Enjoy the Lemon Festival during your weekend in Menton!

Originally, the Lemon Festival as it’s known today was just a carnival, created in 1895 by local hoteliers. Popular with locals and royalty, the Menton carnival reached its peak in 1882, when Queen Victoria attended the celebrations. At that time, its themes and the way it was held were typical of traditional popular carnivals, with parades of giant figures, plenty of confetti, flower parades and fireworks.

The event took on the fruity flavour it’s known for today in 1929 to pay homage to the town’s star citrus fruit. As explained in a previous article, Menton’s lemons have  incredible qualities which make them unique and particularly well-suited to use in high-quality cooking. From then on, the event began to include lemon and citrus-inspired floats and other decorations, using up to 120 tonnes of fruit! The term “Lemon Festival” was officially used for the first time in 1934.

Over 15 days, from 17th Februrary to 3rd March 2024, Menton will come alive with lemons. A guaranteed rhythmical programme is waiting for you for this edition “The Olympics from antiquity to the present day”:

• The Jardins Biovès (Bioves Gardens) will be filled with fruit as part of the gardens’ majestic frescos, mosaics and sculpture, all created entirely from citrus fruits.
• Every Sunday, watch the golden fruit corso parade, where the floats decorated with thousands of oranges and lemons will delight young and old alike. Enjoy two special night-time corso parades/
• Enjoy the perfect opportunity to stroll around  the Jardins de Lumière (Light Gardens).

Whether you’re planning a longer stay on the Cote d’Azur or just a weekend in Menton, the Lemon Festival (Fête du Citron®) is an event not to be missed! For a perfect stay on the Cote d’Azur, don’t forget to visit Nice and its Promenade des Anglais and stop off in Cannes to admire la Croisette.

In addition to the lemon-themed celebrations, you’ll be able to enjoy a range of other activities during your stay. The Cote d’Azur is filled with artists and craftsmen of all kinds who will be in Menton to show off their local products. If flowers are your thing, the  Orchid Festival will be taking place at the same time in the Palais de l’Europe.

And of course, you mustn’t forget your 3-star hotel in Menton, the Royal Westminster. With its rooms with a sea view, its restaurant offering traditional and authentic cooking and its bar terrace, ideal for seminars and receptions, there’s no doubt that you’ll enjoy yourself in this lemon-flavoured town!