Menton: A Day Trip Guide
A day trip guide to Menton — the pastel old town, the gardens, the Cocteau museum, the market and the Italian border, with chauffeur tips.
Menton is the last French town before Italy and the sunniest on the Riviera, a place of pastel façades, subtropical gardens and a gentle Italian accent. It makes a wonderful day trip from anywhere on the coast. Here is a day trip guide to Menton.
The pastel old town
Menton's old town rises from the seafront in tiers of yellow, ochre and pink, crowned by the baroque Basilica Saint-Michel-Archange and its beautiful parvis. Steep ramps and stairways lead up through the lanes to the old cemetery, with sweeping views over the coast to Italy.
Down at sea level, the covered Marché des Halles is a feast of Italian and Provençal produce, perfect for a morning stroll.
- The baroque Basilica Saint-Michel
- Colourful lanes and stairways
- The covered Marché des Halles
- Views along the coast to Italy
The gardens of Menton
Menton's mild climate makes it a city of gardens. The Serre de la Madone and the Jardin du Val Rahmeh brim with rare and exotic plants, while the Jardin Fontana Rosa and others reflect the town's long love affair with horticulture.
For garden lovers it is one of the richest destinations in France, and a chauffeur links the scattered gardens easily in a single visit.
- The Serre de la Madone garden
- The Jardin du Val Rahmeh
- Rare and subtropical species
- Gardens linked easily by chauffeur
The Cocteau museum and the border
By the seafront, the Jean Cocteau museum in the old Bastion holds works the artist created for Menton, which adopted him. And because Italy is minutes away, a Menton day trip pairs naturally with a hop across the border to Ventimiglia and its famous Friday market.
In February the town celebrates the Fête du Citron, filling the streets with sculptures made of lemons and oranges — a spectacle worth planning around.
Frequently asked questions
What is Menton known for?
Its pastel Italianate old town, subtropical gardens, the Cocteau museum, and the February Lemon Festival, all in the sunniest corner of the Riviera.
Is Menton worth a day trip?
Yes. The old town, the gardens and the seafront make a lovely, relaxed day, easily combined with a hop across the border into Italy.
Can you visit Italy from Menton?
Easily. Ventimiglia and its famous Friday market are minutes across the border, and a chauffeur can continue on to Sanremo.
When is the Menton Lemon Festival?
The Fête du Citron takes place in February, filling the town with sculptures made from lemons and oranges.
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