwork resting on a easel in the open air.
During the medieval era, this alleyway would have backed onto the defensive ramparts of the village. Even then it was home to craftsmen, including the region’s only goldsmith in 1666: Bernardin Bareste. He would have been tasked with forging the gold coins of the nearby Abbey of Lérins on the island of Saint Honorat near Cannes.
10. See a 10th-century Apocalypse Chapel
During the lead up to the year 1000 AD, many local Christians believed that the apocalypse was impending. It was sort of like their Y2K, except superstitions of the time must have made it feel way scarier and more intense!
The octagonal Chapelle Saint Barthélemy was built as divine protection from what unexpected events the turn of the millennium would bring. The structure’s unusual shape also suggests it may have been erected as a martyrium, potentially housing the tomb of a martyr.
Today, you will find the stone chapel sitting lonely and peaceful among Mediterranean cypress trees. There are no set opening hours to enter the chapel, so it’s best to contact the Mougins Tourist Office if you wish to do more than observe it from the exterior.
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There you have it – all the reasons why Mougins, France definitely deserves a spot on your French Riviera itinerary. This artistic town delivers on charm with twists and turns tracing where medieval townsfolk once tread. Mougins offers up a dose of Picasso-flavored inspiration, while regional flavors will fill your plate in the town’s high-quality restaurants over a leisurely French Riviera day trip.
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