Menton
Pearl of France
The Pearl of France luxuriates in a warm microclimate with exceptional sunlight set on the French-Italian border, permeated with Belle Epoque and Italianate influences making Menton one of the most attractive towns on the French Riviera.
Located between the shielding Alps and the warm sea, Menton escapes the cold winter winds allowing it to maintain a temperate and moist climate several degrees warmer than the regional average. This climate ideal for growing lemon trees, orange trees, even palm trees, and mimosa has resulted the town is also known for its lemons, which are renowned for their flavour and celebrated every February with the Fete du Citron , Lemon Festival.
Menton offers many reputed parks and gardens from intimate parks, like garden Fonana Rosa or the The Novelists Garden on avenue Blasco-Ibanez, to botanical gardens such as garden Serre de la Madone on the route de Gorbio, the garden de la villa Maria Serena which overlooks the bay situated near the Italian border over the Balzi Rossi cliffs and the garden de Colombieres located in Garavan, once the residence of the artist Ferdinand Bac whose work still survives intact at the estate to this day.
Menton's old town perched upon a hill featuring a maze of narrow medieval lanes is a cascade of pastel-coloured buildings, home to Basilique Saint Michel, with its 18th-century bell tower, and the ornate facade of La Chapelle des Penitents-Blancs. A notable sight is a modern museum dedicated to the artist Jean Cocteau in a prime location in the centre of the town between the market and the seafront inaugurated in 2011.
On the hillside between the historic town centre and the Italian border lies the area of Garavan, a fine residential area with beautiful shady boulevards lined with ornate fronted mansions from the Belle Epoque era offering spacious accommodation and fantastic views of the bay, popular with overseas buyers who buy villa in Menton.
Menton is also home to the Mirazur two-Michelin-starred restaurant close to the Italian border, the glass-fronted restaurant perches on a hillside with breath-taking views over the bay and beach.
Should Menton be where you want to be, we can offer a selection of villas, penthouses and apartments to buy or rent, please contact us.