The famous Menton Lemon Festival in France is celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2024.

It will come as no surprise that the theme for this year’s Menton Lemon Festival in France is the Olympics.

And with over 200,000 visitors annually, believe me when I say this festival packs a serious punch.

From the massive ornate floats made of citrus fruit to the marching bands and live music, people are celebrating everywhere you look.

It’s the carnival to end all carnivals with sculptures made of fruit, which use over 15 kg of oranges and lemons and reach up to 10 metres tall.

So let’s dive in and discover what makes this festival so special, and why so many people flock here each year.

When and Where is Menton’s Lemon Festival?

The festival is held annually in Menton on the French Riviera near the Italian border. It has a mild Mediterranean climate and is a picturesque town often called the “Pearl of France,” a title earned due to its beautiful beaches and lush greenery. 

The town’s architecture reflects a mix of French and Italian influences, with colourful buildings and a lovely old town.

It’s known for its art museums, including the Jean Cocteau Museum and its historic Basilica of Saint Michael the Archangel. 

And this year, the festival starts on the 17th of February and ends on the 3rd of March.

What is the Lemon Festival in Menton?

H2 What is the Lemon Festival in Menton?

The Menton Lemon Festival, or “Fête du Citron” in French, celebrates the region’s rich citrus harvests. It originated in the late 19th century when Menton was a major lemon producer. 

The idea for a festival emerged as the town’s hoteliers wanted to attract more visitors during the winter. They began by decorating their establishments with lemons and oranges, which eventually evolved into a town-wide celebration.

The ‘stars of the show’ are the elaborate floats and structures adorned with lemons and oranges, parading through the streets. 

These citrus artworks are a great display of the local creativity and love for their culture, and the themes change annually. 

Besides the parades, the festival includes gardens of lights and nighttime events, where citrus-themed sculptures and decorations are illuminated, creating a magical atmosphere. 

You can also enjoy exploring the local food and craft markets, offering a taste of regional specialities, which, of course, feature citrus flavours.

What you need to know at a glance

• Location: Menton, French Riviera, France.
• Time: Annually, mid-February to early March.
• Duration: About two weeks.
• Origin: Began in the late 19th century.
• Purpose: Celebrates the region’s rich citrus harvests, originally to attract winter tourists.
• Citrus Used: Over 140 tonnes of lemons and oranges are typically used in decorations.
• Main Attractions:
  • Giant sculptures and floats adorned with citrus fruits.
  • Parades featuring these citrus-themed artworks.
  • Nighttime events with illuminated displays.
• Visitors: Attracts over 200,000 visitors each year.
• Economic Impact: Significant boost to the local economy, especially for the hospitality and tourism sectors.
• Themes: Varies annually, featuring different creative concepts.

What are the main Festival Events?

There are plenty of events, but the best thing to see is the carnival floats. The mind boggles as to how they create them and come up with the concepts.

Corso des Fruits d’Or (Golden Fruits Parade)

This is the main event of the festival, and as I said above, is a stunning display of thematic floats, with acrobats and dancers creating a fabulous carnival feel.

They’ve had lots of different themes over the years, and this year it’s all about the Olympics, as you’d expect. 

Previous years include Disneyland in Lemon Land, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Rock and Opera.

The Golden Fruit Parade typically takes place on Sundays during the festival. For the 2024 Menton Lemon Festival, the parade is scheduled on February 18 and 25, and March 3, from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm. 

The route usually runs along the Promenade du Soleil, set against the backdrop of Menton’s picturesque seaside setting.

Corso Nocturne (Night Time Parade)

Similar to the daytime parades, the Corso Nocturne has beautifully designed fruit-themed floats, but this time they’re illuminated, so they take on a different look.

You still have dancers, musicians, and acrobats alongside the float, but the whole thing is heightened.

The combination of lights, music, and the night sky creates a really magical feel to the whole thing. And then, add in the fireworks, a real drawcard, and you can see why it’s so popular.

For the 2024 festival, the Corso Nocturne is scheduled on Thursdays, February 22 and 29, from 9 pm to 10.30 pm.

Exposition des Motifs d’Agrumes (The Exhibition of the Citrus Pattern)

The Exhibition of Citrus Patterns is a highlight of the festival with displays of large-scale sculptures made from lemons and oranges. 

They are absolutely huge, reaching over 10 metres high and created by skilled artisans who meticulously attach thousands of lemons and oranges onto wire frameworks to form various shapes and figures. 

As you can imagine, the process is labour-intensive, often taking many hours to complete a single sculpture. And there are ten or more of these giant structures.

The exhibition is held in the Biovès Gardens, the perfect place to showcase them surrounded by greenery in lovely parkland.

