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Menton (; in classical norm or in
Mistralian norm The Mistralian norm is a linguistic norm for the Occitan language Occitan (; ), also known by its native speakers as (; ), sometimes also referred to as Provençal, is a Romance language spoken in Southern France, Monaco, Italy's Occitan ...
, , ; ; or depending on the orthography) is a commune in the
Alpes-Maritimes Alpes-Maritimes (; ; ; ) is a Departments of France, department of France located in the country's southeast corner, on the France–Italy border, Italian border and Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast. Part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'A ...
department in the
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (commonly shortened to PACA), also known as Région Sud, is one of the eighteen Regions of France, administrative regions of France, located at the far southeastern point of the Metropolitan France, mainland. The main P ...
region on the
French Riviera The French Riviera, known in French as the (; , ; ), is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is considered to be the coastal area of the Alpes-Maritimes department, extending fr ...
, close to the Italian border. Menton has always been a frontier town. Since the end of the 14th century, it has been on the border between the
County of Nice The County of Nice (; ; Niçard ) was a historical region of France and Italy located around the southeastern city of Nice and roughly equivalent to the modern arrondissement of Nice. It was part of the Savoyard state within the Holy Roman Emp ...
, held by the
Duke of Savoy The titles of the count of Savoy, and then duke of Savoy, are titles of nobility attached to the historical territory of Savoy. Since its creation, in the 11th century, the House of Savoy held the county. Several of these rulers ruled as kings at ...
, and the
Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa ( ; ; ) was a medieval and early modern Maritime republics, maritime republic from the years 1099 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italy, Italian coast. During the Late Middle Ages, it was a major commercial power in ...
. It was an
exclave An enclave is a territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of only one other state or entity. An enclave can be an independent territory or part of a larger one. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is s ...
of the
Principality of Monaco Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is a semi-enclave borde ...
until the disputed French plebiscite of 1860 when it was added to France. It had been always a fashionable tourist centre with grand mansions and gardens. Its temperate Mediterranean climate is especially favourable to the citrus industry, with which it is strongly identified.


Etymology

Although the name's spelling and pronunciation in French are identical to those for the word that means "chin", there does not seem to be any link with this French word. According to the French geographer Ernest Nègre, the name ''Menton'' comes from the
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
name ''Mento''. However, it is possible that the name of the city comes from ''Mons Ottonis'' (reconstituted) from the name of Otton II, the count of
Ventimiglia Ventimiglia (; , ; ; ) is a resort town in the province of Imperia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is located west of Genoa, and from the French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of the Roia river, w ...
from 1162-1200. In
Mentonasc Mentonasc (; Mentonasco in Italian, Mentonnais or Mentonasque in French) is a Romance dialect historically spoken in and around Menton, France. It is classified as a dialect of Occitan language, Occitan and a sub-dialect of Vivaro-Alpine dial ...
, the city's name is ''Mentan'', and in Italian ''Mentone''. An inhabitant of Menton, ''un mentonnais'' or ''un mentonasque'' in French, would be ''o mentonasc'' in the local dialect.


