Mandelieu-la-Napoule: our Petit Bambou visit and my favourite walks

The last tomatoes of the season, kale, and Swiss chard: our story at Petit Bambou begins with Céline’s shopping before sitting down at the table. Caroline joined her at Campagne Orso to understand what she was going to cook. This restaurant is part of our Mandelieu, along with the places where we have eaten and the stays at the Cigales.

I lived in the Cannes-Mandelieu area for thirty years. The walks I recommend go from Siagne to La Napoule, with San Peyre for views from above and the Estérel for a longer outing. You can stay several days at the same base and move from the water’s edge to the trails, while obviously keeping a spot for the meal.

The French-language film below was made at Petit Bambou in 2020. It tells the story of our meeting with Céline and her way of cooking at that time; for the current menus and service days, the restaurant’s contact details are below.

At Petit Bambou, Caroline follows the menu back to the shopping

Caroline used to buy her fruit and vegetables at Campagne Orso. In her article, she recounts that Céline also did her shopping there for Petit Bambou. For the film, she meets Céline there among the produce that will shape the week’s menu. Céline had already started her shopping when Caroline arrived: the last tomatoes are still there, along with kale and Swiss chard.

The discussion revolves around what the producers have to offer that day. Céline explains that she follows the seasons and then composes the meals with what she finds. After the vegetables, there are grains, flours and other ingredients still to collect. To understand her small menu, you just need to follow these shopping trips: the available products determine what will go into the kitchen.

A former cook on boats, a cuisine to pass on

Back at the restaurant, Caroline asks her how this story began. Céline cooked on boats for wealthy people for a long time. She talks about her family and what meals represent: origins, childhood, recipes that resurface years later. At the birth of her daughter, she chose to return to work on land and open a place of her own to share that cooking.

At the time of filming, she had chosen a short menu. In her account, Caroline describes a starter, two main dishes, with a vegetarian option, and then a few desserts. Céline mentions the gamble involved in keeping the menu so short. Caroline describes it as her favourite restaurant, somewhere she feels welcome and comfortable. She emphasizes Céline’s kindness and that of her team, from the welcome to the dessert.

The restaurant extends this family story into its objects. The radio comes from an aunt, the phone from a friend, a poem from her mother is hung on the wall. Her husband Cédric designed the little bamboo logo and other illustrations present on-site. Caroline also points out the little crocheted hens, a gift after Céline fell in love with them. These details tell how the place has filled up, one person and one object after another.

Breaded goat cheese and family béchamel

Then we return to the preparations. The purchased vegetables have made their way to the kitchen, and Céline is particularly working on fresh goat’s cheese that she portions before coating it with walnuts and hazelnuts. A honey sauce is to accompany them. She counts the portions to know how many people she can serve; Caroline follows the steps and asks her how she goes about it. The menu announced earlier becomes a dish in the making.

Another moment focuses on the béchamel. Céline explains a method passed down from her grandmother and Cédric’s aunt: gather the ingredients, heat and stir, rather than first preparing a roux and then adding the milk. Caroline is interested in this way of doing things, while Céline continues her preparation. These are the everyday cooking tricks passed from one generation to the next, discussed while the pans are on the stove.

Céline also talks about the choice of suppliers. She seeks to work with producers and maintain deliveries that she can manage for her restaurant, taking into account quantities and transport. The vegetables come as much as possible from the region. Caroline discovers this organisation with her: the shopping, the quantities to plan and the preparations to work through before service.

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Two plates photographed at Petit Bambou in September 2020, around the time of our filming.

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A dessert photographed at Petit Bambou in September 2020.

To go there now, the tourist office references Petit Bambou Café at 244 rue Jean-Monnet. Its current listing provides the contact details and announced services. Check the current menu and opening days directly with the restaurant.

La Napoule: the castle, the beach, and a first walk

For a first half-day, I recommend La Napoule. The castle is located directly by the sea, with the port and beaches nearby. You can connect these places on foot, view the building from the shore, and then choose to visit the interior and the gardens. It is also the area to combine with San Peyre if you want to extend the walk to the heights.

The medieval fortress of the Villeneuve family has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. In 1918, Henry and Marie Clews bought the ruins and undertook to rebuild them. Henry is a painter and sculptor: his imaginary figures are found even on the capitals, among the porphyry columns. By looking at the sculptures of the castle and gardens, you also discover the world invented by this American artist in the 20th century.

The La Napoule Art Foundation, owner of the castle, still hosts artists in residence and preserves the Clews’ legacy. For museum and garden visits, check the presentation of the castles by the tourist office, then the access conditions for the day. Save time for the gardens if you want to discover how the sculptures fit into the setting.