Each year, the sculptures follow a specific theme, which influences their design and presentation and keeps the exhibition fresh and exciting for repeat visitors.

H4 Jardins de Lumières (The Gardens of Lights)

At night, the Biovès Gardens turn into a ‘garden of light’ as the sculptures are lit up, and bathed in light and completely transforming them.

The Handicraft Fair

Located near the Biovès Gardens, this fair offers a chance to explore and taste regional products like orange wine, limoncello, beer, honey, and jams.

I’ve always loved Limoncello, and although it is usually associated with Italy, Menton produces their own variety, and it is seriously good.

The unique taste of the Menton lemon makes it distinctive, and you’ll find plenty of stalls selling it, so make sure you try some while you’re there.

The Orchid Festival

This free exhibition at the Palais de l’Europe showcases a diverse and colourful collection of orchids.

Is the Festival free to attend?

No, you’ll need a ticket, which can be purchased in advance through the festival’s official website.

The Exhibition of the Citrus Pattern, the Orchid Festival and the Arts and Crafts Show are free to attend, all the other shows, parades and workshops require a ticket.

A look at the 2023 Menton Lemon Festival

The History of the Menton Lemon Festival

According to legend, the lemon first arrived in Menton because of Eve, the same Eve as Adam and Eve. 

After being banished from the Garden of Eden, Eve took a lemon with her. As they wandered, Adam asked her to get rid of and Eve agreed, but only under the condition that it be left in a paradise-like location. 

This place, chosen for its beauty, is believed to be where Menton now stands symbolising the beginning of lemon cultivation in Menton.

By the 1800s, the Riviera had turned into a holiday hotspot and was particularly popular with the British. Doctors would prescribe a trip to recuperate to their Victorian patients, extolling the virtues of Menton’s health benefits.

Tourism started to boom, and along with it, the need for more luxurious hotels for the monied guests arriving in the town, which included royalty. 

Queen Victoria was very fond of the place and first visited in March 1882 on her royal train, staying at the house of a friend, Le Chalet des Rosiers. She also travelled for health reasons, and her favourite spot was the garden of the English doctor, Dr Bennett. 

It was his book, ‘Winter and Spring on the Shores of the Mediterranean’, that had people flocking to the Riviera to recover from tuberculosis in the winter months. 

By the 1920s, though, Menton had become a summer destination, but the clientele had started to change. 

The wealthy visitors of the winter had turned their back on Menton and were favouring the French Alps instead. The summer visitors were more budget-oriented, and couldn’t afford the high-priced hotels or gourmet restaurants.

Something needed to be done, and in 1928, one of the hotel owners came up with the idea of hosting a winter festival that featured the fruit cultivated in Menton.

It was a roaring success, so much so that it doubled in size the following year. 

Realising they were onto something, the hoteliers got together and created the first La Fête du Citron in 1933.

Slowly but surely, it grew and grew, and it now attracts visitors from around the world with its fantastic sculptures, carnivals and firework displays.

How to Get to Menton

Being in the Riviera, Menton is close to major cities like Nice, approximately 30 km west, Monaco, around 13 km to the northeast, and Italian towns like Ventimiglia and Sanremo to the east. Cannes and Antibes are further west of Menton, roughly 55 km and 45 km away respectively.

By Air

The nearest international airport to Menton is Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, offering a wide range of international and domestic flights. From the airport, you can continue your journey to Menton by train, bus, or car.

By Train

Menton is well-connected by train. The main train station, Gare de Menton, offers regular services linking to Nice, Monaco, and other towns along the Côte d’Azur, as well as to Italian cities. 

The TGV high-speed train from Paris also stops at Nice, where you can catch a regional train to Menton.

By Car

If you’re renting a car and driving to Menton, it’s a lovely scenic journey along the French Riviera. The A8 motorway, running from Aix-en-Provence to the Italian border, is the main route. 

Take exit 59 for Menton if you’re driving from the west, or the last exit before the Italian border if you’re coming from the east. The drive from Nice to Menton takes about 30 minutes under normal traffic conditions.

FAQS: The Menton Lemon Festival in France

Final thoughts on going to the Lemon Festival in 2024

France is famous for its food and loves to celebrate its cuisine at any opportunity it gets. 

There are a myriad of food festivals happening over the year, such as the Truffle Festival in Sarlat and the Strawberry Festival in Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne.

There is even an Omelette Festival in April, usually held over Easter weekend.

A lot of planning goes into them, and the whole community comes together to make the magic happen.

So, if you get the chance to go to Menton in February and experience the Lemon Festival, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

The post The Menton Lemon Festival | 90th Anniversary in 2024 appeared first on Life in Rural France.