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Day Trip to Menton
Here is a fun travel guide that tells you the best things to do in Menton.
One of the top day trips from Nice, Menton is a lemon-scented town in the South of France.
A sleeper of a Riviera town, Menton doesn’t get nearly the same press as glitzy Cannes or larger Nice, and it’s not quite the tourist magnet that the Village of Eze is, but it has a softly enduring appeal.
Don’t expect the wildly luxe hotels that Monaco has or the chic appeal of Cannes, but do expect an enjoyable day.
What To Do In Menton
There are two obvious attractions in Menton: lemons and Jean Cocteau (more about him later).
There are also some terrific places to stroll. You’ll find Belle Epoque villas, slightly faded in yellows and dusty pinks.
There are beaches, gardens and a steep twisty old town capped by an atmospheric cemetery.
In addition to a scenic port, Menton has a hopping food scene. And palm trees. We mustn’t forget the palm trees.
Where is Menton?
Menton is in the South of France. It’s the last rail stop on the Côte d’Azur before you get to Italy.
Driving distance from Nice is about 30 km (20 miles).
Is It Worth Visiting?
Nice to Menton makes a great day trip. It’s a pleasant town that has a slower pace than many destinations on the French Riviera.
Getting There
Nice to Menton by Train
By public transportation from Nice to Menton, the train is the best option.
You can catch a train from Nice Ville Station. The fastest route is a direct train that takes 28 minutes, and there are many trains every day.
It’s the Regional TER Rail and is handy for a day trip to Menton if you’re staying in Cannes, Antibes, Nice or Monaco.
🍋 Travel Tip: Get off at the stop past Monaco called Menton Gare (Menton Station). There are two train stations in Menton. The other, Menton Garavan, is further east.
Nice to Menton by Bus
You can take the oh-so-slow Number 100 bus from Nice. It can take up to 2 hours so I wouldn’t advise it.
Is One Day Enough?
With some preplanning it’s possible to see Menton in one day. If you travel like I do, however, mismanaging your time and consistently getting lost, you may want to go twice. Or three times.
Or you can read this travel guide, learn from my mistakes and save some time. Then, and possibly not even then, will one day in Menton be enough.
Alternatively, you might want to stay a few days.
Royal Roots
Menton was a favourite with Queen Victoria. After her much publicized visit here in 1882, it immediately put it on the British travelers map.
Back in the 14th century, it was ruled by the Grimaldi Family, who still rule over nearby Monaco today.
A Warm Climate
Actually, before Queen Victoria visited, Menton was already on the British expat map.
People were drawn by its unique microclimate that makes it just slightly warmer than most French coastal towns, and allows lemon trees to flourish year round.
In the mid 1800s it was widely touted as a health destination, and the moneyed British upper crust moved in.
Some of its illustrious guests included Sir Winston Churchill, Aubrey Beardsley and writer Katherine Mansfield.
Where to Stay
If you decide to stay overnight, the 4-star Napoleon Hotel has a modern artsy vibe, a pool, fitness room and landscaped gardens.
More traditional is the stately Royal Westminster, with a privileged seaside location.
An affordable option is the central 3-star Hotel de Londres.
Things to do in Menton
Start at the Grimaldi Palace – the Palais de Carnolès
This pale pink and carved stone former palace was once owned by the Grimaldi family and was their summer residence.
🍋 Located on the Avenue de la Madone, Carnolès Palace now houses the Musee des Beaux Arts, the city’s art museum, and is set in a garden filled with Europe’s most extensive collection of citrus trees.
Learn About Jean Cocteau
To really appreciate Menton you need to know about Jean Cocteau.
He was a French poet and film director who moved to the French Riviera in the 1950s, and died in 1963.
(And no, he isn’t the same person as Jacques Cousteau, the undersea explorer who also liked the South of France, but yes, they do have the same initials.)
Who Was Jean Cocteau?
Jean Cocteau is one of those famous people you assume you know, but perhaps, when you think about it, you’ve no idea who he actually is.
If you are one of these people (and I’m not saying you are) let me enlighten you.
Jean Cocteau was an artist and sometimes opium addict.
He was a close friend of Picasso, not to mention Marlene Dietrich and Coco Chanel.
His most famous work is the novel, Les Enfants Terribles, which he wrote in 1929 while detoxing from an opium addiction.
Especially important is the fact that he liked Menton very much.
There. Consider yourself enlightened.
There are two main Jean Cocteau sights in town. There used to be three, but the big one, the former Jean Cocteau Museum, was closed after a devastating flood.
Nonetheless, it’s worth viewing the outside for the unique architecture. Besides, you can’t really miss it.
Walk Past the Musée Jean Cocteau – Now Closed
If you walk alongside the oceanside promenade, the former museum stands out like a half Surrealist, half Flintstones-ish building, a square of curved white pillars that look a bit like polished bones interspersed with dark glass.