History

The Menton area has been inhabited since the
Paleolithic The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic ( years ago) ( ), also called the Old Stone Age (), is a period in human prehistory that is distinguished by the original development of stone tools, and which represents almost the entire period of human prehist ...
era, and is the site of the original " Grimaldi Man" find of early
modern humans Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are great apes characterized by their hairlessness, bipedalism, and high intelligen ...
, as well as remains of
Neanderthal Neanderthals ( ; ''Homo neanderthalensis'' or sometimes ''H. sapiens neanderthalensis'') are an extinction, extinct group of archaic humans who inhabited Europe and Western and Central Asia during the Middle Pleistocene, Middle to Late Plei ...
s and
Cro-Magnon Cro-Magnons or European early modern humans (EEMH) were the first early modern humans (''Homo sapiens'') to settle in Europe, migrating from western Asia, continuously occupying the continent possibly from as early as 56,800 years ago. They in ...
s. In
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
times, the
Via Julia Augusta The Via Julia Augusta (modern Italian Via Giulia Augusta) is the name given to the Roman road formed by the merging of the Via Aemilia Scauri with the Via Postumia. History The Via Julia Augusta was begun in 13 BC by Augustus, and its engineering ...
, a road connecting Placentia (now
Piacenza Piacenza (; ; ) is a city and (municipality) in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Piacenza, eponymous province. As of 2022, Piacenza is the ninth largest city in the region by population, with more ...
) with Arelates (now
Arles Arles ( , , ; ; Classical ) is a coastal city and Communes of France, commune in the South of France, a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône Departments of France, department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Reg ...
) passed through Menton, running along the Rue Longue in the old town. The first major settlement occurred during the 11th century CE, when the count of
Ventimiglia Ventimiglia (; , ; ; ) is a resort town in the province of Imperia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is located west of Genoa, and from the French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of the Roia river, w ...
constructed the ''Château de Puypin'' (''Podium Pinum'') on the Pépin hill, north and west of the modern town centre. During the 13th century, the seigneury of Puypin fell to the Vento family of
Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
who built a new castle along the Roman road, now the site of the ''Vieux-Château'' cemetery, providing the core around which the current town grew. Menton was thus incorporated into the
Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa ( ; ; ) was a medieval and early modern Maritime republics, maritime republic from the years 1099 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italy, Italian coast. During the Late Middle Ages, it was a major commercial power in ...
. The first mention of Menton dates from 21 July 1262, in the peace treaty between
Charles of Anjou Charles I (early 1226/12277 January 1285), commonly called Charles of Anjou or Charles d'Anjou, was King of Sicily from 1266 to 1285. He was a member of the royal Capetian dynasty and the founder of the House of Anjou-Sicily. Between 1246 a ...
and Genoa. Its position on the border between the Angevin-ruled
Provence Provence is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which stretches from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the France–Italy border, Italian border to the east; it is bordered by the Mediterrane ...
and the Republic of Genoa, which at the time claimed
Monaco Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a Sovereign state, sovereign city-state and European microstates, microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Regions of Italy, Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, ...
as its western limit, made it a coveted location. Acquired in 1346 by Charles Grimaldi, Lord of Monaco, Menton was ruled by the princes of Monaco until the French Revolution. Annexed during the Revolution, Menton remained part of France through the First Empire. It belonged to the district of
Sanremo Sanremo, also spelled San Remo in English and formerly in Italian, is a (municipality) on the Mediterranean coast of Liguria, in northwestern Italy. Founded in Roman times, it has a population of 55,000, and is known as a tourist destination ...
in the department of
Alpes-Maritimes Alpes-Maritimes (; ; ; ) is a Departments of France, department of France located in the country's southeast corner, on the France–Italy border, Italian border and Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast. Part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'A ...
, which at the time included Monaco and Sanremo. In 1814, Menton was included in a reconstituted principality of Monaco which, after Napoleon's
Hundred Days The Hundred Days ( ), also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition (), marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII o ...
in 1815, became a protectorate of the
king of Sardinia Sardinia is traditionally known to have been initially ruled by the Nuragic civilization, which was followed by Greek colonization, conquest by the Carthagians, Carthaginians, and occupied by the Ancient Rome, Romans for around a thousand years, ...
. The princes of Monaco were obliged to do homage to the king for Menton, although not for Monaco itself. In 1848, Menton, along with its neighbour Roquebrune, seceded from Monaco, due at least in part to a tax imposed on lemon exports. They proclaimed the Free Cities of Menton and Roquebrune during the 1848 revolutions related to the Italian
Risorgimento The unification of Italy ( ), also known as the Risorgimento (; ), was the 19th century political and social movement that in 1861 ended in the annexation of various states of the Italian peninsula and its outlying isles to the Kingdom of ...
. The Free Cities of Menton and Roquebrune hoped to be part of the Italian kingdom of Sardinia. Two years later they placed themselves under the protection of the Italian kingdom of Sardinia where they were administered by the
House of Savoy The House of Savoy (, ) is a royal house (formally a dynasty) of Franco-Italian origin that was established in 1003 in the historical region of Savoy, which was originally part of the Kingdom of Burgundy and now lies mostly within southeastern F ...
for ten years. The Treaty of Turin concluded on 24 March 1860 between the Kingdom of Sardinia and Napoleon III's France called for the annexation of the
County of Nice The County of Nice (; ; Niçard ) was a historical region of France and Italy located around the southeastern city of Nice and roughly equivalent to the modern arrondissement of Nice. It was part of the Savoyard state within the Holy Roman Emp ...
to France, subject to a
plebiscite A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a direct vote by the electorate (rather than their representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either binding (resulting in the adoption of a new policy) or adv ...
, as a reward for French assistance in Italy's war against Austria. The plebiscite, with universal adult male suffrage, was held on 15 and 16 April 1860, and resulted in an overwhelming vote in favour of annexation (833 for versus 54 against in Menton and Roquebrune). The County of Nice was thus annexed to France that June, and Napoleon III paid 4 million francs in compensation to the prince of Monaco, who renounced his rights in perpetuity on 2 February 1861.
Nice Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one millionGiuseppe Garibaldi Giuseppe Maria Garibaldi ( , ;In his native Ligurian language, he is known as (). In his particular Niçard dialect of Ligurian, he was known as () or (). 4 July 1807 – 2 June 1882) was an Italian general, revolutionary and republican. H ...
, who promoted the union of the
County of Nice The County of Nice (; ; Niçard ) was a historical region of France and Italy located around the southeastern city of Nice and roughly equivalent to the modern arrondissement of Nice. It was part of the Savoyard state within the Holy Roman Emp ...
to
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, complained that the plebiscite was not done with "universal vote" and consequently Menton was requested by Italian irredentists. The publication of ''Winter and Spring on the Shores of the Mediterranean'' (1861) by the English doctor James Henry Bennett had a profound effect on Menton, making it a destination for sufferers of tuberculosis. By the end of the 19th century, tourism was an important factor in Menton's growth. The town was popular with British and Russian aristocrats who built many of the hotels, villas, and palaces which still grace Menton today. Many of these hotels and palaces were pressed into service as hospitals during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
to allow injured troops to recuperate in a pleasant climate. Menton was the only sizable settlement captured by Italy during its invasion of France in June 1940. Following the
armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from t ...
of 22 June 1940, two-thirds of the territory of the commune was annexed by
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
as '' terra irredenta''. The annexation lasted until 8 September 1943. Although officially returned to
Vichy France Vichy France (; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of the French capitulation after the Battle of France, ...
, Menton was in fact occupied by
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
until its liberation by American and Canadian troops of the
First Special Service Force The 1st Special Service Force (FSSF) was an elite joint American–Canadian commando unit in World War II, formed by Lieutenant Colonel Robert T. Frederick of the Operations Division of the U.S. General Staff. During the Italian campaign of W ...
on 8 September 1944.


