SqueÈZE Your Day for Menton

“Menton” literally means “chin” in French, which indicates its southern position in France. Sitting on the Mediterranean Sea, between the border of France and Italy, the port city was once captured by Italy during the invasion of France in 1940. The annexation lasted for three years. As they belong to the Schengen Area, visa-free entry is allowed to stay no longer than 90 days.

Menton is well-known for its unpretentious charm. Exploration within the “Vieux Menton” is as if stepped into a painting. You can immerse yourself in the medieval buildings with cobblestone streets, with St. Michel Basilica and Cimetière du Vieux Château as the background. Plage des Sablettes offers the best shooting spot, when the sun lights up the houses in soft tones of ochre.

Legend has it that Adam and Eve were forced to leave the Garden of Eden due to the infamous forbidden fruit. Little do people realise that they brought a lemon. While they were looking for a suitable place to plant it, not only did Menton remind them of paradise lost, but the Garavan bay in Menton is nothing but an ideal place to flourish lemon, with its exceptional climatic condition.

Known as the “Pearl of France”, Menton is associated with La Fête du Citron. It can be dated back to 1875 when the hotel owners organised a party to entertain the rich to spend their winter on the coast. To compete with the neighboring Carnival of Nice, they started to exhibit the citrus fruit in 1928 to boost tourism. Currently, the parade attracts over 200,000 visitors annually.

Should the schedule permit, it is never too late to include Èze on the list. The castle once nestled on the cliffs of this Mediterranean village, when it still belonged to Provence. During the war of succession of Spain, Louis XIV noticed the strategic position of this eyrie, therefore destruction orders had been made on the recommendations of the Minister for the war.

Currently, the Jardin Exotique stands as a testament to its natural beauty. The scent of exotic blooms filled the air, and created an enchanting atmosphere that captivates the senses. Each step revealed a burst of colors and flora. For nature lovers and philosophers, an one-hour hiking via Chemin de Nietzsche brings you to the beach, before getting the 30-minute train back to Nice.

De l'une à l'autre,

Semblable et différente,

Unique certainement.

— Marina, Jean-Philippe Richard

Le jaune est le couleur du paradis

Une légende dit que Adam et Ève devaient partir au jardin d'Éden mais à force de manger le fruit défendu, ils n'ont pas pu? On ne s'est pas rendu compte qu'ils apportaient un citron au monde. Menton, non seulement leur rappelait le paradis perdu, mais aussi devenait un lieu idéal pour planter le citron unique grâce à sa condition climatique exceptionnelle.

On ne sait pas si Menton ressemblait à un paradis, mais cette ville est sans doute synonyme d’un paradis du citron. Chaque année, cette région produit environ 200 tonnes de ces fruits jaunes. En se promenant dans le Vieux Menton, on trouve des produits citrus. Regardez! Même les Rampes Saint-Michel étaient peintes en jaune. Quelle couleur symbolique du paradis.

Peu à peu, les citrons devenaient la matrice de l'avancée de Menton. Un groupe d'hôteliers locaux a décidé d'organiser un carnaval pour attirer les clients riches. Dans l'intention de rivaliser avec le carnaval de Nice, Menton a commencé à organiser la Fête du Citron chaque année. Depuis 1934, le défilé et les chars décorés d'agrumes peignent ce paradis tout en jaune.

Quand la vie vous donne des citrons? Faites la fête.