Cote d’Azur Travel Guide: Menton, France
Visiting Menton, France
a slow travel guide for the crown jewel of the French Riviera
First published: September 12, 2022
Last updated: April 13, 2023
Planning a trip to the Côte d’Azur (also known as the French Riviera) in the South of France?
This breathtaking, rocky area of France stretches along the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea, from the Italian border in the east to Toulon and Saint-Tropez in the west, where the Côte d’Azur ambiguously transitions to the Provence region of France.
One place you must not miss when exploring the Côte d’Azur is the beautiful French-meets-Italian town of Menton. I’m sharing with you some of my favorite areas to explore in Menton, along with details about train travel and why this is the perfect place to serve as your “home base” while you are in the South of France.
Bienvenue à Menton (Welcome to Menton!)
Officially one of my favorite places on earth, Menton is the last French town along the rocky Côte d’Azur coastline of France, perched on Mediterranean Sea just before the Italian border. Much smaller than nearby Nice, Menton has beaches, gardens, beautiful streets, plenty of local shops, a harbor, and laid-back Italian charm. It’s the perfect place to serve as your home base when exploring the Côte d’Azur in the South of France.
A Blend of Cultures: French & Italian
The regional commuter train continues right across the border into Italy, and you can easily see the border when wandering along the eastern stretches of the city. While the blending of Italian and French cultures is pretty strong throughout the Côte d’Azur, it really stands out in this border town. In fact, much of the signage is in French and Italian, and many of the staff we encountered at restaurants seemed comfortable if not fluent in both languages.
Look at this beautiful little church, with the soft afternoon light and the glow of the terracotta-colored buildings found throughout Vieux Menton. I just love wandering the picturesque streets with lampposts, winding pathways, colorful buildings, and plenty of surprise vistas overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
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Why Menton Should Be Your Côte D’Azur Home Base
I like staying in Menton because it’s bigger than many of the surrounding towns. Most towns and communes have just one stop on the regional train line. Menton is bigger: it has two stops on the line (called the TER), with lots of shops, restaurants, and plenty of locals and tourists alike. There are large swaths of beach and boardwalk, and parking is much more straightforward compared to Nice. Menton also has a favorable human-to-gelato ratio (don’t miss the Mentonnaise flavor of gelato at Tutti Frutti!).
Menton isn’t nearly as big as Nice, which is about 45 minutes down the road (by train or car). Menton is the perfectly-sized town, because it’s easy to get to, there’s plenty to see and do… but it gets you out of the busy city of Nice. If you’re like us and you are coming to the South of France after a stay in a large city like Paris, a change of pace in a smaller city like Menton might be just what you need! Bonus: you can take the train to the Italian side as well, since the TER train also stops at Ventimiglia just over the border in Italy.
I captured this image below from the Cimetière du Vieux Château, a beautiful, sober cemetery with absolutely incredible vistas over Vieux Menton, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and Menton’s Plage des Sablettes. You can even see the Italian border in the near distance. This photograph, Red Rooftops, Before Sunset, is a souvenir to remember the breathtaking views and peaceful, bright serenity of this magical place.
A Regional Specialty: Menton Citrus
Menton is known for its citrus fruits. The lemon-flavored items are hard to miss, and I’d be surprised if you’re not addicted to lemon-flavored desserts by the time you leave! The Menton lemons are pungent and taste a bit sweeter/more full-bodied than what you’d typically find in a grocery store. And when I visited in May with my husband, we couldn’t believe that the city was just filled with orange trees, covered in fruit (except for the lower branches - we’d clearly missed our opportunity to snag a fresh off-the-tree orange!). Menton even hosts an annual Fête du Citron (lemon festival) every February to celebrate the region’s delicious citrus fruits.
I love that the colorful walls, some of which I tried to capture in the photos below, are plentiful in Menton. Sure, the brightly-colored walls found throughout Menton aren’t unique to this town - they are plentiful among the many beautiful small towns that dot the Côte d’Azur. However, I really do think that the colors are a bit bolder over in Menton. Perhaps it’s the proximity to Italy, or perhaps it’s the pride and love of the Menton lemon and citrus fruits that residents carry over into their paint choices, making for beautiful walks among many brightly-colored buildings… especially in the “old city” (Vieille Ville de Menton).
Don’t Miss: The Vieille-Ville de Menton
The crown jewel of Menton is the old city, called the Vieille Ville de Menton, meaning the old town of Menton or Old Menton.
This area is filled with winding pedestrian streets and colorful stucco buildings in yellows, oranges and terracotta reds, with green and blue contrasting windows and doors.
The buildings are rather higgledy-piggledy, especially to accommodate the steep decline toward the beach.
You will find yourself climbing stairs on some of the “rues” (streets), many of which are pedestrianized, while exploring the area.
The Chapelle des Pénitents-Blancs and the Basilique Saint-Michel Archange de Menton are perched at the top of a hill overlooking a quiet beach below. A beautiful, picturesque square connects the two buildings with an incredible vantage point over the Plage des Sablettes, with views of both the French and Italian mountains in the near distance. The stunning orange staircase opposite the Chapelle des Pénitents-Blancs leads you down multiple stories, each with a beautiful view, all the way to the Quai Bonaparte across from the Plage des Sablettes. The opposite view: from the beach toward the bright orange stairs steps above, is just as stunning.
The vibrant orange basilica and its domed steeple are gorgeous against the blue of the Mediterranean sky. I spent every evening wandering around these streets, and my hope is that I did the beauty of this special place even a small bit of justice through my lens.
The Plage des Sablettes
This quiet, calm beach is tucked away in a tiny bay off the Vieille Ville de Menton (Old Menton), along the Quai Bonaparte. It is a beautiful place to relax, especially in the evening.
When you’re enjoying the Plage des Sablettes, be sure to take a few minutes to walk out along the jetty at the edge of the small harbor for an incredible view of the colorful buildings in the Vieille Ville (Old Menton). If you can catch golden hour just before sunset, you’ll be in for a treat.
Have you visited la belle ville de Menton? Or perhaps I’ve inspired you to add this beautiful place to your list of travel plans - let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
Bon voyage,
~ Lauren
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