Geography

Menton, nicknamed the ''Pearl of France'', is located on the
Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...
at the Franco-Italian border, just across from the
Liguria Liguria (; ; , ) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is roughly coextensive with ...
n town of
Ventimiglia Ventimiglia (; , ; ; ) is a resort town in the province of Imperia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is located west of Genoa, and from the French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of the Roia river, w ...
. Menton station has rail connections to Paris, Marseille, Cannes, Antibes, Nice and Ventimiglia. The smaller Menton-Garavan station is situated between Menton and Ventimiglia. The fishing industry was devastated in the 1980s and 1990s due to a combination of overfishing and hypoxia in the bay. At the time, the devastation was erroneously attributed to the dubiously nicknamed "killer algae" '' Caulerpa taxifolia'' (a non-native Asian tropical green alga first discovered in the
Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...
adjacent to the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco in 1984) spread throughout the coastal sea floor. Later, sound scientific findings revealed that the seaweed was adept at absorbing pollutants and excess nutrients, actually aiding the recovery of native ''
Posidonia ''Posidonia'' is a genus of flowering plants. It contains nine species of marine plants ("seagrass"), found in the seas of the Mediterranean and around the south coast of Australia. The APG system (1998) and APG II system (2003) accept this ge ...
'' sea grass and enhancing local fish populations and overall biodiversity.


