The southern French Menton is located on the Côte d'Azur, about 20 minutes from Monaco and only 5 minutes from the Italian border. It is a town to fall in love with instantly. The colorful houses in the center, the well-preserved buildings, the cozy shops, the six beautiful botanical gardens and of course the markets make this town a pleasant place. It is not for nothing that Menton is often described as 'the pearl of France'.
Because of its location between the mountains and the sea, Menton has the most hours of sunshine in all of France. It is therefore also the only place in France where lemons grow on the trees. The lemon has an important role in this place where the lemon festival is celebrated in February every year, as we described in an earlier blog post.
Le Vieux Menton is the beautiful historic center of this town. A large part of the old center is pedestrian area. In the winding streets with beautiful old facades you can stroll along the small shops or grab a terrace. You imagine yourself in a village from a bygone age. From some streets you have a beautiful view of the sea and the beach. La Rue Piétonne and Les Marches is a characteristic street for Menton with nice shops and cozy restaurants. This street leads to the garden of Campanin and the sea.
Menton has both public and private beaches. The most popular (but busy) beach is Plage des Sablettes, this beach is located in front of the historic center of Menton. The beach of Hotel Napoleon is a nice private beach with a tropical atmosphere. At the old port, the Vieux Port, lies the bay of Menton with the largest beach and the warmest seawater.
In Menton you can eat both French and Italian. Near the marina you have nice cafes and restaurants with a beautiful view over the sea. In the old town you eat in cozy, cobbled narrow streets that provide a homely and intimate atmosphere.
An attraction in Menton you can't miss is the Basilique Saint-Michel-Arange. This baroque church with its yellow and light green façade is the most beautiful and largest church in the region. The construction of this holy place began in the 17th century. When you climb the stairs you have a varying view of the beautiful details of the architecture. The clock tower rises high above the city and is beautifully lit at night.
Usually this is nog the place you want to visit during your holiday, but it is really worthwhile to visit the cemetery of the old castle of Menton. The walk from the Basilica Saint-Michel-Archange to the top of the hill where the cemetery is located is worth the effort. From the cemetery, which is built on the site of a medieval castle, you probably have the best view of the whole city. The terracotta roofs, the baroque church, the palm beaches, the marina and the beautiful blue of the Mediterranean are irresistible!
If you want to make a trip to Italy from Menton, San Remo and the ruined village Bussana Vecchia is a nice destination. At 45 minutes drive you reach San Remo and a little further is Bussana Vecchia. This medieval village was abandoned in the 19th century after an earthquake.
Around 1960 an international group of artists settled there (illegally) and since these new residents the village has been called 'International Artists Village' by the residents. The village is now one of the main attractions of San Remo where you can also eat Italian in one of the cozy restaurants.
