10 Reasons to Visit Mougins Food Festival

The international gastronomy festival « Les Etoiles de Mougins » is a well known culinary event on the French Riviera. Held on September 14th and 15th, it is the perfect opportunity to plan a stay in the pretty village of Mougins, to both enjoy a great gastronomic experience with some of the greatest chefs and discover the treasures of this lovely destination.

1. Discover a  jewel on the French Riviera

A genuine jewel nestled in the quiet of nature, only ten minutes from Grasse and Cannes, the village of Mougins is an ideal place to stay on the French Riviera.  It is perched on its rocky outcrop, where it rolls out its charms through the squares and alleyways spiralling around the bell tower. Discover its rich history, which dates back to the first century BCE. Stroll along the picturesque frontages infused with a gentle Provencal atmosphere, and discover the succession of restaurants, boutiques and art galleries.

For more information, visit www.mouginstourisme.com   

2. Step into the legendary history of the « Etoiles de Mougins » festival on 14 & 15 September 2024

The international gastronomy festival « Les Etoiles de Mougins » was created in 2006 as a tribute to the emblematic chef Roger Vergé, who left his mark on the history of French gastronomy and that of Mougins. 

Every year since then, the village of Mougins has been transformed for a weekend into a vast culinary theatre where the world’s greatest chefs come together to share their passion, their secrets, their tips and their divine recipes from near and far. The programme includes demonstrations, courses, workshops, conferences, book signings and competitions… A recipe for success that attracts nearly 25,000 visitors every year! 

Initially an annual event, the festival is now held every two years. It stands out for its reputation, its conviviality, its size, and the fame of the guests of honour who come to sponsor the event, such as Thierry Marx, Anne-Sophie Pic, Philippe Etchebest, Frédéric Anton, Jacques Maximin and many others! Will you be joining the next edition on 14 & 15 September 2024 ?  

3. Live a remarkable culinary experience and book a cooking class or cookery show 

The international gastronomy festival “Les Etoiles de Mougins” returns for its fifteenth edition on 14 & 15 September 2024 with Guillaume Gomez – the former chef at the Elysée Palace and an ambassador for French gastronomy – as guest of honour.

For this anniversary edition, the festival is reconnecting more than ever with its international DNA by highlighting the links between gastronomy in France and the chefs and cuisines of the world. 

On the programme: a hundred or so guest chefs, a host of demonstrations, 2 hour-long cookery classes and tastings with prestigious chefs, children’s workshops, two competitions – “Jeune chef Roger Vergé” and “Jeune pâtissier“, conferences, book signings and lots of other surprises! Click here to discover the programme and book your place.

4. Unique: savour exceptional dishes in the sky of Mougins

After Paris, Rome, Beirut, Tokyo, Dubai, Rio and Las Vegas, “Dinner in the sky®” has decided to make a stopover in Mougins for the 15th edition of the international gastronomy festival, as well as the week following the event. Ready to take off for this high-flying tasting experience, perched over 50 metres high? Then head to Mougins from 13 to 22 September 2024, where the famous “Dinner in the sky ®” table will be suspended in the air for the first time.

Expect lunches, gourmet breaks or private dinners around a table suspended in the air above the village, offering a breathtaking 360° view of Mougins, the Bay of Cannes and the hinterland. At the centre of the flying table, which can seat around twenty guests, is a small kitchen area where top chefs will prepare and serve exceptional dishes live!

Book here : https://www.dinnerinthesky.fr/mougins/#home 

5. Enjoy good restaurants and hotels

Gastronomy, bistronomy, world cuisine, take-away food… The flavours and products of the region are available in a thousand and one ways in Mougins. Take your pick!

There is also a large choice of charming and elegant accommodations among which the iconic hotel Le Mas Candille which just reopenend its doors in June 2024. Hotels, hotel residences, tourist residences, guest houses, rentals… Whether you are alone, a couple, a family, or with friends, you will find your little corner of paradise in Mougins!

6. Discover exceptional museums

With its focus on contemporary creation, Mougins’ cultural offering appeals to young and old alike. In the heart of the village, discover the Mougins Art Centre and the Photography Centre which aims to highlight the many trends in contemporary photography through a remarkable 3 exhibitions each year. Currently, visitors can see a powerful exhibition about women in the Black Panthers Movement.

Also, the exceptional FAMM (Female Artists of Mougins Museum) opened in June 2024, the first major private museum dedicated to women artists in Europe! Over a hundred works by more than 80 artists representing an exhilarating artistic journey from visionary Impressionists to 21st-century female artists. You can even see a corset painted and worn by Frida Khalo.

7. Walk in the footsteps of Picasso

Pablo Picasso discovered Mougins in 1936, during a stay at the Hotel Vaste Horizon, at the entrance to the village. Later, in 1961, he bought the Mas Notre-Dame-De-Vie, a haven of peace and inspiration nestled in the heart of the Mougins countryside. He lived there for the last years of his life before breathing his last breath in 1973. This period was particularly prolific for him on an artistic level. To learn more, you can follow an audio visit through the village.

As you wander through the narrow streets of the old village, this tour will tell you more about the close ties that have grown over the years between Mougins and the artist. You can also take an exclusive tour of the room in the former Vaste Horizon hotel, where Pablo Picasso stayed with his Surrealist friends in the 1930s. Photographs taken by Man Ray and Dora Maar during these summer interludes complete the discovery of this place steeped in history. To complete your visit, don’t hesitate to visit the Notre-Dame-de-Vie chapel, next to the master’s final resting place. In the adjoining hermitage, discover the exhibition ‘Picasso through the eyes of Lucien Clergue’, immortalising a few moments of life in his Mas Notre-Dame-de-Vie.

8. Admire the view from the bell tower

Accompanied by Tourist Office staff, climb to the top of the bell tower of the Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur church, more than 300m above sea level. You’ll discover a 360° panorama, revealing the mountains of the hinterland as well as the Bay of Cannes and the Lérins Islands. Outstanding!

9. Play pétanque with a view

Throughout the year, the tourist office offers free pétanque games so you can play on the beautiful Place des Patriotes and enjoy the sublime panorama of the hinterland. For the whole family to enjoy, there are games for adults, and boules adapted for younger children!

10. Head out into the wonderful nature

Mougins, nicknamed the “Garden City”, has almost 50% of green spaces. Endowed with a natural setting that has remained untouched and exceptional, right in the heart of the French Riviera, it offers its visitors tranquillity and serenity. Benefit from your stopover or your stay to discover its treasures through a wide choice of walks suited to your tastes, desires, and the time you have available! Don’t miss The Fontmerle lake, home to Europe’s largest lotus, the canal de la Siagne or the Valmasque forests… 

Find information and brochures about Mougins on www.mouginstourisme.com & follow on Facebook and Instagram @mouginstourisme 

All the information about « Les Etoiles de Mougins » on www.lesetoilesdemougins.com & follow on Facebook and Instagram @lesetoilesdemougins