Since writing this article I have returned time and again to this super park, either with family and friends but mainly just with Freddy my Fox-Terrier. We have both enjoyed our walks there especially in winter when you have incredible views of snow-topped Alps as a backdrop. Like many of the parks now along the French Riviera a new law came into force in 2006 banning dogs from public parks unless they are kept on the lead.  

The Etang de Font Merle (sometimes spelt Etang du Fontmerle) was a happy discovery for us. We first came to learn of its existence when we visited Mougin’s Tourist Board in February 2004 while researching about the pretty town of Mougins.

Like the good little hamsters we are, we duly picked up all their leaflets, but instead of hoarding our treasures, we decided to pop down that very same day and find out more about this pond. How is it possible, we wondered, to live so close - and not know about it - especially when it’s home to such a remarkable plant?

Walking round the pond, we realized just how exceptional it was and promised ourselves a return visit in summer to see the lotus plants as they flower from July through to mid-September.

The Font Merle
The Etang de Font Merle sits on the edge of a larger park known as La Valmasque. This enormous park covers 561 hectares and overlaps the communes of Valbonne and Mougins.

It is divided into four sectors:

• les Clausonnes (167 hectares)
• le Fugueiret (135 hectares)
• Font Merle (154 hectares)
• le Carton (105 hectares)

The Font Merle is bordered by 12 hectares of open meadow, and edged by a kaieidoscope of trees; Aleppo, Oak and Stone Pines, Holm, Bald Cypress, Weeping Willows and Poplars.

In and around the pond (with a surface area of 5 hectares) are reeds, bulrushes, sedge and iris plants. In summer bramble and sloe bushes squabble for space - as do hordes of visitors. Parking then becomes impossible with weekends a particular nightmare.

When we visited the park this summer we did so during the week, just before lunch time, and found it relatively quiet which was great.

The park is also visited by wild boar, foxes and Garenne rabbits who cleverly keep well out of sight. But the main attraction are the lotus plants as the pond is home to the largest lotus colony in Europe: Nelumbo nucifera from Asia.

Nelumbo nucifera
This exquisite flower was first implanted in the pond in 1970. Growing from the mud at the bottom of the pond, it rises above the water on stems sometimes 2 metres high. The fragrant showy blossoms, which open for just three days, are usually white or pink with 15 or more oval, spreading petals, and can reach 25 centimetres in diametre. The seeds are contained in a flat head but cone-shaped fruit.

This large green seed head (or pod) remains on the top of the stalk for a long time, gradually turning darker green and ripe. The pod then reverts to the water, where it floats face down, allowing seeds to take hold in the mud. The seeds then germinate the following spring and give rise to new lotus plants.

The dark green leaves can measure up to 1 metre across and it was fun to see the difference between winter and summer time. When we were last there in February the leaves were invisible but now nearly carpeted the entire pond.

There are two man-made vantage points from where you can get a good look of the pond and its wildlife; with one platform depicting pictures of the local bird life. Thoughtfully, a few wooden picnic benches have been installed although disappointingly no doggy toilets - so watch out for dog poo everywhere if you’ve young children running around.

Edible too
It appears that all parts of the lotus plants are edible and considered a culinary delicacy. The immature seeds can be eaten raw or cooked and have a chestnut-like flavour. Ripe seeds are roasted and ground into flour, or boiled to extract oil. Lotus roots produce starchy tubers and have the taste of sweet potato. The young, unrolled leaves are cooked as a vegetable.

But perhaps this beautiful plant is better known as an extremely important spiritual symbol in Eastern religions. It represents purity, divine wisdom, and the individual’s progress from the lowest to the highest state of consciousness.

Water & migrating birds
Apart from the wonderful display of lotus flowers, the Font Merle pond is one of the few places where over sixty species of birds have been spotted. Some live here all year round: mallard, ducks, coots, little grebes and moorhens. Kingfishers and grey herons can also often be seen.

Little egrets and purple herons come in spring while many duck species winter near the pond. It is also home to threatened protected birds, like the little bittern and great reed warbler which reproduce in the area.

While we were there we saw a number of ducks and a few birds, but heard many more.

As the pond is fairly shallow, carp, tench, eels and various frogs live and spawn there. A very useful little fish has particularly prospered: the Gambusia, which feeds on mosquito larvae and thus protects the environment.

In 1992, the Font Merle pond was dying, invaded by the reed-like Phragmites, which reduced the water surface to 3%. With funding from the General Council of the Alpes Maritimes département and the commune of Mougins, the reeds were cleared out and now half of the five hectares are again covered in water. Obviously, to protect the ecosystem no hunting or fishing is allowed.

Le Manoir de l’Etang
Of course, all this walking might just open up your appetite, so Le Manoir de l‘Etang situated justa stone's throw from the park is ideally located.

Built in 1790 this beautiful manor was once owned by Général Gazal (1765-1845), Count de La Peyrière and Général de l'Empire. Now set in four hectares of land, landscaped by Stephen Woodhams, it is surprisingly Provençal in style and a wonderful retreat both as a restaurant and hotel. 

The restaurant “Il Lago” serves faultless Italian food and menus are extremely reasonable for such a location. And with outdoor dining overlooking the pond - this would be the perfect place to end a lovely day.

(Le Manoir de l’Etang is open from the middle March through to the end of October)