Mougins has been one of the gastronomic capitals since 2006 thanks to its festival *, organized every year for three days in June. A culinary journey through the maze of this charming and so typical city of the Alpes-Maritimes, which welcomes nearly 300 chefs from all over the world.

Not far from there, a second course - accessible 365 days a year - will titillate the taste buds of golfers in search of another form of pleasure: the Royal Mougins. Sculpted in 1993 by the American architect Robert Van Hagge in the “Vallon de L'œuf”, this 18-hole course is a delicate pleasure for the eyes and the game and will delight all fairway gourmets. Hole n ° 2, a par 3 in low angle, puts you in full view and causes an acceleration of the heart rate, even among the most seasoned swingers. Thrills guaranteed, in every sense of the word. The over here is well worth the birdies elsewhere.

Brand new bunkers

Beyond its refined aesthetic, the course is distinguished by its strategic interest. It is useless, and even not recommended, to take out your driver all the time. Many holes can be played in different ways and the choice of club, more than elsewhere, is essential on a hilly course, surrounded by lakes, rivers, bunkers and more. The cart is by the way strongly recommended, because beyond the many slopes, some departures are quite far from each other.

With a view to improving the course and "Because certain good moves were not always rewarded", says Élisabeth Boisson, memberships & marketing director of the golf course, nearly 4 million euros have been invested recently. The bunkers have been redone (liners improve drainage and prevent sand from mixing with the earth) and reduced in number or area. The irrigation system also got a facelift last winter.

Many personalities frequently come to survey the greens of the Royal Mougins, like the actor Hugh Grant during the Cannes film festival. Every year, the Balles Blanches - an association that helps hospitalized children - organize a tournament there shortly before the summer where many former glories of the round ball** kick a much smaller ball.

A royal crane as a mascot

Other distinguished guests also sometimes invite themselves to the party. “In the summer of 2016, a royal *** crane, originating in southern Africa, set up on our route,” says Élisabeth Boisson. A royal bird at the Royal Mougins, that cannot be invented. Club members fed her and the crane quickly became our mascot. We learned after a few months that it belonged to a wealthy landowner living nearby. He was never able to get her back, because she had no doubt taken a liking to freedom and would not let herself be caught. She stayed on our route for a year, then flew to other skies one day. "

the 19^e hole in the course is also worth a detour, the club house and the restaurant terrace offering a majestic view over a steep landscape, the Estérel massif to the southwest and the Grasse hinterland to the east. Finally, a fully renovated **** hotel complex of 29 suites, with swimming pool and spa, occupies a XNUMXth century building.^e century, located below tee n ° 1. In short, hedonism on the Côte-d'Azur has a name: the Royal Mougins.

Frank Crudo

* The Stars of Mougins * https://lesetoilesdemougins.com/

** Such as David Ginola, Laurent Blanc, Alain Roche, Antoine Kombouré, Alain Boghossian or even Jérôme Alonso, sponsor of the association and honorary member of Royal Mougins.  http://lesballesblanches.com/

*** https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grue_royale

**** Royal quarter offer: the purchase of a share (not subject to ISF) gives the possibility of staying 13 weeks per year at the hotel.

TOURISM: The Lérins Islands within driving distance

If you are passing through the Cannes-Mougins region, a visit to the Lérins archipelago is a must-see. Facing the Esterel massif, the island of Sainte-Marguerite (which must be visited on Valentine's Day as the saying goes) hosts a sea museum and is dominated by a royal fort reinforced by Vauban where the famous Iron mask.

A few fathoms away, the island of Saint-Honorat is home to an abbey founded in the V^e century where some monks still reside. They have cultivated quality wine there for centuries (especially Chardonnay) or Lérincello (liqueur made from lemons from Menton). To visit and taste without moderation, but preferably before your 18 holes ...

http://excellencedelerins.com/fr/