Last Updated on twenty fourth February 2023 by Sophie Nadeau
Sparkling Menton is the jewel of the French Riviera, a pastel hued dream stuffed with Italianate structure and surrounded by a sea of lemon groves. Each February, the city performs host to the celebrated Fête du Citron, the place all issues citrus are celebrated. Here’s the way to go to the Menton lemon competition and what to know earlier than you go.
2023 marks the 89th version of the competition. The theme is Rock & Opera.
History of the Menton Lemon Festival
Back in 1929, Menton was the largest lemon producer in Europe. A lemon competition has been held in Menton on an annual foundation since 1934, when the distinctive world occasion was based.
Although it was based earlier, there has solely been a carnival ingredient since 1955 and there has solely been a theme since 1959. Each yr sees no fewer than 240,000 guests who want to see the floats and occasions for themselves.
Today, the occasion is among the largest winter occasions on the French Riviera (second solely to Nice Carinval). There is a special theme annually, and the theme for 2023 is Rock & Opera. Previous themes have included Disney and Around the World.
The mascot of the city is ‘John Lemon,’ the cartoon of a lemon who sports activities an Elvis Presley like coiffure and who’s on the poster for all occasions. There’s even a bigger than life sculpture of John Lemon on the close by Nice Airport, the place you should buy lemon themed merchandise previous to your flight!
The competition lasts for 20 days and over 20,000 elastic bands are used to carry the 140 tonnes of fruit in place. Each night and early morning in the course of the occasion, a devoted workforce use cherry pickers to switch any mouldy lemons/ oranges with contemporary ones.
Lemon competition themes in recent times:
- 2001 : Les Contes de Perrault/ The counts of Perrault
- 2002 : Pinocchio
- 2003 : Alice au Pays des Merveilles/ Alice in Wonderland
- 2004 : Walt Disney Studio
- 2005 : Viva Espana/ Long dwell Spain
- 2006 : Menton invite les Carnavals du monde – invité d’honneur « Le Brésil »/ Brazil Carnival
- 2007 : Menton invite les Carnavals du monde – invité d’honneur « l’Inde »/ Indian Carnival
- 2008 : Menton invite les Iles du Monde/ Islands of the world
- 2009 : Menton fête les musiques du monde/ Music festivals of the world
- 2010 : Menton fait son cinéma/ Menton creates the drama
- 2011 : Menton célèbre les grandes civilisations/ Great Civilizations
- 2012 : Menton invite les régions de France/ Regions of France
- 2013 : Menton l’escale secrète du tour du monde en 80 jours/ Around the World in 80 Days
- 2014 : 20 000 lieues sous les mers/ 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
- 2015 : « Les tribulations d’un citron en chine/ Jules Verne theme continuation
- 2016 : Cinecittà/ Cinemaville
- 2017 : Broadway
- 2018 : Bollywood
- 2019 : Des mondes fantastiques/ Fantastical worlds
- 2020 : Les Fêtes du monde/ World festivals
- 2022 : Opéras et Danses/ Opera and dances
- 2023: Rock & Opera
What occurs to the lemons after the competition?
Once the competition has ended, the lemons and oranges are sorted by hand into those which might nonetheless be offered and those which should be composted (as a result of they’ve gone mouldy) and are offered at a particular Sunday market. It’s value noting that the lemons used within the Menton lemon competition usually are not truly grown in Menton however in Spain.
Events on the competition
Sculptures in Biovès Gardens (Exposition des Motifs d’Agrumes)
One of the extra common actions on the competition is just to walk by way of the Biovès Gardens, the place you possibly can take pleasure in bigger than life free to see lemon sculptures. There are plenty of stalls which resemble these of the Christmas Markets and promote all kinds of lemon themed merchandise from soaps to citrus bushes.
The Gardens of Lights (Jardins de Lumières)
At night time time, all the sculptures are illuminated. Strolling amongst the statues after nightfall was most likely my favorite time as lots of the day trippers had left the city and so that you had extra of the place to your self, to not point out that the citrus fruits regarded way more lovely submit nightfall!
The Golden Fruit Parade (Corso des Fruits d’Or)
There are additionally ticketed occasions. Each weekend, on a Sunday afternoon, there’s a parade of citrus floats which head by way of the city alongside the seafront on the Promenade du Soleil for tens of hundreds of spectators. These processions are accompanied by dancers, people bands, and so forth.
The Night-Time Parade (Corso Nocturne)
For two nights solely in the course of the competition interval, there’s a night-time model of the Golden Fruit Parade which finishes at 10:30 PM, earlier than there’s a firework show.
How to go to the competition
It’s free to see the sculptures, and I notably advocate going to see them at night time as they’re illuminated by lovely pastel hued lights. If you wish to go to any of the spectacles, you then’ll have to guide tickets upfront and take into account arriving by way of practice because the automobile parks can get fairly busy and full!
Unfortunately you possibly can’t convey your canine with you, and huge baggage are prohibited. You can also’t convey alongside any of the issues that you simply couldn’t convey to a giant competition or museum (weapons, firecrackers, and so forth).
The closest airport is Nice, which serves quite a lot of nationwide and worldwide locations, together with plenty of flights to London Heathrow. There are direct trains from Nice to Menton all through the day, which cease off in any respect the assorted different French Riviera cities en route.
Where to remain in Menton
Imagine waking up on daily basis to the sound of lapping waves and the screeches of seagulls up above. This is the fact of life in Menton, even if you happen to solely decide to remain for a number of days.
I’ve visited the French Riviera a number of occasions now, and have stayed in a single day in Menton, which was value it, if solely to benefit from the city after the day trippers had left. Here are a few of the finest locations to remain in Menton:
Mid-range: Steps away from the Musée Jean Cocteau and never far-off from the maze of streets that make up Menton’s outdated city, the Royal Westminster Hotel is ready alongside the backdrop of the Promenade du Soleil. As lovely on the skin because the rooms supplied inside, this lodge boasts a Belle Epoque facçade with some rooms providing sea views. Check charges and availability right here
Luxury: Truth be advised, some of the luxurious resorts in Menton is that of Napoleon, a four-star institution which is well-reviewed throughout reserving and evaluation websites.
Close to the ocean and that includes luxurious facilities resembling an out of doors pool, 24-hour reception desk, and a few rooms providing beachside views, different highlights embody free Wi-Fi and a bar on web site. Check charges and availability right here
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Sophie Nadeau loves canines, books, journey, pizza, and historical past. A fan of all issues France associated, she runs solosophie.com when she’s not chasing after the subsequent sundown shot or consuming one thing candy. She presently splits her time between Paris and London. Subscribe to Sophie’s YouTube Channel.