Menton Lemon Festival 2025: What You Need to Know About This Citrus Spectacle

With over 200,000 visitors annually, believe me when I say the Menton Lemon Festival on the Cote d’Azur packs a serious citrus punch. It’s one of the cultural events in France you don’t want to miss. From the massive ornate carnival floats made of citrus fruit to the marching bands and live music, people are celebrating everywhere you look.

It’s the carnival to end all carnivals with sculptures made of fruit, which use over 15 kg of oranges and lemons and reach up to 10 meters tall. It’s the most insane lemon art I’ve ever seen.

Every year, there is a new theme. Last year was, not surprisingly, all about the Olympics, and this year is “Voyage(s) Into the Stars. So, let’s explore what makes this festival so special and why so many people flock here each year.

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When and Where is Menton’s Lemon Festival?

The festival is held annually in Menton on the French Riviera near the Italian border. It has a mild Mediterranean climate and is a picturesque town often called the “Pearl of France,” a title earned due to its beautiful beaches and lush greenery. 

The town’s architecture reflects a mix of French and Italian influences, with colorful buildings and a lovely old town.

It’s known for its art museums, including the Jean Cocteau Museum and its historic Basilica of Saint Michael the Archangel. 

In 2025, the festival starts on the 12th of February and ends on the 2nd of March.

What is the Lemon Festival in Menton, France?

The Menton Lemon Festival, or “Fête du Citron” in French, celebrates the region’s rich citrus harvests. It originated in the late 19th century when Menton was a major lemon producer. 

The idea for a festival emerged as the town’s hoteliers wanted to attract more visitors during the winter. They began decorating their establishments with lemons and oranges, and eventually, it became a town-wide celebration.

The “stars of the show” are the elaborate floats and structures parading through the streets, adorned with oranges and lemons. 

These citrus artworks are a great display of the local creativity and love for their culture, and the themes change annually. 

Besides the parades, the festival includes gardens of lights and nighttime events, where citrus-themed sculptures and decorations are illuminated, creating a magical atmosphere. 

You can also enjoy exploring the local food and craft markets, which offer a taste of regional specialties, including citrus-flavored dishes.

What you need to know at a glance

• Location: Menton, French Riviera, France.
• Time: Annually, mid-February to early March.
• Duration: About two weeks.
• Origin: Began in the late 19th century.
• Purpose: Celebrates the region’s rich citrus harvests, originally to attract winter tourists.
• Citrus Used: Over 140 tonnes of lemons and oranges are typically used in decorations.
• Main Attractions:
  • Giant sculptures and floats adorned with citrus fruits.
  • Parades featuring these citrus-themed artworks.
  • Nighttime events with illuminated displays.
• Visitors: Attracts over 200,000 visitors each year.
• Economic Impact: Significant boost to the local economy, especially for the hospitality and tourism sectors.
• Themes: Varies annually, featuring different creative concepts.

What are the main Festival Events?

There are plenty of events, but the best thing to see is the carnival floats. The mind boggles as to how they create them and come up with the concepts.

Corso des Fruits d’Or (Golden Fruits Parade)

This is the festival’s main event, and as I said above, it is a stunning display of thematic floats, with acrobats and dancers creating a fabulous carnival feel.

They’ve had many different themes over the years, and this year, it’s about a journey to the stars, so I can’t wait to see how they interpret that.

Previous years include Disneyland in Lemon Land, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Rock and Opera.

The Golden Fruit Parade typically takes place on Sundays during the festival. The parade dates and times for 2025 are Sundays, the 16th and 23rd of February, and the 2nd of March., from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm. 

The route usually runs along the Promenade du Soleil, set against the backdrop of Menton’s picturesque seaside setting.

Corso Nocturne (Night Time Parade)

Similar to the daytime parades, the Corso Nocturne has beautifully designed fruit-themed floats, but this time, they’re illuminated, so they take on a different look.

You still have dancers, musicians, and acrobats alongside the float, but the whole thing is heightened.

The combination of lights, music, and the night sky creates a really magical feel to the whole thing. And then, add in the fireworks, a real drawcard, and you can see why it’s so popular.

For the 2025 festival, the Corso Nocturne is scheduled on Thursdays, February 20 and 27, from 9 pm to 10.30 pm.

Exposition des Motifs d’Agrumes (The Exhibition of the Citrus Pattern)

The Exhibition of Citrus Patterns is a highlight of the festival, featuring large-scale sculptures made from lemons and oranges. 

They are absolutely huge, reaching over 10 meters high, and created by skilled artisans who meticulously attach thousands of lemons and oranges onto wire frameworks to form various shapes and figures. 

As you can imagine, the process is labor-intensive, often taking many hours to complete a single sculpture. And there are ten or more of these giant structures.

