Things to Do in Menton

Tucked against the Italian border, Menton trades the Riviera's bustle for pastel-coloured calm — an old town of steep, narrow streets climbing to a Baroque basilica, and a seafront lined with the lemon and citrus gardens that give the town its nickname, the 'Pearl of France'.

Every February, Menton's famous Fête du Citron transforms the seafront gardens into giant sculptures built entirely from citrus fruit. The rest of the year, its gardens, small museums and easy walking trails into the hills make it one of the Riviera's most relaxed bases — and a short hop from both Monaco and the Italian border towns.