If you’ve ever wanted to visit the French Riviera, one town you have to stop at is Menton! Menton is the last town of the French Riviera before you hit Italy, you can literally see Italy from the coast! It is a beautiful, colorful town with picturesque provencal buildings and surrounded by the turquoise-blue Mediterranean Sea. But what the town is most well known for is the Lemon Festival. The Menton Lemon Festival (Fête du Citron) is my favorite festival in the French Riviera! It is usually held during the last two weeks of February and attracts visitors from all over the world. Citrus fruits are in season in the winter in the South of France, so it’s the perfect time to visit this citrusy town.
The biggest attraction at the Fête du Citron is the huge display of larger-than-life sculptures made exclusively out of lemons and oranges. Every year there is a theme that connects each sculpture, last year the theme was Les Fêtes du Monde (world festivals), which celebrated important holidays and festivals in various countries from Germany’s Oktoberfest to Mexico’s Dia de Los Muertos.
Une tarte au citron. So yummy!
The entire festival is run by the City of Menton and is complete with a parade and various local artisans showcasing their products throughout the town. My two favorite things to pick up are lemon olive oil and lemon tarts (tarte au cirtron). Don’t pass them up!
How to Get There
The easiest way to get to Menton is via train. Menton is less than 30 minutes by train from Nice (towards Ventimille), but be prepared to go early as the train gets more crowded with tourists going to the festival throughout the day.
You can also drive, but parking is limited in Menton and many roads are temporarily closed or blocked due to the parade and influx of pedestrian traffic.
When you’re done with the festival, take a walk along the coast on the promenade.
This is such a unique experience and I highly recommend it to anyone who visits in order to get a better appreciation of the region!
Britt Kehaulani 