The exhibition is held in the Biovès Gardens, the perfect place to showcase them, surrounded by greenery and in lovely parkland.

Each year, the fruit sculptures follow a specific theme, which influences their design and presentation and keeps the exhibition fresh and exciting for repeat visitors.

Jardins de Lumières (The Gardens of Lights)

At night, the Biovès Gardens turn into a ‘garden of light’ as the sculptures are lit up and bathed in light, completely transforming them.

The Handicraft Fair

Located near the Biovès Gardens, this fair offers a chance to explore and taste regional products like orange wine, limoncello, beer, honey, and jams.

I’ve always loved Limoncello. Although it is usually associated with Italy, Menton produces its own variety, and it is seriously good.

The unique taste of the Menton lemon makes it distinctive. There are plenty of stalls selling it, so make sure you try some while you’re there.

The Orchid Festival

This free exhibition at the Palais de l’Europe showcases a diverse and colorful collection of orchids.

Is the Festival free to attend?

No, you’ll need a ticket, which can be purchased in advance through the festival’s official website.

The Exhibition of the Citrus Pattern, the Orchid Festival and the Arts and Crafts Show are free to attend, all the other shows, parades and workshops require a ticket.

A Sneak Peek At The 2025 Lemon Festival Menton

The History of the Menton Lemon Festival

According to legend, the lemon first arrived in Menton because of Eve, the same Eve as Adam and Eve. 

After being banished from the Garden of Eden, Eve took a lemon with her. As they wandered, Adam asked her to get rid of and Eve agreed, but only under the condition that it be left in a paradise-like location. 

This place, chosen for its beauty, is believed to be where Menton now stands, symbolizing the beginning of lemon cultivation in Menton.

By the 1800s, the Riviera had become a holiday hotspot and was particularly popular with the British. Doctors would prescribe a trip to recuperate to their Victorian patients, extolling the virtues of Menton’s health benefits.

Tourism started to boom, and along with it, the need for more luxurious hotels for the wealthy guests arriving in the town, including royalty. 

Queen Victoria was very fond of the French Riviera, particularly Menton. She first visited in March 1882 on her royal train, staying at the house of a friend, Le Chalet des Rosiers. She also traveled for health reasons, and her favorite spot was the garden of the English doctor, Dr. Bennett. 

His book, ‘Winter and Spring on the Shores of the Mediterranean,’ was the catalyst for people flocking to the Riviera to recover from tuberculosis in the winter months. 

By the 1920s, though, Menton had become a summer destination, but the clientele had started to change. 

The wealthy winter visitors had turned their backs on Menton and favored the French Alps instead. The summer visitors were more budget-oriented and couldn’t afford the high-priced hotels or gourmet restaurants.

Something needed to be done, and in 1928, one of the hotel owners suggested hosting a winter festival that featured the fruit cultivated in Menton.

It was a roaring success, so much so that it doubled in size the following year. 

Realizing they were onto something, the hoteliers got together and created the first La Fête du Citron in 1933.

Slowly but surely, it grew and grew, and it now attracts visitors worldwide with its fantastic sculptures, carnivals, and firework displays.

How to Get to Menton

Being in the Riviera, Menton is close to major cities like Nice, approximately 30 km west, Monaco, around 13 km to the northeast, and Italian towns like Ventimiglia and Sanremo to the east. Cannes and Antibes are further west of Menton, roughly 55 km and 45 km away, respectively.

By Air

The nearest international airport to Menton is Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, offering a wide range of international and domestic flights. You can continue your journey to Menton by train, bus, or car from the airport.

By Train

Menton is well-connected by train. The main train station, Gare de Menton, offers regular services linking to Nice, Monaco, and other towns along the Côte d’Azur and Italian cities. 

The TGV high-speed train from Paris also stops at Nice, where you can catch a regional train to Menton.

By Car

If you’re renting a car and driving to Menton, it’s a lovely scenic journey along the French Riviera. The A8 motorway, running from Aix-en-Provence to the Italian border, is the main route. 

Take exit 59 for Menton if you’re driving from the west, or the last exit before the Italian border if you’re coming from the east. The drive from Nice to Menton takes about 30 minutes under normal traffic conditions.

FAQS: The Menton Lemon Festival in France

Final thoughts on going to the Lemon Festival in 2025

France is famous for its food and loves celebrating its cuisine at any opportunity.

There are a myriad of food festivals happening over the year, such as the Truffle Festival in Sarlat and the Strawberry Festival in Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne.

There is even an Omelette Festival in April, usually held over Easter weekend. But the lemon festival is one of the biggest festivals around the world.

A lot of planning goes into them, and the whole community comes together to make the magic happen.

So, if you can go to Menton in February and experience the Lemon Festival, I promise you won’t be disappointed.