The French Riviera
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The French Riviera - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Musée Jean Cocteau
On the waterfront opposite the market, a squat medieval bastion crowned with four tiny watchtowers houses this extraordinary museum, France's memorial to the eponymous artist-poet-filmmaker (1889–1963). Cocteau spotted the fortress, built in 1636 to defend the port, as the perfect site for a group of his works. The museum has nearly 1,800 oeuvres graphiques, and about 990 are original Cocteaus, a donation from the late California businessman and Holocaust survivor Severin Wunderman's personal collection. This is a must-see.
2 quai Monléon, Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, France04–92–10–97–10Sight Details
Rate Includes: €5, Closed Tues. -
2. Basilique St-Michel
This majestic basilica dominates the skyline of Menton. Beyond the beautifully proportioned facade—a 19th-century addition—the richly frescoed nave and chapels contain several works by Genovese artists plus a splendid 17th-century organ. Volunteers man the doors here, so you may have to wait for the church to open (usually from 3 pm to 5 pm) before visiting. The parvis is the site of concerts during the August Menton music festival.
Parvis St-Michel, 22 rue St-Michel, Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, FranceSight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues., Thurs., and weekends -
3. Casino Barrière
At this modern downtown recreation complex, the sea views through huge bay windows may distract you from the slot machines. The casino is open daily from 11 am to 2 am (4 am Friday and Saturday).
2 av. Félix-Faure, Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, France04–93–10–16–16 -
4. Chapelle de l'Immaculée-Conception
Just above the main church, the smaller Chapelle de l'Immaculée-Conception (aka Pénitents Blancs) answers St-Michel's grand gesture with its own pure Baroque beauty. The sanctuary, dating from 1687, is typically closed to the public; however, on Wednesdays between 2:30 pm and 3:15 pm, you can try and slip in to see the graceful trompe l'oeil over the altar and the ornate gilt lanterns early penitents carried in processions.
Pl. de la Conception, Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, France -
5. Cimetière du Vieux-Château
High above the Parvis St-Michel, the Cimetière du Vieux-Château lies on the terraced plateau where once stood a medieval castle. The Victorian graves here are arranged by nationality, with an entire section dedicated to Russian royalty. The birth and death dates often attest to the ugly truth: even Menton's balmy climate couldn't reverse the ravages of tuberculosis.
Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, France -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Hôtel de Ville
The 19th-century Italianate Hôtel de Ville conceals a treasure by painter Jean Cocteau: he decorated the Salle des Mariages (Marriage Room) with vibrant allegorical scenes. Today it is used for civil marriages.
17 av. de la République, Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, FranceSight Details
Rate Includes: €2, Closed weekends -
7. Jardins Biovès
Directly in front of the tourist office, the broad tropical Jardins Biovès stretches 2,600 feet across the breadth of the center, sandwiched between two avenues. Its symmetrical flower beds, exotic trees, sculptures, and fountains representing the spiritual heart of town are free to visit, except during the Fête du Citron, when they display giant sculptures constructed out of 15 tons of citrus fruit, and also at Christmas, when it has a more festive feel.
8 av. Boyer, Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06560, France -
8. Marché Couvert (Les Halles)
Between the lively pedestrian Rue St-Michel and the waterfront, the marvelous Marché Couvert (Les Halles) is considered one of the best (but pricey) food markets in France. Its Belle Époque facade is decorated in jewel-tone ceramics, and it's equally colorful and appealing inside, where, each day, some 30 merchants sell homemade bread (one gluten-free) and mountains of cheese, oils, fruit, and Italian delicacies daily (be sure to try the local dish, barbbajuans, a fritter stuffed with Swiss chard and ricotta). On Saturday, there is a clothing market outside at Place Fornari. Across from the market, the Italian Café Sini sells to-die-for apricot croissants and mouthwatering pizzas.
Quai de Monléon, Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, France -
9. Parvis St-Michel
Up a set of grand tiered stairs that lead from the Quai Bonaparte, the Parvis St-Michel is a broad plaza paved in some 250,000 round white and gray stones patterned in the coat of arms of the Grimaldi family. The plaza was created in the 17th century by Prince Honoré II; the letter H is incorporated into the design as a kind of signature at the base of his great gift to the city.
Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, France -
10. Place aux Herbes
Right by the market, the pretty little Place aux Herbes is a picturesque spot for a pause on a park bench, a drink, or a restaurant meal in the deep shade of the plane trees.
Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, France -
11. Promenade du Soleil
Stroll the length of Menton's famous beachfront along the Promenade du Soleil: broad, white, and studded with palm trees, from Plage du Fossan in front of the covered market Marché des Halles westward to Plage de la Piscine, next to the indoor municipal swimming pool Les Bains du Cap (€7.50 entry). A little farther along the seaside walkway, Le Paradis de la Glace ice cream parlor is a reward any time of year.
Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, France -
12. Quai Napoléon III
To get a feel for the territory, start your exploration at the far east end of the Vieille Ville and walk out to the end of the Quai Napoléon III, which juts far out into the water. Above the masts of pleasure boats, all of Menton spreads over the hills, and the mountains of Italy loom behind. This is the place to be at sunrise.
Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, France -
13. Rue St-Michel
Serving as the main commercial artery of the Vieille Ville, Rue St-Michel is lined with shops, cafés, and orange trees.
Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06520, France -
14. Serre de la Madone
With a temperate microclimate created by its southeastern and sunny exposure, Menton attracted a great share of wealthy horticultural hobbyists, including Major Lawrence Johnston, a gentleman gardener best known for his Cotswolds wonderland, Hidcote Manor. He wound up buying a choice estate in Gorbio—one of the loveliest of all perched seaside villages, 10 km (6 miles) west of Menton—and spent the 1920s and '30s making the Serre de la Madone a masterpiece. Johnston brought back exotica from his many trips to South Africa, Mexico, and China, and planted them in a series of terraces, accented by little pools, vistas, and stone steps. Although most of his creeping plumbago, pink belladonna, and night-flowering cacti are now gone, his garden has been reopened by the municipality. If you don't have a car, you can reach it from Menton via Zest Bus 7 (€2.10).
74 rte. de Gorbio, Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, France04–93–57–73–90Sight Details
Rate Includes: €10, Closed Mon. and Nov. and Dec. -
15. Val Rahmeh Botanical Garden
This garden is particularly delightful in the fall, when the hibiscus and brugmansias are in bloom. Planted by Maybud Campbell in the 1910s and cherished by connoisseurs, it bursts with rare ornamentals and subtropical plants and is adorned with water-lily pools and fountains. The tourist office can also give you directions to other gorgeous gardens around Menton, including the Fontana Rosa, the Villa Maria Serena, and the Villa Les Colombières.
Av. St-Jacques, Menton, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 06500, France04–92–10–97–10Sight Details
Rate Includes: €7, Closed Tues.
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