In case you do manage to miss it, it’s located at 2, quai de Monléon.
And if you should happen to stumble upon it by chance rather than design, you’re halfway to becoming a Jean Cocteau acolyte, because he once wrote, quite cryptically:
Find First, Seek Later.
Jean Cocteau
It’s a marvellous quote when you think about it, and comes in handy any time you are lost. Try it out for yourself.
Visit the Bastion
🏆 Top Site
Once you pass the old Jean Cocteau Museum hop over to the Bastion.
It’s a tiny little fortress built in the 1600s that overlooks the Mediterranean, and was redesigned by none other than our famous friend, Jean Cocteau.
It’s not easy to miss the Bastion main entrance, but somehow I did.
Possibly you’ll want to avoid going behind the wall and around to the secluded side of the Bastion like I did, as you might happen upon a group of local teenagers sitting around in a circle, and it will be just you and them and the lonely sea and then you’ll feel quite stupid and pretend to be taking photographs and not looking for the doorway that was right in front of you after all.
Don’t worry.
If this happens look cryptic and say, “Seek first, find later.” And then put on your sunglasses and stroll away.
I told you the phrase would come in handy.
What Can You See at the Bastion?
The wonderful thing about the Bastion is that Cocteau was given full range to decorate it.
His stone mosaics outside in the walls are a delight, and its such a great contrast, the gloomy old fortress interior and his lively whimsical works.
The Bastion is also very small, so if you’re tired you can see it in just a few minutes, appreciate some of this work, then feel justified in having a drink in town because you have successfully engaged in something cultural.
See the The Wedding Chapel
🏆 Top Site
Sadly, my new “find first, seek later” mantra didn’t work out so well when I went in search of the other main Jean Cocteau site, the Wedding Chapel.
This is because (and here’s where you should learn from my mistakes) the wedding chapel closes at 4:30 p.m. and is not open on weekends and holidays.
Plus it closes for two hours at lunch.
Hours: Mon – Fri 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
(You also can’t view it if there is a wedding going on, so be prepared for disappointment.)
History of the Wedding Chapel – La Salle des Mariages-Jean Cocteau
In 1955, the town of Menton decided to update their unused former courtroom wedding hall, and gave Cocteau free reign to decorate it.
This he did, between 1957 and 1958.
He created a fantastical room with frescoes of enamoured lovers, romance and marriage, complete with guest appearances by Orpheus, Eurydice and the centaurs.
The style is linear and the theme of eternal love is heart warming and Cocteau designed not just the murals but the doors, candelabras and carpets as well.
The Wedding Chapel is located in the Menton City Hall at 17 rue de la Republique, and if you happen to be eloping to the South of France, perhaps you can get married there.
See your disappointments as good fortune.
Jean Cocteau
Mindful of another Cocteau quote, “See your disappointments as good fortune,” I chose to see missing the Wedding Chapel as a good thing.
This is because the other mistake I made, and continuously do so in France, is to want lunch at 3 p.m. Then the restaurants I really want to eat at, like the fabulous and friendly Petit Port have closed until dinnertime.
So, by having to go back to Menton a second time to see the Wedding Chapel and making sure to get hungry before 2 p.m., I got to eat lunch at Petit Port.
Explore Menton’s Food Scene
With all that fresh produce it’s no wonder Menton stands out as a foodie destination and there are various ways to explore it.
Check Prices and Availability For a 3-Hour Food Tour of Menton.
Petit Port Restaurant
I love a restaurant where you can put yourself in the hands of the owner.
Gabby, the owner of Petit Port, suggested one of the restaurant’s specialties, courgette flowers (sort of like a drumstick-shaped zucchini).
Stuffed with red millet, fish and potato, they came lightly deep fried – lighter than any tempura – and were served with salad and edible flowers.
I assumed they were edible because I ate them and didn’t die.
The meal at Petit Port was exquisite, right up there with the beef tartare at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes.
Petit Port is located at 4 rue du Jonquier. Tel: +33 4 93 35 82 62.
Mirazur – A 3-star Michelin Restaurant in Menton
Had I wanted to walk further, I would have opted for the 3-star Michelin restaurant, Mirazur, on 30 av. Aristide-Briand, Tel: 334918686.
And now I’m kicking myself for not making the effort, because Mirazur regularly makes the list of top restaurants in the world.
Helmed by Argentinian chef Mauro Colagreco, the restaurant combines chef Colagreco’s Argentinian and Italian heritage with French cuisine and local market produce from nearby Italy and France.
But I had such a lovely meal at Petit Port, with its quiet shady terrace and friendly owner – at one point, he brought over a pot of basil for me just to smell – that I would have missed out had I not been so lazy.
If you stay overnight or have more than one day in Menton, however, I recommend trying both.
Stroll Through Menton Old Town
One of the main things to see is the Old Town, and you’ll want to spend some time wandering around this medieval district filled with narrow streets, cobblestones and pale ochre buildings.
