Mougins is a charming medieval village that’s totally one-of-a-kind. In touching distance from the town’s old stone houses and captivating narrow streets, you can still find luxury properties that ooze charm, authenticity and prestige.
The ideal location
Mougins is located right in the heart of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, so it’s very well-connected. Nice Airport is only thirty minutes away, and the town is linked to the rest of the region by the nearby A8 motorway. This delightful Provençal town is nestled high in the hills, surrounded by forests and lush greenery, but it’s also only 6km away from the Mediterranean sea.
This means that the golden sands of Grasse, Antibes and Cannes beaches are yours to enjoy, and the Juan-les-Pins jazz festival is just a stone’s throw away. Residents are also spoilt for charming places to visit, such as Saint-Paul de Vence, Grasse (famous for its perfumes), Valbonne and its famous fruit market, Golfe Juan, and Biot, which is renowned for its beautiful glassware.
Of course, Monaco is just 45 minutes away, too. But why go so far? Mougins has everything you need within its walls: plenty of cafés and restaurants, artists’ workshops, boutiques, an international school, several cultural events and tourist attractions, yearly theatre, jazz and gourmet food festivals — as well as tournaments at the Royal Mougins Golf Club. In short, Mougins wants for nothing.
A truly verdant paradise
Being as high up in the hills as it is, Mougins was once well-known for cultivating jasmine. Nowadays, however, it abounds with forestry and plant life of all kinds, and the town is firmly in touch with nature. Mougins boasts incredible views of the surrounding countryside, not least of all over the impressive Gorges du Loup. And, it certainly doesn’t lack for fresh air, either. Best of all, you are guaranteed privileged access to an amazing sea view, which you can witness every day from the comfort of your own luxury home.
In Mougins, you will be surrounded by nature and tranquillity wherever you choose to settle down, as there’s no shortage of gorgeous properties in among the rich greenery. Think pine trees, olive trees, ancient cypresses and evergreen oaks… You can even find luxury villas just a few hundred metres from the village, with delightful rustic gardens and private pools.
Above all, what these properties offer is peace and bliss – for you and your loved ones. You’re only a hop and a skip away from the Departmental Park of Valmasque and its tranquil botanical paths, and the park also houses the Fontemerle pond, a luscious green area several hectares around that’s particularly rich in birdlife. Of course, the pond itself is famed for its abundance of enchanting lotus flowers. It’s a truly magical location.
A town with a rich history
Once upon a time, the Romans controlled the lands near Mougins — the incredible Via Julia Augusta, a massive road connecting Italy with Spain, ran not far from where the town stands today. That said, the village of Mougins itself came onto the scene later in history, during the Middle Ages — first, as a vassal of the Count of Antibes, then the monks at the abbey of Lérins. Curiously, the narrow streets at the centre of the town grew out in a spiral, like a shell.
In the middle of the 19th century, Lord Brougham — a famous British politican and writer — made Cannes and the surrounding areas a hot spot for English high society. Very quickly, splendid villas popped up all around, and England’s elite would often take a customary pause for tea on the terraces of one of Mougins’ many cafés.
More recently, the town’s picturesque charms and welcoming townsfolk have attracted more than its fair share of celebrities: Isadora Duncan, Edith Piaf, Winston Churchill, Pablo Picasso, Paul Éluard, Jacques Brel, Jean Cocteau, Man Ray, Yves Saint-Laurent, Christian Dior and Catherine Deneuve (to name but a few). Perhaps all of these people followed their taste buds to the impressive number of fine restaurants that had been established in Mougins Of course, the local cuisine of the region is well represented here, and given how vibrant the town is, the gastronomic scene is constantly evolving — where else will you find an Aïoli festival ?
Luxury properties aplenty
Mougins has plenty of exceptional properties to offer, all within easy reach of the town centre. If you check www.john-taylor.com/france/french-riviera-cote-d-azur/mougins, you will see that a wide selection of luxury villas in Mougins are available.
Mougins is an iconic destination for many reasons: the location, gorgeous natural surroundings, sunshine and tranquillity are a start, and the magnificent coastline and peaceful pace of life further inland are well-known. Simply put, Mougins is a sound investment. The town is one of the province’s finer locales, and it’s certainly a point of pride in the Cannes region. There are plenty of luxury residences here that offer large gardens with pools, and each villa is defined by its character and good taste — none of them can be accused of being boring.
After all, characters as diverse as the Emir of Qatar, former President François Hollande, and actors Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson have all bought properties here. A holiday in a luxury villa in Mougins is unlike any other — it’s a time for you to recharge your batteries and enjoy the very best that life has to offer. And, as if that weren’t enough, your property is certain to appreciate in value. Buying a property in Mougins is a financially sound move, and at just a few miles from the bustling tech hub at Sophia-Antipolis, the town is at the beating heart of an exciting economic future in the region.
Prestigious monuments galore
Even today, the modern town of Mougins preserves much of its rich medieval history, with several ancient town houses, medieval remains and fortifications still standing. Perhaps most impressive of all is the Porte Sarrazine, which links the old town and its bell tower to the Moulin de la Croix. The town also hosts many grand fountains and charming, tree-covered spaces. The abbot’s house on the rue des Lombards was once the residence of the clergymen at Lérins, and the church of Saint-Jacques-Le-Majeur dates all the way back to the 11th century.
Many visitors and residents alike visit the chapels of Notre-Dame-de-Vie and Saint Barthélémy, as well as the museum of photography, the local history museum, and the town’s many art galleries. The Mougins Classical Art Museum houses many works by Picasso, who lived here for the last 12 years of his life. Alternatively, the old municipal washing house welcomes new paintings and sculptures every month. There are over thirty artist’s workshops in Mougins, which ensures that there’ll be no shortage of artistic charm and inspiration wherever you wander.
Lastly, the French Riviera is the ideal place to dip your toes in the sea in the summer, and hit the Alpine slopes in the winter. So, if you take to a property that’s within reach of this endlessly charming Provençal village and its picture-perfect, sunny streets, its boutiques, cafés, restaurants and easygoing lifestyle, you will know what it means to be truly happy. The region’s warm climate is perfect for dining al fresco, be that at home, on a terrace in town, at a quiet garden retreat, or at one of the many authentic, local restaurants that are never too far from Mougins.
