Event Dates
From: Saturday, February 17, 2024
To: Sunday, March 3, 2024
The “Fête du Citron” (Lemon Festival) attracts more than 200,000 visitors every year to Menton
The “Fête du Citron” (Lemon Festival) attracts more than 200,000 visitors every year to Menton, a stunning French town sitting on the Italian border between the Alpes Maritimes and the Mediterranean, just thirty minutes from Nice.
- Stay on the seafront at the Hotel Prince de Galles, offering exceptional views, spacious rooms, a private beach and excellent service.
Menton
- Menton is a gorgeous town with a beautiful seafront promenade filled with cute cafes and restaurants. Climb the hills to the old town and take in the sweeping views from the Basilique Saint-Michel.
- Nice to Menton makes a great day trip. It’s a pleasant town that has a slower pace than many destinations on the French Riviera.
- A “Ville d’Art et d’Histoire”, Menton’s old town has a unique atmosphere: narrow cobblestone streets and squares with Baroque charm and Italian touches.
The Festival
- For more than 15 days, enjoy the zest-flavoured Golden parades and Night-time parades (parades of citrus floats animated by groups).
- Admire the Exhibition of citrus patterns in the gardens Biovès, visit the Crafts Fair and explore the Festival of Orchids with unforgettable scents.
- Discover a unique fantasy world. The theme for the 2024 edition is “The Olympics from antiquity to the present day”, as part of the Paris Olympics celebration.
- Discover “Exceptional” rated Bed and Breakfasts in Menton.
The History
- There’s a local fable in the French Riviera that when Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, Eve took a lemon with her and buried it in the spot that would become Menton.
- Whether or not you believe the myth, citrus fruit is at the heart of this French seaside town, leaving it awash in golden hues.
- Since the 15th century, the town’s residents have grown citrus trees, benefiting from a unique microclimate, a few degrees warmer than the rest of the Côte d’Azur.
- Menton’s famous lemons differ from other varieties because of their elliptical shape, lack of bitterness, richer colour tones and high-oil rinds that yield a more noticeable scent.
- Visitors can expect to savour citrus jams at breakfast, take limoncello shots at the end of dinner, and walk the streets with lemon gelato in hand.
- For a luxurious stay, book your room at Villa Genesis, a Luxury Collection Hotel rated “Fabulous” by guests with elegant rooms, outdoor pool and high-end amenities.
Corsos Nocturnes – The Night Parades
- Thursdays, February 16 and 23, 2023 – Illuminated floats, each more surprising than the next, parade on the Promenade du Soleil to the rhythms of brass bands, orchestras and folk groups.
- Every year, 400 people design, create and build ten 30-foot-tall sculptures of fruit with 140 tons of lemons and oranges.
- The result is surreal and singular. Beyond the visual display of vivid orange and yellow sculptures, the fruits tinge the air with the heady smell of citrus.
- Festival themes vary each year, with visitors coming from Europe and beyond to watch the Carnaval-style parades travel through town.
- The parades take place from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on the promenade du soleil in Menton.
Corsos Des Fruits D’or – The Daytime parades
- February 12, 19 and 26, 2023, from 2:30 pm to 4 pm on the promenade du Soleil in Menton
- Sunday is a day of celebration. Confetti lines the azure sky, and the atmosphere is electric with brass bands and folk groups twirling, zigzagging and dance=ing between the magnificent citrus floats.
- Tip. It is highly recommended to arrive in Menton before 11 am for the Sunday parades.
- Hotels fill up fast in Menton, especially during the festival. Many visitors choose to stay in Nice and take the train to the festival.
The Biovès Gardens
- February 11 to 26, 2023 – The Biovès Gardens have been dressed since 1936 in the colours of the sun, dazzling yellow and orange hues.
- Explore incredible decorations, some of which require almost fifteen tons of citrus fruits. Every year, it takes thousands of hours to make these ephemeral sculptures.
- Inauguration on February 11 at 2:30 pm – open to the public from 3:30 pm.
Getting to Menton
- Menton is located beyond Monaco, right on the border with Italy.
- From Nice, you can get there in half an hour by car (using the highway), or at the same time by train.
- A return train ticket costs €11.
Here are the hotels we recommend that have good reviews and keep you close to all the action
Hotel Prince de Galles, Villa Genesis, Ibis Styles, Hôtel Miléade L’Orangeraie.
Where to stay close to all the gay bars
Our top 4 selections with the best rates.
Villa Genesis is our preferred hotel when
staying in Menton for the Lemon festival
For further information and advice on
Fête du citron Lemon Festival Website
Book with confidence. Get the best Prices from our partner Booking.com
We have chosen hotels in Menton that keep you close to all the shops, restaurants & bars
Highlights of the Sunday parade at the Menton Lemon Festival