Menton is a colourful town on the French Riviera, very close to the Italian border. This town has been under the rule of Genoa, Sardinia, Monaco and finally France since 1861 (except the blip that was the Italian occupation of the area during WWII). Menton enjoys a special microclimate compared to the rest of the Côte d’Azur that is particularly favourable to citrus fruits. The lemon is the symbol of Menton and it’s said that the lemons here are so delicious that they can be eaten raw!
This fragrant crop is celebrated every February with the Fête du Citron carnival where you can see parades of structures made entirely of lemons! Although Menton is famous mostly for it’s lemon festival, it’s wonderful to visit all year round. Other than basking in the sun on the beach right on the port, here are a few things to do and eat in the area.
The Old Town
I feel like a lot of people pass by this town in favour of the more glamorous Nice and Monaco.This is such a shame as the old town of Menton is stunning. Just keep walking up and wander the little residential streets absolutely bursting with colour.
The Cemeteries
You may not be a lover of cemeteries like myself, but I would absolutely recommend wandering the cemeteries of Menton. Go to see the view of Menton’s rooftops and harbour. On the Mediterranean, it’s often the deceased that have the best views.
Reading the names on the stones is quite interesting here as an English speaker because Menton was a popular destination in the 19th century for aristocratic Brits and Russians enjoying the sun.
The second cemetery, at the very top of town, is a military cemetery. There you’ll find hundreds of graves from WWI & II of the young men from various countries that gave their lives. The cemetery is organised by battle; the immensity of this cemetery is sobering.
Eating in Menton
This town has a few restaurants on the port but none of them looked amazing to us. There are also surprisingly few bakeries and none near the port that looked very good. When we arrived, we walked around hungry for some time as I am now an absolute croissant/bread snob. Well, I suppose I’ve always been…
Jean Luc Pelé Boulangerie-Pâtisserie
We were a little worried before we found this haven of amazing pastry and bread. This is hands-down the place to go in Menton for baked goods. Run by an accomplished pastry chef, this bakery has three locations in the Menton area.
Restaurant
We had a delicious meal at JR Bistronomie. This is modern French gastro bistrot food.
Mentonnais Specialities
Menton cuisine is that of the Côte d’Azur. Therefore, like in Nice, you’ll find Socca (chickpea flour crepes), all kinds of sardines, Pan Bagnat, Salade Niçoise and more. However, Menton has a couple specialities of its own and the best place to find them (other than in a grandmother’s kitchen) is at the market.
The Menton Covered Market
Les Halles covered market is open every morning in Menton and extends to outdoor stalls on Saturday mornings. The market is often the first place that we head to when we’re visiting a new town. It’s the epicentre of any European town in my opinion. This market doesn’t disappoint! You’ll notice stands with Italian cheeses (Menton is only 20 minutes from Italia) and of course, many many lemons!
Something else you’ll notice is a lot of courgette flowers. We visited in August and there were buckets of them on every stall. One of the specialities of Menton is fried courgette/zucchini blossoms. Also, absolutely anything flavoured with lemon! If you’d like to taste the local cuisine you’ll have to seek out Barbajuans. These are a stuffed fried treat made with rice, spinach and cheese. You can find them in the market as well as an absolutely delicious artichoke tart that we devoured.
Lemon Products
There are a couple companies in Menton where you can find quality lemon products that range from cosmetics, to citrus-infused alcohols. These are great places to buy souvenirs and the best souvenirs, in my humble opinion, are edible!
In Town: Au Pays du Citron
Au Pays du Citron is a family-owned company with a store/atelier that creates all kinds of products with Menton lemons. Their limoncello is excellent and comes in different flavours. You can ask to taste them straight out of the freezer. We tried several of their citrus wines which are delicious. You can sip on these instead of muscat as an apéritif before dinner.
In the Countryside: La Maison du Citron
This company produces organic citrus fruits and sells jams, preserved lemons, syrups and citrus alcohols. Don’t be fooled by their flier, which shows pictures of their beautiful store in Nice. In Menton, we drove twenty minutes out of town up winding roads to find a cabin overlooking terraced lemon groves. This location is also a pepinière, or citrus plant nursery. We wandered the rows of citrus trees and deliberated which one to take home with us. After a break trying all of their jams (the simple lemon jam is the best) and sipping a glass of lemonade with mint, we chose two lemon trees. Where we’re located in Provence we’ll have to cover them in the winter but we’re so excited for the fruit!
Nearby Villages
In the hills behind Menton there are several medieval hilltop villages you can visit if you’re curious about the mountain views they offer and different architecture.
I would suggest visiting Gorbio and Ste Agnès. These are very small villages but fun for a wander and lunch out. Locals told us that their favourite restaurant is Beausejour in Gorbio. You can take the bus here from Menton instead of driving yourself if you’re anxious about the winding roads. They are quite narrow. Ask at the tourism office in Menton and they’ll be able to direct you.
Ste Agnès
In Ste Agnès you’ll find a museum with guided tours of a fort on the Maginot line. WWII history buffs would love it! This medieval village offers an expansive view over Menton and the sea. Climb to the castle ruins at the very top of the village for the best 360° view.
If you’d like to see videos from our wanderings in the old town of Menton and nearby villages, visit the CuriousProvence Instagram and check out the saved highlight “Menton”. Feel free to add more spots to visit in the Menton and Côte d’Azure area below!
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