The Menton Lemon Festival: Where France Turns Lemons Into a Celebration

When life hands you lemons, throw a party! That’s exactly what the seaside town of Menton does every winter. More than 200,000 visitors flock here each year for the Menton Lemon Festival, a citrus-filled celebration honoring the town’s most famous export—its fragrant, sun-kissed lemons.

Located just across the border from Italy, Menton combines French elegance with Italian flair—and thanks to its sheltered position on the Mediterranean, it’s one of the consistently warmest towns in mainland France.

What Is the Menton Lemon Festival?

The Menton Lemon Festival (Fête du Citron) is an annual winter festival held every February, celebrating the region’s famed citrus production—especially the Menton lemon, prized for its fragrance and low acidity. It runs for about two weeks from mid-February to early March.

First launched in the 1930s, the festival has evolved into a major Riviera highlight. Each edition follows a theme, ranging from mythology and history to travel and pop culture, inspiring massive citrus sculptures that feel more like outdoor art installations than simple decorations.

Giant Citrus Sculptures in the Biovès Gardens

At the heart of the festival are the Biovès Gardens, where visitors stroll through an open-air exhibition of monumental citrus sculptures. Some rise more than ten meters tall and are built using over 140 tons of lemons and oranges, transforming the gardens into one of the most distinctive temporary art spaces in France.

Each sculpture is assembled on a metal framework, with thousands of fruits individually secured by hand—a process that takes weeks of planning and construction. The designs change every year to reflect the festival’s theme, giving returning visitors an entirely new experience each season.

Unlike the moving citrus floats used in the parades, the Biovès Gardens displays remain in place for the full duration of the festival. They’re carefully maintained throughout the event and thoughtfully illuminated after dark, allowing visitors to experience the sculptures both by day and in the evening, when lighting emphasizes their scale and detail. As you wander through the gardens, the air carries a light, unmistakable scent of citrus—an understated reminder of the agricultural tradition behind the spectacle.

Parades, Music, and Mediterranean Energy

The festival also features lively parades known as Corsos des Fruits d’Or, held both during the day and at night.

Expect:

• Decorated floats covered in citrus
• Dancers, musicians, and entertainers
• Confetti, costumes, and pure Riviera flair

Night parades end with fireworks over the sea—one of the most magical winter experiences on the French Riviera.

Why Menton’s Lemons Are So Special

Menton’s lemons owe their reputation to the town’s unique microclimate. Sheltered by mountains and warmed by the Mediterranean, the area produces citrus with an especially fragrant peel and mild acidity. The Menton lemon is so distinctive that it holds IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) status, recognizing its strong link to place and traditional cultivation.

That said, the lemons used in the festival’s giant sculptures are not all IGP Menton lemons. Because the festival requires tens of thousands of fruits, the citrus used for displays is sourced more broadly and selected for size, durability, and appearance rather than culinary quality. The prized Menton lemons are instead reserved for food, preserves, and local products.

After the festival, the citrus is carefully dismantled and sorted. Some of the lemons and oranges are sold locally at low cost when their condition allows, while the rest is reused through composting, agricultural partnerships, or other sustainable outlets—ensuring the fruit doesn’t go to waste.

Even outside the festival, citrus is integral to Menton’s identity. You’ll find these lemons:

• In local pastries and jams
• Infused into liqueurs like limoncello
• Used by chefs throughout the Côte d’Azur

Practical Tips for Visiting the Festival

When to go:

• The second half of February is ideal (check exact dates yearly)

Where to stay:

• Menton old town for charm
• Nearby Nice if accommodations are limited

Getting there:

• Direct train from Nice (about 30 minutes) Recommended
• By car (parking at one of several special lots offering shuttles to and from the festival area)

Book ahead:
Hotels and parade tickets sell out quickly—this festival is far more popular than many people expect.

Other Important Info:

The first time we attended the festival, we made the mistake of going in the wrong entrance. The carpark shuttle dopped us off near the parade grounds, and we simply followed other visitors to the nearest parade entrance (security check required). We had arrived early and planned to kill time at the gardens and other exhibits. However, the gardens are separate of the parade grounds near a different entrance, and we were told we were not allowed to leave and return so we were stuck waiting within the parade area for some time. Since it was a Sunday, few shops within the parade grounds were open and the restaurants that were open were quite busy. If you come early, do not enter the parade grounds if you’d like to see the garden sculptures and booths before the parade starts. The official brochure (see link below) shows the location of the garden exhibits and the adjacent parade grounds entrance/exit.

Be sure to read the official festival rules regarding bags, pets, shuttle schedules, suggested arrival times, and other necessary details before you go. Learn more

I also recommend walking around the scenic centre ville (downtown) of Menton, where you will find many additional shops and restaurants to buy souvenirs or enjoy something deliciously lemon. An artisanal market with interesting booths is located along the waters edge to the south of the historic center.