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Things to do on vacation in Menton
The must-sees of a stay in Menton
Under the Riviera sun, Menton unfurls its treasures like a series of stopovers. Exotic gardens with rare scents, intimate museums, lively squares, panoramic views of the sea and mountains... Every step reveals a different facet of the city. Visitors are charmed by the market at Les Halles, the splendor of the basilica, the poetry of Cocteau... Further afield, an excursion takes you to Ventimiglia or Monaco, where Italian colors meet princely elegance.
Menton, a garden city
Since the 18th century, botanists and enthusiasts from around the world have taken advantage of the mild climate to plant Mediterranean, tropical, and subtropical species. This history of wintering has given rise to a unique plant heritage. Fontana Rosa with its romantic paths, the Serre de la Madone with its exotic collections, Val Rahmeh with its ode to luxuriance... These exceptional gardens offer a magnificent respite.
In the footsteps of Jean Cocteau
Jean Cocteau found his spiritual home in Menton. Two places are forever linked to him. The first is the Bastion, a former fort overlooking the sea, which he transformed and enchanted, even playing with the placement of the pebbles on the floor. It is not a museum, he said, but a living space where works of art must live, change, and breathe.
The second is hidden in the Town Hall: the wedding hall. Painted between 1956 and 1958, it tells a myth—that of Orpheus and Eurydice—but also of love, celebration, and poetry. Two places, two masterpieces: the legacy of a great poet.
Les Halles market, in the heart of Menton
Under an immense wrought iron vaulted roof, between the sea and the old town, Les Halles has been a Menton institution since 1898. The façade, decorated with ochre and green Saïssi ceramics, tells a chapter of local Art Deco history all by itself. Inside, voices rise and scents mingle.
People stroll, smell, chat...
Fresh herbs, sun-ripened fruit, IGP lemons, anchoïade or socca still warm... In this covered market, the stalls take you on a sensory journey.
Saint-Michel Basilica
Located in the heart of the Old Town, Saint-Michel Basilica has watched over Menton for nearly four centuries. Its tall bell tower, ochre facades, and cobblestone steps attract the eye and draw visitors in. From the square in front, the sea can be seen below, between the rooftops and palm trees. Inside, calm reigns, conducive to contemplation. When summer comes, music rises to the vaults: the Menton Festival finds its setting here. A place of silence and celebration, of stone and light.
The hilltop villages of the Menton hinterland
Nestled against the mountainside, the villages of the hinterland gaze out over the Mediterranean from their rocky promontories. Sainte-Agnès, the highest coastal village in Europe, spreads its narrow streets across the slope, offering breathtaking views all the way to San Remo. Castellar, with its Italian-colored facades, invites visitors to stroll beneath its vaulted passageways and flower-filled balconies. In Gorbio, a hundred-year-old elm tree watches over the square. The cobblestone streets and porticoed houses are embellished with giant succulents and Mediterranean flowers. Finally, the more secluded Castillon seduces visitors with its Provençal charm and creative energy. These beautiful links between the sea and the mountains are imbued with the sweet scent of yesteryear.
Les BaroQuiales, the baroque summer in Roya-Bévéra
Every summer for more than twenty years, the hilltop villages of Roya-Bévéra have echoed with the spirit of the past. In Sospel, Breil-sur-Roya, Saorge, and Roquebrune, the Les BaroQuiales Festival brings the rich baroque repertoire back to life. Concerts in chapels, open-air theaters, guided tours, workshops for curious minds: everything celebrates an art form that is both scholarly and accessible. On a square or under the vaults of a cathedral, music brings these exceptional cultural sites to life.
The Ventimiglia Market
Every Friday morning, just across the border, Ventimiglia undergoes a transformation. The seafront hosts Italy's largest market, a lively tradition where locals, cross-border workers, and vacationers come together. Clothing, leather goods, eyewear, everyday items... You'll find everything here. For a bargain shopping spree with the feel of an Italian getaway.
A getaway in Monaco
Less than half an hour from Menton, Monaco unfurls its elegant lines and unique charm. The old town climbs up the Rock, overlooked by the Prince's Palace and the cathedral. Below, the port sparkles, lined with majestic yachts. Stroll through the hanging gardens, explore the treasures of the Oceanographic Museum, and marvel at the Fontvieille district. The changing of the guard sets the pace in the mornings, Larvotto Beach invites you to relax, and the shop windows of the Carré d'Or shine like promises. For a day suspended in time, where refinement rubs shoulders with dizzying grandeur.
The Eileen Gray Villa in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
Perched on the rocks facing the Mediterranean, the E-1027 villa is well worth the effort to reach. A walk along the customs officers' path will take you there. Designed in the 1920s by architect Eileen Gray, this simple, bright white house is a declaration of love for modernism. Everything has been designed with fluidity, light, and well-being in mind. In Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, this visionary work dialogues with the sea, the hills, and the silence. An iconic villa that continues to inspire.
