Old town of Menton

Old town of Menton @Joëlle MartinMENTON’SMarvellousWinter FestivalMenton, AKA the ‘pearl of France’ on the French Rivierais a fabulous winter destination says Janine Marsh.“My grandparents told me that Adam andEve planted the lemon trees here” said aman standing next to me at the top of a hill inMenton, overlooking the Mediterranean Seaabove a swathe of terracotta rooftops. I musthave looked sceptical as he added “They saythat Adam and Eve took not just an applefrom the Garden of Eden but a lemon. Andwhen they arrived here, it was as beautiful asparadise, so they stayed a while and the seedsfrom their lemon grew here, cherished by thesoil, the sun and the sea air.” He laughed andspread his arms wide looking out over thetown below us. I could see his point – this littlecorner of the French Riviera is enchanting.Menton is on the border with Italy. Here theAlps drop down to the sea whilst providingprotection from the wind for the ancientcoastal town at their feet – and that givesMenton a unique microclimate. It lured Britisharistocrats, including Queen Victoria, tospend their winter breaks in the sun here inthe 1800s. The legacy of their time includesseveral exotic gardens, and celebrity gravesincluding William Webb Ellis, inventor of thegame of rugby in 1823 and artist AubreyBeardsley, who, like many Brits, came for thesunshine and fresh air, believed to be a curefor Tuberculosis. These early wealthy touristsalso inspired the architecture of Menton, and8 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 9