Climate

Menton has a very mild subtropical microclimate with an average of 316 clear or mostly clear/mostly sunny days per year. Under the Köppen system, Menton features a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (''Csa''). However, the milder winters (on average) and the warmer nights in summer (on average), compared to the rest of the French Mediterranean coastal area, provide Menton with a particular micro-climate, with significant warm-summer Mediterranean climate (''Csb'') influences and characteristics, like coastal
Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...
. This is usually experienced along the coast between
Nice Nice ( ; ) is a city in and the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative city limits, with a population of nearly one millionVentimiglia Ventimiglia (; , ; ; ) is a resort town in the province of Imperia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is located west of Genoa, and from the French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of the Roia river, w ...
and as far as San Remo). It is favourable to groves of hardy clementines, mandarin oranges, satsuma orange,
tangerine The tangerine is a type of citrus fruit that is orange in colour, that is considered either a variety of the mandarin orange (''Citrus reticulata''), or a closely related species, under the name ''Citrus tangerina'', or yet as a hybrid (''Citr ...
s, oranges and lemons (SRA 625 is protected Citron de Menton variety), hence one of the town's symbols, the
lemon The lemon (''Citrus'' × ''limon'') is a species of small evergreen tree in the ''Citrus'' genus of the flowering plant family Rutaceae. A true lemon is a hybrid of the citron and the bitter orange. Its origins are uncertain, but some ...
. Winter frosts are extremely rare but may occasionally occur at ground level, and snow falls on average once every 10 years. Likewise, summer temperatures are relatively moderate with day temperatures of 28 Â°C to 32 Â°C, but rarely rising above 32 Â°C. Menton is sheltered from the west winds by Mont-Agel, and the steep foothills of the Alps, to the north and the north-east, protect the town from freezing winter cold. The winters are therefore very mild and sunny; the thermometer rarely drops below 0°C, and the lowest average temperature is 11.3°C in January. Summers are hot at 25°C on average in July and August but tempered by the sea breeze. Menton holds the French record for the highest average temperature in July with an average temperature of 24.8°C. (Values calculated from data recorded over the period 1991-2020) ource Météo France


Townscape

File:France-Italy Border Checkpoint, Menton.jpg, The Pont Saint-Ludovic / Ponte San Ludovico border crossing point between Menton, France, and
Ventimiglia, Italy Ventimiglia (; , ; ; ) is a resort town in the province of Imperia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is located west of Genoa, and from the France-Italy border, French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of ...
File:Menton vue de mer.jpg, Menton from the sea File:Menton decorated window.JPG, Menton decorated window
Menton is known for its gardens, including the Jardin Serre de la Madone, the Jardin botanique exotique de Menton ('Le Val Rahmeh'), the Fontana Rosa, the Maria Serena garden, and the modernist gardens of Les Colombières. Le Val Rahmeh was established in 1905 by Englishman Sir Percy Radcliffe, the first owner of the gardens, and named for his wife. Villa Fontana Rosa was built in 1922 by Blasco Ibáñez, a Spanish novelist and the gardens of the villa are now open to the public. * The
baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...
basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...
of Saint-Michel-Archange, with its bell tower, was built in 1619 by the Genoese architect Lorenzo Lavagna. * The Bastion Museum, which features decoration by
Jean Cocteau Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau ( , ; ; 5 July 1889 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, film director, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost avant-garde artists of the 20th-c ...
, is located in the Bastion of the port of Menton. The bastion, built overwater in 1636 as an advance defence for the port by the Princes of Monaco, is now located at the shoreline. * The wedding room at the Mairie (town hall) was painted in the 1950s by Cocteau, transforming it into a giant work of art. * Menton is home to at least half a dozen beaches. * Menton is notable for its Palissy majolica pottery depicting lemons. File:Wall Plate, 9.6 ins., coloured glazes, Palissy style, Menton, France.jpg, * The historic covered market was built in 1898 by local architect Adrien Rey. The market is open every day from 5 am until 1 pm in the summer; in the winter, it opens at 5:30 am. Over 30 kiosks both inside and around the market sell local and imported vegetables. The
Belle Époque The Belle Époque () or La Belle Époque () was a period of French and European history that began after the end of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 and continued until the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era of the Fr ...
structure was one of buildings constructed by the architect in the region. * Next to the beach and the covered market is the Jean Cocteau Museum. It opened in 2011 and is close to the Bastion Museum. * Mirazur is a French haute cuisine restaurant with three Michelin Guide stars. The World's 50 Best Restaurants list ranks Mirazur as the best restaurant in the world.


