Seniors Enjoy Menton, France

It is only a hop, skip and jump from Monaco and a must visit once you are on the French Riviera. Get your coffee senior friends, let’s go to Menton France today. Situated on the French Riviera, along the Franco-Italian border, it is nicknamed La Perle de la France (the Perle of France) with 316 days of sunshine a year.

Menton is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in southeastern France. Italian influences in the city are clearly visible, from the architecture, which is similar to the Italian towns of Cinque Terre, to the waiters who prefer to talk to each other in Italian.

Surrounding the once summer residence of the Princes of Monaco, the gardens of the “Palais Carnolès” contain the largest and most extensive fruit collection in Europe. Senior visitors will discover 400 specimens from about 100 different species : orange trees, grapefruit trees, clementine trees, mandarin trees, citron trees, kumquats.

Seniors Enjoy City Of Citruses

In French, the name Menton means “chin” and, senior visitors, you will have to keep your chin up here as the steep cobblestone streets are loaded with steps and alleyways.  The Menton beach is pretty cool too, so be sure to bring along a bathing suit.

Often referred to as the “City of Citruses,” the city has committed to encouraging landowners and farmers to replant lemon trees, orange trees, mandarin trees and other such as kumquats.

The “Menton Lemon”, which has a very specific taste and unique qualities, is in the process of being labelled. In February every year the world famous Lemon Festival is held. In this way, the city pays homage to the golden fruit, which is the symbol of the city.

Seniors Find ‘A Get-Away Place’

Menton is what I call one of those “get-away places,” where seniors can enjoy a leisurely stroll almost anywhere in this “little known corner” of France. With a population of 30,000, Menton is famous for its gardens.

I have always been impressed with the colors of Menton that fit together like an interesting jig saw puzzle: muted shades of ochre, pink and gold. TripAdvisor suggests the Old Chateau Cemetery, then the Basilica Saint Michel and the Botanical Garden.

I would also add the new Musée Jean Cocteau, Menton’s adopted artist, writer and film-maker, located in the Bastion of the port of Menton. Try to time your visit in August and take in the Menton Music Festival then dine in the Michelin Starred Mirazur Restaurant.

The town is full of old buildings, beautifully restored. A good example are the colorful buildings around the Place Ardoino, including the Hotel de Ville. The old town, le Vieux Menton, has an active pedestrian area, full of shops of all sorts and terrace cafés – although the rest of the town doesn’t really lack for these amenities either.

So, the next time you visit Nice or Monaco, slip over to Menton for a fun time. -jeb