Menton

Menton is a charming town directly bordering Italy that provides a nice break from the hustle and bustle of Monaco and Nice. It is known primarily for its annual Lemon Festival.

Menton is located beyond Monaco, right on the border with Italy. From Nice you can get there in half an hour by car (using the highway), or in under 40 minutes by TER train. The cheapest way is bus 600 (formerly 100) from Nice (€2.20 in the ZOU! app or €2.60 from the driver), which goes through Monaco to Menton, but the trip takes up to 1.5 hours.

Menton at a glance

• Where: on the Italian border, about 30 km from Nice, beyond Monaco.
• Getting there: TER train from Nice (under 40 minutes) or bus 600 (€2.20 in the ZOU! app).
• How long: half a day, a whole day with the beach.
• When: in February for the Lemon Festival (February 13–28, 2027).
• Best view: the old town from the Sablettes beach and from the cemetery on the hill.

Menton is clearly divided into new and old cities. The Old Town occupies the entire hill in the center, with the Old Port being just next to it. You can reach both on foot using the seaside promenade – so just after leaving the train station, go to the beach and then turn left.

The Old Town in Menton

Perhaps the biggest attraction in Menton is its impressive old quarter. A dense network of very narrow streets and passages between tenement houses stretches across the entire slope and guarantees an unforgettable experience. Beyond every bend you will find stairs, narrow tunnels, and small entrance doors to apartments. The streets are even narrower here than in Villefranche-sur-Mer.

Interesting fact: Menton once belonged to the principality of Monaco. It broke away in 1848, together with Roquebrune, and in 1861 Monaco sold both towns to France.

Going uphill you reach the cemetery where you will find, among others, Polish, Russian, and English graves. On the way, you will pass the church of St. Michael the Archangel, built in the 17th century, whose tower dominates the entire city.

The Lemon Festival (Fête du Citron)

The city is famous around the world for its annual Lemon Festival (la Fête du Citron). The tradition of this event is associated with there being less tourist traffic during the winter months. So, to encourage tourists to arrive earlier than spring, the city started its winter festivities at the end of the 19th century, and the Lemon Festival in its present form has been held every February since 1936. In 2027 it runs from February 13 to 28, with parades on the Sundays.

Museums, market and gardens in Menton

Next to the old town, the covered market hall from 1898 (Quai de Monléon) is the place to buy fresh local food. Beside it stands the Jean Cocteau Museum; its modern main building was damaged by a flood in 2018, and Cocteau’s works are shown in the nearby 17th-century Bastion, every day except Tuesday (paid; details on museecocteaumenton.fr).

Menton is also called the city of gardens, thanks to the English aristocrats who built winter villas here. Among those worth visiting are the Val Rahmeh botanical garden, Fontana Rosa, Les Colombières and the Serre de la Madone. For a swim, the sandy Sablettes beach below the old town has the best view of it.

To spend more time on this calm stretch of coast, stay in Menton, often cheaper than Nice or Monaco: see hotels in Menton. The hotel links go to Booking.com: if you book through them we earn a commission, at no extra cost to you (learn more).