Population


Education


Primary and secondary schools

Public nurseries/Preschools include:Les écoles maternelles
" Menton. Retrieved on 25 September 2018.
* Centre-ville/Vieille ville area: Adrien Camaret and the Section enfantine de l'Hôtel de Ville * Borrigo: René Cassin, Germaine Coty, Robert Debré, and Manon des Sources * Careï: Careï and Saint-Exupéry * Garavan: Section enfantine Alphonse Daudet Public primary schools include:
" Menton. Retrieved on 25 September 2018.
* Centre-ville/Vieille ville area: élémentaire Frédéric Mistral and primaire de l'Hôtel de Ville * Borrigo: élémentaire
Anne Frank Annelies Marie Frank (, ; 12 June 1929 – February or March 1945)Research by The Anne Frank House in 2015 revealed that Frank may have died in February 1945 rather than in March, as Dutch authorities had long assumed"New research sheds new li ...
- André Guillevin, élémentaire Condamine Centenaire, and élementaire Marcel Pagnol * Careï: élémentaire Careï
Jeanne d'Arc Joan of Arc ( ; ;  â€“ 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the Coronation of the French monarch, coronation of Charles VII o ...
and élémentaire Saint-Exupéry * Garavan: primaire Alphonse Daudet There are two public junior high schools, Guillaume Vento and André Maurois.Les Collèges
" Menton. Retrieved on 25 September 2018.
The two public sixth-form colleges/senior high schools are Lycée Pierre et Marie Curie and Lycée Professionnel Hôtelier Paul Valéry. The private Institution Notre Dame du Sacré Cœur has the Villa Blanche preschool, primary, and junior high school in the Centre-ville area.


Colleges and universities

* The
Institut d'Etudes politiques de Paris An institute is an organizational body created for a certain purpose. They are often research organisations (research institutes) created to do research on specific topics, or can also be a professional body. In some countries, institutes ca ...
, the leading French university in social and political sciences, also known as Sciences Po, has been hosting a regional Middle East and Mediterranean campus in Menton since 2005.


Mentonasc language

The ''
Mentonasc Mentonasc (; Mentonasco in Italian, Mentonnais or Mentonasque in French) is a Romance dialect historically spoken in and around Menton, France. It is classified as a dialect of Occitan language, Occitan and a sub-dialect of Vivaro-Alpine dial ...
'' dialect is currently spoken by about 10% of the population in Menton, Roquebrune, and the surrounding villages. It is taught within the
French educational system Education in France is organized in a highly centralized manner, with many subdivisions. It is divided into the three stages of primary education (''enseignement primaire''), secondary education (''enseignement secondaire''), and higher educat ...
, as a variety of Niçard (i.e. Provençal and
Occitan Occitan may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania territory in parts of France, Italy, Monaco and Spain. * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania administrative region of France. * Occitan language, spoken in parts o ...
). However, in nineteenth-century linguistic descriptions, as well as in contemporary linguistic scholarship, Mentonasc is described as an intermediate between Niçard and the
Intemelio Intemelio is a Ligurian dialect spoken historically from the Principality of Monaco to the Italian province of Imperia. History Since the Renaissance the Ligurian language was spoken in all the territories of the Republic of Genoa; in the wes ...
dialect of Ligurian. Some scholars insist that Mentonasc is, at its base, a Ligurian dialect, with French influences coming only later.


