Menton is a picturesque town located on the French Riviera, at the far southeastern edge of France, just a few miles from the Italian boarder and about 20 miles east of Nice.
With a population of roughly 30,000 residents, Menton enjoys a mild, sunny climate that is considered one of the warmest on the Cote d'Azur.
The town is famous for its colorful old quarter climbing up the hillside above the harbor, its elegant Belle Epoque architecture, lush gardens, and relaxed atmosphere that feels distinctly more Italian than many other Riviera towns.
Historically, Menton was part of the Principality of Monaco for centuries before becoming French in the 19th century. Because of its unique microclimate, the town became a fashionable winter resort for wealthy British and Russian visitors during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Today, Menton is especially famous for its lemons and other types of citrus groves, celebrated every February during the internationally known Fete du Citron, when enormous sculptures and parade floats are built entirely from lemons and oranges.
Les Halles de Menton, commonly called the Menton Market Hall, shown below, is one of the town's most beloved gathering places and a centerpiece of daily life in Menton.
Located near the old harbor and just below the colorful old town, the covered market was built in 1898 in a classic Belle Epoque style with ironwork architecture typical of southern France market halls of that era.
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| Menton Market Hall |
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| Tea Time Boutique |
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| Menton Tile Fresco Mural |
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| Busy Menton street |
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Shirley descending a stone Menton stairway Basilique Saint-Michel-Archange is the architectural and spiritual centerpiece of Menton, dramatically perched high above the old town overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Built primarily during the 17th and early 18th centuries in an ornate Italian Baroque style, the basilica reflects Menton's long historical ties to the Italian states and the Principality of Monaco before the town became part of France. Its striking bell tower, pastel-colored facade, and sweeping staircase rising from the Place de la Conception create one of the most recognizable views on the French Riviera. |
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| Basilica Saint-Michel-Archange |
The beautiful stonework and pebble mosaic paving in Place de la Conception is one of the most distinctive features of old Menton. The square, directly below the Basilique Saint-Michel-Archange, is paved in traditional Mediterranean mosaic patterns made from carefully arranged rounded beach pebbles and natural stones.
Inside the Basilique, you will find richly decorated chapels, marble alters, frescoes, and a grand organ.
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| Another view of the Basilique Saint-Michel-Archange bell towers |
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| Street leading down to Menton harbor |
The Tarte Mentonnaise is a dessert specialty from Menton. The tart generally consists of a delicate buttery pastry crust filled with a rich lemon cream or custard made from fresh lemon juice, zest, eggs, sugar, and butter. Some versions like the one sold below are topped with meringue. I highly recommend you seek out this shop if you are in Menton. Their tarts are delicious.
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La Tarte Mentonnaise boutique Menton is all about lemons. You can find shops whose specialty is Limoncello and Mandarincello liqueurs. Others, like the shop below focus on Eau de Menton. Eau de Menton is a citrus-based eau de toilette created in 1947 in Menton by perfumer Louis Berneux. The fragrance was inspired by Menton's world famous lemons and the sunny climate of the Cote d'Azur. |
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| Menton War Memorial |
This was our first visit to Menton. We found that Menton offers the beauty and glamour of the French Riviera in a setting that feels more authentic, relaxed, and intimate than many of the other resort cities. You can stroll through the streets of the medieval old town, enjoy quieter, less crowded beaches, and experience a slower more authentic pace than other towns on the Riviera. We highly recommend that you include it on your trip to the French Riviera. www.sablethouse.com |
To tell the truth, my family would say that I am a "list" person; if a restaurant is not on a "list" such as Michelin, Gantié, Pudlo or recommended by Yelp, Chowhounders or well regarded by Zagat reviewers, I hesitate to try it out.
It was a beautiful day, the restaurant looked nice from the outside and the parking lot was full of cars with license tags starting with 83; the local tag number. For me, that is always a sign of a restaurant that is well regarded by the locals and I am happy to try it out, "list" or no "list".
Shirley considers lunch at Le Cercle to be one of the best meals of her life. A bottle (maybe 2, I can't recall) of chilled rosé wine, fresh seafood, local vegetables and outstanding although simple cooking made for a wonderful leisurely lunch, the kind of lunch the people of Provence are so famous for. 
We both ordered Sole. They actually brought the fish out to show us three different times so we could be sure it was fresh and cooked correctly; first before it was cleaned, the second time after the fish was cooked but prior to being deboned and finally deboned on a plate accompanied by a simple lemon wedge.
We finished our lunch with nougat glacé, a traditional frozen dessert of France. A petit café and we were ready to hit the road.