The Siagne riverbanks: a walk through Mandelieu

Siagne is part of the walks I recommend to discover another part of Mandelieu. This coastal river originates in the Grasse region and flows into the sea here. The landscaped banks connect the coastline to the Capitou district; you can thus choose a section to walk, with the river as a guiding thread, rather than multiplying trips between isolated points.

Around Robinson Park, the route allows you to find the water’s edge and continue along the riverside paths. The walk also runs alongside the Golf Old Course and the Rowing Club, where rowing takes place. These are useful landmarks to understand what you are passing through. The tourist office details the access to the banks of Siagne, particularly towards Robinson and the sports park.

I suggest this outing when you want to walk on relatively level ground. La Napoule gives you the castle and the seaside; here, you follow the river through the city. If you stay several days at the Cigales or elsewhere in Mandelieu, these are two walks to keep separately to change the scenery from the same base.

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San Peyre: the bay viewed from an ancient volcanic hill

To gain elevation, I recommend San Peyre, above La Napoule. Its summit reaches about 131 metres. The park managed by the Alpes-Maritimes council occupies a volcanic cone, linked to the former activity of the Maure-Vieille sector. Pines, cork oaks and Mediterranean scrub line the climb; from the top, you can pick out the bay of La Napoule, the valleys of Siagne and Argentière, and then the hills of the Estérel.

The few remains at the summit also have a history: the castle of Avignonnet and a chapel dedicated to Saint Peter were built in 1182. They were then destroyed in the 14th century. The Provençal name San Peyre refers to this Saint Peter. This explains these remnants of walls on a hill that one can first choose for its viewpoint. The Department presents the history and access of the park, as well as any closed sections of trail to avoid.

To organise your day, you can combine La Napoule and San Peyre, considering the ascent as a real part of the walk. The figure of 131 metres seems modest from a map; there is still a path and elevation between the beach and the panorama.

Estérel or Tanneron: choose the landscape for the next outing

Estérel extends my recommendations if you want to leave urban walks. Its red rocks come from its volcanic history; the rugged coast and reliefs change the scenery as you move away from La Napoule. Choose a specific itinerary, with its starting point and duration: a trip on a trail in the massif and a walk near the castle do not require the same organisation.

Tanneron is in another direction, with the mimosa hills and the Grand Duc forest. To see the flowers, look particularly at January and February, depending on the year’s weather. The tourist office distinguishes these massifs in its presentation of natural spaces. I recommend both areas; choose the one that corresponds to the season and the time you want to spend outdoors.

NKI Sushi and L’Aparté, two other restaurants we’ve visited

We also ate at NKI Sushi and L’Aparté. I recommend them in addition to Petit Bambou, depending on what you feel like eating. At NKI, we go for sushi; L’Aparté is the pizzeria run by twins. To find them, NKI is located at 467 avenue de Cannes and L’Aparté at 809 boulevard des Écureuils.

You can thus organise the meal according to where you finish your walk, with these two addresses or Petit Bambou. The small menu at Petit Bambou, a pizza, or sushi: you already have several ways to end the day.

Sleeping in Mandelieu in a motorhome: look at the pitches, not just the address

We have already stayed at Camping Les Cigales on return visits to Mandelieu, with the motorhome parked in the city. The establishment is located at 505 avenue de la Mer and welcomes camper vans on pitches where the electrical power depends on the chosen category. Its official listing provides the equipment and contacts.

Before booking, indicate the length of your vehicle and check the opening for the targeted dates. The price of a pitch, the electrical power, and the available services matter more for your stay than an old average. The presence of a pool on a listing does not imply that it is usable all year round.

To look for other solutions, our applications for motorhome stops can help you find places. Once the location is chosen, organise your outings from this base: on foot for a nearby area, with transport if you want to reach another neighbourhood, and without assuming that a parking spot by the water also allows overnight stays.

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For the journeys, check the train station or the stop really close to your accommodation, then the route to the visit. The Mandelieu-La Napoule station serves the La Napoule area; it is not next to every campsite or neighbourhood in the municipality. With a vehicle already parked in its spot, transport can avoid the need to search for a new place in Cannes.

When to come, and for what budget?

For walking, I’d look first at spring and autumn. In summer, you can build the day around an early walk and time at the beach. Winter changes the program: it is the season to watch for mimosa, while some tourist services operate differently than in summer.

The budget is calculated quite simply once your program is chosen: accommodation or pitch, meals, transport, and paid visits. A day of walking along the banks or by the seaside can leave the largest share for the meal; an entrance to the castle or an excursion adds another expense. I would therefore compare the necessary bookings for your dates, rather than relying on precise-looking old prices.

The map of Mandelieu-la-Napoule

These markers locate the castle, San Peyre, Robinson Park, and the campsite. They allow measuring the distances between areas that are sometimes grouped a bit too quickly under the name of Mandelieu.

PS: the sea is down below, the view is up high. It’s the little detail to keep in mind before choosing shoes for San Peyre.