Annual town events

The Fête du Citron (Lemon Festival) takes place every February. The event follows a given theme each decade; past themes include Viva España, Disney,
Neverland Neverland is a fictional island featured in the works of J. M. Barrie and those based on them. It is an imaginary faraway place where Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, the Lost Boys, and some other imaginary beings and creatures live. ...
, and
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. The carnival lasts a few days, with different bands passing through Menton's streets on foot or on truck trailers. The Casino Gardens in the centre of town are decorated in the theme of the festival, using lemons and oranges to cover the exhibits, and huge temporary statues are built and covered with citrus fruit. The Casino Gardens are also the location for Menton's Christmas Festival. The Menton Classical Musical Festival is also held every year in the centre of the old town. File:Menton Lemon Festival.jpg File:Menton Lemon Festival2.jpg File:Menton Lemon Festival3.jpg File:Menton Lemon Festival4.jpg Also in Menton, celebrated on the first weekend of July, is the procession and celebration of Saint-Pierre (Sant Pie ), the patron of fishermen. The procession begins in the Basilique Saint-Michel de Menton. Dancers, singers, and musicians in traditional costumes fro
La Capelina de Menton
perform in the basilica. The crowds then head to a dock where boats are filled with people throwing flowers into the port. They then pay tribute to those who have lost their lives at sea. After the boats return, they start celebrating with the traditional fish soup.


Sport and recreation

Menton has a football team, Rapid de Menton, who play at the stadium Stade Lucien Rhein. Menton also has a rugby team, Le rugby Club Webb Ellis de Menton. There is a municipal swimming pool, Piscine Alex Jany. The town is famous in the cycling world as being the start of the climb of the Col de la Madone de Gorbio (generally shortened to Col de la Madone), which rises to 925 metres and was (in)famously used by Lance Armstrong to train for the Tour de France; many professionals based in neighbouring Monaco still use the climb for training and testing. Menton was also the location of an international tennis tournament the Riviera Championships that ran from 1902 to 1976. It was hosted by the Menton Lawn Tennis Club. The event was part of the French Riviera circuit tour.


Notable residents

Notables who were born, lived, or died in Menton include:


Living people

* Jérôme Alonzo (born 1972), French first division
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
goalkeeper In many team sports that involve scoring goal (sport), goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie, or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or i ...
, born in Menton * Richard Anconina (born 1953), French actor; before his film career he worked for several years at a holiday club for seniors in Menton *
Olivier Echouafni Olivier Echouafni (born 13 September 1972) is a French professional Association football, football Manager (association football), manager and former player who most recently was the head coach of French Ligue 2 club US Quevilly-Rouen Métropole, ...
(born 1972), French first-division football
midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...
, born in Menton * Sébastien Gattuso (born 1971), Monégasque athlete specializing in
bobsledding Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of 2 to 4 athletes make timed speed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sleigh. International bobsleigh competitions are governed by the International Bobslei ...
* Cédric Varrault (born 1980), French first-division football defender. He began his career with the Menton football club.