Travel Tip: Its quite steep. Wear comfortable shoes.
Stop in at Saint Michael the Archangel Basilica
Towards the top of the Old Town is the Basilica Saint Michael.
Four centuries old, it’s an ornate Baroque building and is visited by some 100,000 people a year.
Work on it began in 1619 but it wasn’t completed for more than two centuries.
Its bell tower, 53 metres high, is striking, as is its forecourt with its black and white stone mosaic ground.
Climb Up To the Old Chateau Cemetery
One of the most popular Menton attractions is the cemetery.
I think it’s because of the location, which is at the very top of the Old Town and offers wonderful views.
Other than the location, the Cemetery of the Old Chateau is best known, interestingly enough, for a Mr. William Webb Ellis, who invented rugby.
Enjoy Beach Time
Does Menton have beaches? Yes.
Beaches on the French Riviera are notoriously pebbly, but you can access some sandier Menton beaches between the old port and the Garavan Marina.
Most private beaches charge a fee, though there is a small free beach, and they offer good views of the Old Town if you turn around.
There is also a beach in front of the Jean Cocteau Museum.
Probably the most popular Menton beaches are Les Sablettes, which is fairly sheltered, and the long curve of the Plage du Fossan.
Val Rahmeh Botanical Garden
These beautiful gardens are the legacy of the British aristocrat, Lord Radcliffe, who used Menton’s mild microclimate to nurture a lavish garden of exotic tropical and subtropical plants.
These include a profusion of fruits and the rare toromiro tree, now extinct in the wild.
I am not making this up:
When I first went on the City of Menton’s official website to learn more about the Val Rahmeh Botanical Garden, which is named after Lord Radcliffe’s wife, I learned that it later had another owner.
And this is what I read: “The last proprietor, a rich and eccentric British whore, who loves flowers to passion.”
All the more intriguing to visit, if you ask me. My gosh, I love researching trips to the South of France.
Address: Val Rahmeh Botanical Garden, Avenue Saint-Jacques 06500 Menton
Jardin de la Serre de la Madone
Menton is a garden city and if you’re a fan you’ll be spoiled for choice.
One of the other local attractions is the Jardin de la Serre de la Madone. Filled with rare plants, it was created by a botanist from America named Lawrence Johnson.
Located on hilly terrain in the Gorbio Valley, inland from the coast, it fell to ruin for many years, but has been partially restored.
The gardens are about four kilometers from town and taxis can be upwards of 25 euros. You may want to take the bus.
Full confession: I gave this one a miss as it was a bit far to go for a day trip.
Go To the Lemon Festival – The Fête du Citron
🍋 Towards the end of winter Menton really heats up with the lemon festival.
The Lemon Festival attracts more than 200,000 people with arts & crafts, orchids (as well, of course, as lemons), parades, and dazzling sculptural displays at the Biovès Gardens.
If you’re in the French Riviera in February, this is one event not to miss.
Buy Lemon Souvenirs
🍋 In Menton, when life gives you lemons, you won’t be bothered making lemonade.
You’ll be too busy making – or at least purchasing – lemon-infused olive oil, candied lemon peel, lemon vinegar, Lemoncello liqueur and/or lemon-scented soaps.
See if you can spend a day in Menton and not buy anything. I dare you.
I bought a bottle of lemon olive oil at Au pays du citron de Menton at 22 rue Saint Michel.
Yum.
And then I ate waaay too many baguettes drenched in lemony olive oil.
Yet when I looked at my stomach in the mirror I blamed the mirror, not Menton (and certainly not my lack of willpower). For this I can thank another quote by Jean Cocteau.
Mirrors would do well to reflect a little more before sending back images.
Jean Cocteau
I totally agree with him. So instead of getting depressed about any baguette-eating weight gain on a trip to the South of France, you should laugh, because he also said:
Fight any instinct to be humorless, for humorlessness is the worst of all absurdities.
And who wants to be humourless in Menton?
Guided Menton Tours
If you prefer to do a guided tour there are a few day trips that include a visit.
Full-Day Italian Market, Menton & La Turbie Tour from Nice
This is a shared minivan tour that visits Menton, the village of La Turbie and goes over the French border in Italy. From US $148. Check prices and availability here.
With a Group? Menton Private Guided Tour
Private Tour From Menton – This is a private walking tour of Menton that takes in the sights and citrus scents of this scenic town. Price is per group, for up to 10 people. From $665 USD. Check availability here.
Conclusion
Maybe you can’t see all of Menton in a day, although I stand by the conviction that you can see a heck of a lot.
With its gentle appeal, fine restaurants and cultural attractions, this lovely town on the French Riviera is one worth savouring.
Visit Things to do in the South of France for plenty of ideas on where to go, why to go and what to do there.
Day tripping around the French Riviera? Read one day in Monaco, High Heels at the Cannes Film Festival, and one day in Grasse.
