Mougins is a beautiful, picturesque hilltop village near the famous town of Cannes in the South of France. Famed for its turquoise waters, expensive beach clubs and 5* hotels, there’s actually much more to French Riviera than you might think. Mougins is one of those hidden gems – a charming Provençal hilltop village that makes for an excellent day trip from Cannes.
In this guide I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the village of Mougins, where to eat and where to stay.
What’s Mougins Famous For?
Mougins is an ancient Provençal hilltop village located in the hills north of Cannes. It’s around 5 miles away from the city centre and takes around 15 minutes to get to by car.
Mougins is famous for its connection with famous artists and most notably for being the home of Pablo Picasso for over 12 years until his death in 1973.
Christian Dior and André Villers also lived here and other artists and celebrities (Coco Chanel and Winston Churchill) also spent time in Mougins.
Nowadays it’s a hub for contemporary artists and photographers and you’ll find plenty of galleries selling their pieces.
A Perfect Day Trip From Cannes
If you’re staying in Cannes and want to get out of the city and explore the surrounding areas then Mougins makes for a great day trip.
It takes around 15 minutes by car from Canne’s city centre and with free parking right next to the village, it’s incredibly easy to get to.
No car? There’s a bus that goes from the main train station in Cannes to nearby the village. Afterwards, it’s about a 15 minute walk up to Mougins.
Good to Know: If you take the bus you’ll need to prepare to walk uphill. To avoid this you can take a 2nd bus – Bus 26 or 28 that goes up to the old village.
I’d advise coming mid-late morning, exploring the old town and then pausing for a long casual lunch in the village. In the afternoon you can escape the heat in and then spend some time in the village’s excellent museums.
You can then stay for apéro and have an early dinner in the village or return to Cannes.
What to See & Do in Mougins
In this section i’ll tell you what exactly you can see and do in the pretty village of Mougins.
Find Picasso’s Head!
One of the first thing’s you’ll come upon when you arrive into the village is the Place des Patriotes.
Here you’ll see an impressive, 2.5m high, 500kg sculpture of Picasso’s head! The tribute to the late artist was placed at the entrance due to the significance of his legacy on the small village.
Behind the metallic sculpture you’ll find the place gives incredible panoramic views across to surrounding hills.
Explore the Old Town
Walk to the end of the Place des Patriotes and you’ll see a winding road, going up into the central village.
Follow this road and you’ll immediately find a picturesque little square with a fountain surrounded by art galleries and restaurants.
Here you can take one of many tiny side streets and explore the village. It’s oh so pretty and so worth getting lost in the charming, twisting roads.
You’ll also find the village’s old communal bread oven on Rue des Mûriers. If it’s open you can pop your head in and see the ancient, huge wood fire oven that the village’s population shared.
In the very centre you’ll also find many side streets are home lots of art galleries. There’s classical and contemporary art for sale.
Visit FAMM
The FAMM (Female Artists of Mougins Museum) is a museum and art gallery dedicated to the work of many famous female artists from around the world.
There are pieces from Berthe Morisot, Blanche Hoschedé-Monet and Tracey Emin.
Entry costs €16 for adults and the museum is open daily from 10am to 8pm during the summer.
Check Out Mougin’s Photography Gallery
The Centre de la Photographie de Mougins is a fantastic small photography gallery in the centre of the village.
Formerly a museum and gallery dedicated to the work of André Villers, the current centre features permanent and temporary exhibitions from artists all around the world.
Entry costs €6 for adults and is well worth a visit. It’s open all year round from 11am-7pm in the summer months.
Where to Eat & Drink
Mougins is home to some really good restaurants and in fact the village was a foodie hotspot for many decades. They even had 7 Michelin stars in 1992!
I’d recommend the following restaurants for lunch and dinner:
- Bohème: A fantastic, modern yet unpretentious restaurant headed up by Peruvian chef, Manuel Rondan. There’s BBQ steak, ceviche and plenty of Mediterranean dishes with incredible, locally sourced ingredients.
- La Place de Mougins: This is a seriously good classically French restaurant serving up some killer food. Their tasting menus are designed around the incredible local produce. Expect lamb from Provence and Bouillabaisse made with local fish.
There aren’t too many spots open throughout the day but Pablo is a small tabac with a terrace that serves coffee and drinks non-stop.
FAQ: Mougins
Where to Park
There’s plenty of free parking in the old village which makes it incredibly easy to come by car.
The parking is on different levels and it’s all free. You can find the entrance here.
If you enter and you can’t find a space immediately you can continue further down the hill. Note that there is an elevator which takes you directly to the Place des Patriotes.
When’s the Best Time to Visit?
The small village is always popular with tourists visiting and staying in or nearby the village. That said, I’ve never found it to be too busy.
I’d suggest visiting in May, June or very end of August and September to avoid the crowds and the heatwaves!
How Long Does it Take to Visit?
If you’re just wanting to walk around the village then I would say you could see it all in 45 minutes – it’s not big!
However if you take your time, have lunch and visit the museums it will take around half a day.
Where to Stay
There’s plenty of beautiful luxury and boutique hotels in Mougins. Here are my favorites:
- La Rèserve: Is a beautiful 4* boutique hotel with a lovely pool area giving incredible views out over the hills.
- Le Mas Candille: A stunning 5* hotel designed by Hugo Toro.