Historical figures

*
Émile Appay Émile Appay (2 June 1876–7 October 1935) was a French Landscape art, landscape painter. He studied under Henri-Joseph Harpignies and Paul Lecomte. He was a friend of André Derain. From 1922 to 1932 he travelled around several countries in E ...
(1876–1935), French landscape painter. He spent time in Menton over the years capturing paintings of the sea. * Ferdinand Bac (1859–1952), French illustrator,
lithographer Lithography () is a planographic method of printing originally based on the immiscibility of oil and water. The printing is from a stone (lithographic limestone) or a metal plate with a smooth surface. It was invented in 1796 by the German ...
, and writer. He developed the house and gardens of Les Colombières above Menton for Émile and Caroline Ladan-Bockairy. The house contains frescoes and modernist furniture by Bac, with a large garden set over several levels. Les Colombières is a
Monument Historique () is a designation given to some national heritage sites in France. It may also refer to the state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building, a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, ...
and has been recently restored. * Aubrey Vincent Beardsley (1872–1898), English illustrator and author *
Morton Betts Morton Peto Betts (30 August 1847 – 19 April 1914) was a leading English sportsman of the late 19th century. He was notable for scoring the first goal in an English FA Cup Finals, FA Cup final. Early life Betts was the son of Edward Betts of ...
(1847–1914), Leading English sportsman of the late 19th century. Scored the first goal in an English
FA Cup Final The FA Cup Final is the last match in the FA Cup, Football Association Challenge Cup. It has regularly been one of the List of sports attendance figures, most attended domestic football events in the world, with an official attendance of 89,472 ...
. Died in Menton. *
Lesley Blanch Lesley Blanch (6 June 19047 May 2007) was a British writer and traveller. She is best known for '' The Wilder Shores of Love'', about Isabel Burton (who married the Arabist and explorer Richard), Jane Digby el-Mezrab (Lady Ellenborough, the so ...
(1904–2007), English-born writer * Vicente Blasco Ibáñez (1867–1928), Spanish author. At the end of his life, he lived on his estate, Fontana Rosa, in Menton. *
Thomas Carlyle Thomas Carlyle (4 December 17955 February 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian, and philosopher. Known as the "Sage writing, sage of Chelsea, London, Chelsea", his writings strongly influenced the intellectual and artistic culture of the V ...
(1795–1881), Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher. He lived at the home of Louisa Baring, Lady Ashburton, from December 1866 to March 1867 following the death of his wife Jane Welsh Carlyle. *
René Clément René Clément (; 18 March 1913 – 17 March 1996) was a French film director and screenwriter. He is known for directing the films ''The Battle of the Rails'' (1946), ''Forbidden Games'' (1952), ''Gervaise (film), Gervaise'' (1956), ''Purple No ...
(1913–1996), film director *
Jean Cocteau Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau ( , ; ; 5 July 1889 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, film director, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost avant-garde artists of the 20th-c ...
(1889–1963), French artist. He spent much time in Menton over the years; the Jean Cocteau Museum is in Menton. He decorated the wedding room in Menton's town hall, and the small stone bastion in Menton's harbour wall. * Alfred Edersheim (1825–1889), Jewish Biblical scholar. He died in Menton. * Ivan Grigorovich (1853–1930), Imperial Russian Navy admiral. He lived in Menton after the Russian Revolution. * Alfred Fréderic Hegenscheidt (1866-1964), Belgian professor of Geography (Université Libre de Bruxelles) and best known for his lyric drama ''Starkadd,'' published in 1897 in the famous Flemish Literary Magazine '' Van Nu en Straks.'' * Panait Istrati (1884–1935), Romanian writer of French and Romanian expression (friends with Romain Rolland). He lived in Menton for a brief period and has a street in Menton named after him. * Joseph Joffo (1931–2018), French author. He lived temporarily in Menton during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. * President Paul Kruger spent 2 years in Menton in Exile *
Anatoly Lunacharsky Anatoly Vasilyevich Lunacharsky (, born ''Anatoly Aleksandrovich Antonov''; – 26 December 1933) was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and the first Soviet People's Commissariat for Education, People's Commissar (minister) of Education, as well ...
(1875–1933), Russian Marxist revolutionary and the first Soviet People's Commissar of Enlightenment responsible for culture and education. He died in Menton. * George Macleay (1809–1891), Australian explorer and politician. He died in Menton. *
Katherine Mansfield Kathleen Mansfield Murry (née Beauchamp; 14 October 1888 – 9 January 1923) was a New Zealand writer and critic who was an important figure in the Literary modernism, modernist movement. Her works are celebrated across the world and have been ...
(1888–1923), New Zealand modernist short story writer who lived and worked in a street now named after her. Her former home, the ''Villa Isola Bella'', is used as the residence for New Zealand writers who receive the Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship to live and write there for a year. *
James Matheson Sir James Nicolas Sutherland Matheson, 1st Baronet, FRS (17 November 179631 December 1878), was a Scottish opium trader and taipan. Born in Shiness, Lairg, Sutherland, Scotland, he was the son of Captain Donald Matheson. He attended Edinburgh ...
(1796–1878), Scottish trader in
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, co-founder of Jardine Matheson & Co. He died in Menton 31 December 1878 (aged 82). * General Sir Percy Pollexfen de Blaquiere Radcliffe KCB KCMG DSO (1874–1934), British army officer. He owned a house in Menton from 1905 to 1934. Its gardens were the basis for the town's botanical gardens and are named after his first wife Rahmeh. * Anne Redpath (1895–1965), Scottish artist. * Charles H. Spurgeon (1834–1892), British Baptist preacher. He died in Menton. *
Graham Sutherland Graham Vivian Sutherland (24 August 1903 – 17 February 1980) was a prolific English artist. Notable for his paintings of abstract landscapes and for his portraits of public figures, Sutherland also worked in other media, including printmakin ...
(1903–1980), English painter *
Philip Meadows Taylor Colonel Philip Meadows Taylor (25 September 1808 – 13 May 1876), an administrator in British India and a novelist, made notable contributions to public knowledge of South India. Though largely self-taught, he was a polymath, working alternat ...
(1808–1876), British Indian civil servant and author * Hans-Georg Tersling (1857–1920), Danish architect. He designed many buildings in the town. *
William Webb Ellis William Webb Ellis (24 November 1806 – 24 February 1872) was an English Anglican clergyman who, by tradition, has been credited as the inventor of rugby football while a pupil at Rugby School. According to legend, Webb Ellis picked up the bal ...
(1806–1872), inventor of rugby. He lived in Menton at the end of his life and is buried in the old cemetery. *
William Butler Yeats William Butler Yeats (, 13 June 186528 January 1939), popularly known as W. B. Yeats, was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer, and literary critic who was one of the foremost figures of 20th century in literature, 20th-century literature. He was ...
(1865–1939), Irish writer and poet. He died in Menton.


