Menton Christmas Market - Guide, Travel and Accommodation
In the Biovès Gardens and throughout the town. The Christmas festival in this charming Riviera town features lights, shows, and a Christmas market and nativity scene.
About the Christmas Market
Menton's Christmas Festival runs from the middle of December through to the first week of January. The casino gardens are transformed into winter wonderland with circus sideshows and all manner of entertainments. You can follow a trail around the alleys of the old town where dozens of nativity scenes have been placed in windows, grottos and various unexpected nooks and crannies. Along the seafront a little village of wooden huts springs up, in reality stalls selling crafts and antiques.
The Christmas market is usually open between 10am and 7pm, but please check with the local tourist board.
More About Menton
Tucked between Monaco and the Italian border, Menton is known for its mild winters thanks to its subtropical micro climate and year-round lemon crops. It has a lemon festival in February.
The pebbly promenade du Soleil with baroque belfry and high, pastel-painted houses overlook the beach.
Menton is the perfect spot for chilling out before or after the holidays or a base for Christmas shopping expeditions. The famous microclimate keeps the town a few degrees warmer than the rest of the coast, though there can be the occasional chilly day.
Menton offers other attractions:
Musée Jean Cocteau, in the most delightful building at the beachfront, devoted to the artist's output including his poems, pictures of his Mentonaise lovers (Inamorati series), drawings, stage designs and a collection of Fantastic Animals.
Salle des Marriages - registry office in the town hall, forming part of the Hotel de Ville on the place Ardoiono, decorated in inimitable style by Jean Cocteau in 1957.
Several impressive gardens dotted through the town including those at Garavan (Olive trees in Parc du Pian, Jardin Exotique, Villa Fontana Rosa). Les Colombiers, the best of the Garaven gardens, located hundred feet up the hillside, is the stunning garden set out by Ferdinand Bac. Winding paths, spectacular views, statuary mixed with balustrading, Roman arcades and pillars, tightly choregraphed garden design with an extraordinary vision (visit only in summer season).
Cimetière du Vieux Chateau - Russian Orthodox chapel, grave of William Webb Ellis - founder of Rugby football, view over town
Mare Nostrum brewery in the vilalge of Castillon behind Menton
Fête du Citron - there is a lemon-related festivities over several days in February
There are numerous good restaurants in the Old Town and down towards the port, which offer good value for money.
Accommodation in Menton
Accommodation in central Menton gets booked fast during the Christmas market period, so search for a hotel in Menton now. Alternatively you may want to try charming rural self catering accommodation near Menton, as during the winter months many holiday property owners allow short stays.
Transport quick facts about the markets:
Free Parking: No
Pay Parking: No
Coach Parking: No
Nearest Bus Route: Various
Nearest Railway Station: Menton Gare
Nearest Tram Stop: n/a
Nearest Tube Station: n/a
Nearest Airport: Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport
Nearest Ferry Port: Nice (see our route planner for driving directions)
As a foot passenger from the UK to Menton:
Menton is about 25 miles from Nice and has easy bus, train and road links with the airport and numerous low cost flights from the UK. There are excellent transport links.
By plane & train: Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport is approximately half an hour from Menton by the Motorway. Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport has direct flights or connections to most of the major cities in the world. It is worth checking online to find out which airlines are offering the best deals at the time. Book cheap flights to France .
The SNCF rail station is just outside the airport. You may prefer to get bus No99 which leaves from outside both terminals to Nice Ville station and then take a train to Menton. The train journey from Nice Ville to Menton Gare takes about 30 min only because the regional train will stop in quite a few places like Monaco. Book Eurostar and TGV tickets
The other way is to get the bus no 98 (from outside the terminals) and goes to Nice bus station. You can then get bus no 100 which takes about 40 mins to Menton.
There is also a direct express bus from Nice Côte d'Azur airport to Mention, service 101, via Monaco.
When driving from Italy, take A8 Exit Menton. Follow signs for Centre Ville.