several palace-like

several palace-like former hotels remain in thetown and on the hills overlooking the sea.Today’s Menton is a more bustling place,but it retains an air of relaxed joie de vivre.It’s undoubtedly influenced by its Italianneighbour but resolutely French. Smaller andmore sedate than its famous neighbour Nice,a few kilometres round the coast. And lesschi-chi than next door Monaco. However, thisFrench Riviera beauty has so much going for itthat it’s hard to know where to start singing itspraises, but I think the lemons have it.Lemon historyLemons have been cultivated in Menton for800 years. In the 14th century, the Grimaldis- who were at the time the ruling family ofMonaco and Menton – built a summer palacefacing the sea and they grew citrus fruits inthe garden.Lemons have been important to Mentonever since, and by the 19 th century annualexports topped a whopping 35 million lemons.Production declined through the late 20 thcentury until the unique flavour of the Mentonlemons underwent a revival.sculptures portraying Olympic athletes -rowers, swimmers, wrestlers all made fromfruit! The 2025 theme is Journey to the Stars!There are night-time parades called LesCorsos, with the streets taken over by bands,acrobats and dancers, and floats thatfeature dreamlike magical animals and giantcreatures made from oranges and lemons.Confetti canons blast a colourful mist ofrainbow-hued confetti over the happy crowdsas upbeat music fills the air.During the day there are shows, concertsand entertainment. It’s a feel good, funand fantastic festival – when life gives youlemons at Menton, you’ll definitely be in alemonade mood.Though it’s a celebration of the Mentonlemon, the fruit used to create the sculpturescomes from Spain, far more economical foruse in the floats but you can try the real thingat the many stalls that line the gardens, at therestaurants in town and by visiting producersin the hills. And afterwards, the festival fruit issold to the locals to make jam!Discover the lemonsLemon festivalIn 1895 local hoteliers thought a carnivalmight entertain the British visitors. They canhave had no idea how popular their ideawould become. In 1928 the carnival includedan exhibition of citrus fruits, and in 1934this officially became the Fête du Citron®,the Lemon Festival, in honour of the city’srevered fruit.Citrus sculpture in the Jardin BiovesView from La CasettaOne of the best ways to find out more aboutMenton’s unique lemons is to visit to LaCasetta, the municipal citrus nursery whichopens to the public during the Festival. Thissteeply terraced citrus grove flourishes in amagical setting, protected by the mountainsas it overlooks the Mediterranean. The nurseryboasts 120 different species. Centuriesold olive trees grow alongside the lemons,mandarins and oranges which were ripe foreating in mid-winter when I visited.Today’s Lemon Festival is a wildly wonderfuland joyful extravaganza of colour and scent.Monumental fruit sculptures up to 10m (33ft)high are erected in public gardens in thecentre of town. Made with a humongous130 tons of oranges and lemons, they are anincredible sight. Every year has a differenttheme, in 2024 it was the Olympics, huge“Menton lemons are unique because ofthe microclimate” the guide at the nurseryexplained. “Even in winter, the town basks inthe sun and the steep cliffs shelter the grovesfrom northern winds, while the sea provideshumidity. The climate is the most importantthing, then the care we provide, nurturing thelemons” he said proudly “it makes them the10 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 11