International relations

Menton is twinned with: *
Sanremo Sanremo, also spelled San Remo in English and formerly in Italian, is a (municipality) on the Mediterranean coast of Liguria, in northwestern Italy. Founded in Roman times, it has a population of 55,000, and is known as a tourist destination ...
, Italy *
Baden-Baden Baden-Baden () is a spa town in the states of Germany, state of Baden-Württemberg, south-western Germany, at the north-western border of the Black Forest mountain range on the small river Oos (river), Oos, ten kilometres (six miles) east of the ...
, Germany * Laguna Beach, United States *
Montreux Montreux (, ; ; ) is a Municipalities of Switzerland, Swiss municipality and List of towns in Switzerland, town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Swiss Alps, Alps. It belongs to the Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut (district), Riviera-Pays ...
, Switzerland *
Nafplio Nafplio or Nauplio () is a coastal city located in the Peloponnese in Greece. It is the capital of the regional unit of Argolis and an important tourist destination. Founded in antiquity, the city became an important seaport in the Middle Ages du ...
, Greece *
Sochi Sochi ( rus, Сочи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg, from  â€“ ''seaside'') is the largest Resort town, resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi (river), Sochi River, along the Black Sea in the North Caucasus of Souther ...
, Russia


See also

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Knights of the Redeemer The Knights of the Redeemer were a Roman Catholic secular community, founded in 1608 by Vincenzo I Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, Vincenzo I Gonzaga, on the occasion of the marriage of his eldest son Francesco IV Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, Francesco IV Gon ...
*
Mentonasc Mentonasc (; Mentonasco in Italian, Mentonnais or Mentonasque in French) is a Romance dialect historically spoken in and around Menton, France. It is classified as a dialect of Occitan language, Occitan and a sub-dialect of Vivaro-Alpine dial ...
*
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin Roquebrune-Cap-Martin (; or ; ; ), simply Roquebrune until 1921, is a Communes of France, commune in the Alpes-Maritimes Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region, Southeastern France, betw ...
*
List of historical unrecognized states These lists of historical unrecognized or partially recognized states give an overview of extinct Geopolitics, geopolitical entities that wished to be recognized as sovereign states, but did not enjoy worldwide diplomatic recognition. The entries ...
* Former countries in Europe after 1815 * Intermelio * Antoine Sartorio *
Communes of the Alpes-Maritimes department The following is a list of the 163 communes of the Alpes-Maritimes department of France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories inclu ...


References


External links


Tourist office website



City council website
{{authority control Communes of Alpes-Maritimes