Why the Menton Fête du Citron Is February’s Brightest Escape

 

Every February, while much of Europe is still shaking off winter, the seaside town of Menton quietly explodes into colour, scent, and spectacle. The Fête du Citron (Menton Lemon Festival) is not just a local celebration — it’s one of the French Riviera’s most distinctive cultural events, transforming lemons and oranges into towering works of art and filling the town with parades, music, and Mediterranean flair.

Held February 14 through to March 1, the festival is both deeply rooted in regional history and joyfully theatrical, offering visitors a reason to experience the Côte d’Azur beyond the summer rush.

A Festival Born From Menton’s Golden Fruit

Menton has long been famous for its lemons. Sheltered by the Maritime Alps and warmed by the sea, the town developed a microclimate perfect for citrus cultivation. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Menton’s lemons were prized across Europe.

What began in the 1920s as a modest citrus and flower exhibition evolved into something far grander. By 1934, the Lemon Festival officially took shape, combining horticulture, artistry, and carnival traditions. Today, it stands as one of France’s major winter festivals, using hundreds of tonnes of lemons and oranges to create elaborate sculptures, arches, and fantastical scenes that change theme every year.

What You’ll Experience

 

The heart of the festival lies in two main attractions:

The Citrus Gardens (Biovès Gardens)

Here, enormous sculptures made entirely from citrus fruits dominate the park — mythical creatures, architectural wonders, and surreal scenes painstakingly assembled by hand. Wandering these gardens feels like stepping into a dream built from lemons.

The Golden Fruit Parades (Corsos)

On select Sundays and evenings, citrus-covered floats roll through Menton accompanied by dancers, musicians, and performers. The night parades, illuminated against the sea air, are especially memorable and give the festival a carnival atmosphere that feels both elegant and playful.

Alongside these highlights, the town buzzes with markets, exhibitions, concerts, workshops, and local food stalls celebrating lemon-inspired flavours — from sweets to liqueurs.

How to Get Tickets

Tickets are required for the main attractions (the citrus gardens and the parades), while many side events and exhibitions around town are free.

• Tickets can be purchased online in advance via the official Menton Lemon Festival ticket office.

• Options typically include garden entry, parade seating or standing areas, and combination passes.

• Reduced rates are available for children, and group bookings are handled separately.

Because peak days — especially weekends and night parades — sell out quickly, booking ahead is strongly recommended.

Getting There (And Getting Home Easily)

One of the festival’s biggest advantages is how easy it is to reach without a car.

By Train 

Menton sits on the main coastal rail line between Nice and Italy.

• From Nice Ville, regional TER trains reach Menton in 35–45 minutes.

• Trains run frequently throughout the day, often every 10–30 minutes.

• On festival days, later evening trains make it easy to stay for night parades and return comfortably.

From Menton station, the festival areas are walkable, passing through the old town and along the seafront.

By Car or Bus 

Driving is possible, but traffic and parking can be challenging during festival weekends. Buses run along the coast, but trains remain the fastest and least stressful option.

Why the Menton Lemon Festival Is Worth Experiencing

The Lemon Festival is joyful without being chaotic, artistic without being pretentious. It reflects Menton itself — refined, colourful, and quietly confident.

This is not a festival you stumble upon elsewhere. No other town turns citrus fruit into monumental art or weaves agriculture, history, and spectacle so seamlessly into everyday streets.

A Bright Reason to Visit the Riviera in Winter

In a season often overlooked by travellers, the Menton Lemon Festival offers warmth, colour, and a sense of place that feels authentic and unforgettable.

Whether you come for the parades, the history, or simply the joy of seeing lemons defy gravity, this is one February tradition that proves winter on the Riviera can shine just as brightly as summer.

Villefranche-sur-Mer’s Dazzling Combat Naval Fleuri Returns

 

Every February, when winter loosens its grip on the French Riviera, Villefranche-sur-Mer answers with flowers, laughter, and a very friendly naval “battle.” On February 16, the town’s beloved Combat Naval Fleuri transforms the harbor into a floating carnival—where boats don’t fire cannons, they launch bouquets.

The Combat Naval Fleuri (literally, Flowered Naval Battle) is part of the wider Carnival culture of the Nice region, which dates back centuries. While nearby Nice is famous for its grand flower battles on land, Villefranche took the idea to the water—because of course it did. With one of the most picturesque natural harbors in the Mediterranean, this former strategic port turned spectacle into poetry: decorated boats, local crews, and showers of fresh flowers drifting across the sea.

Historically, these flower battles were meant to celebrate the end of winter and the coming of spring, using locally grown blooms from the surrounding hills. Long before tourism posters and Instagram reels, this was a community ritual—joyful, noisy, and unapologetically colorful.

What Happens on February 16

 

The day unfolds like a perfectly choreographed fête:

• 11:00 a.m. – Carnival groups parade through Octroi, warming up the streets with music, costumes, and that unmistakable Riviera carnival energy.

• 1:30 p.m. – The Carnival Parade rolls along the quays, with locals and visitors lining the harbor for prime viewing spots.

• 2:00 p.m. – The main event begins: the Combat Naval Fleuri at Port de la Santé, as flower-laden boats circle the harbor and toss blooms to the crowd. Live entertainment fills Place Amélie Pollonnais and the quays, turning the entire waterfront into a stage.

• All day long – A Flower Walk winds through the city, paired with a festive quiz and prizes—because Villefranche believes fun should come with homework you actually want to do.

Delightful Tidbits You Might Not Know

 

Yes, the flowers are real. Thousands of fresh blossoms are used, traditionally mimosa, carnations, and gerberas—hardy enough to survive a joyful aerial trajectory.

It’s competitive… politely. While it’s called a “combat,” the only thing bruised is your dignity if you miss catching a flower.

The harbor matters. Villefranche’s deep, sheltered bay—once prized by navies and royalty—now hosts one of the Riviera’s most charming civilian “battles.”

Locals still rule the decks. This isn’t a staged tourist show; many participants are residents, associations, and long-standing carnival groups who’ve done this for generations.

Flowers = good luck. Catching one tossed from a boat is said to bring good fortune for the year ahead. Dropping it? Well… try again next February.

The Combat Naval Fleuri isn’t loud in a flashy way—it’s joyful, intimate, and unmistakably Villefranche. Pastel petals float on turquoise water, the old town rises behind the quays like a painted backdrop, and for one afternoon the Mediterranean becomes a playground.

If you want to see the Riviera at its most human—where history, humor, and community collide in a shower of flowers—February 16 in Villefranche-sur-Mer is exactly where you should be.

Bonjour, Riviera Life: Why Americans Are Choosing France—and Staying for the Sunshine

 

What was once a romantic daydream has become a very real relocation trend: more Americans are choosing to build a life in France, and many of them are looking south—toward the sea, the light, and the unmistakable ease of the French Riviera.

According to the latest figures from the French Interior Ministry, 15,000 Americans received their first carte de séjour in 2025, up from 13,122 the year before—a 14.3 percent increase in just one year. It’s a clear signal that France isn’t just being visited anymore. It’s being chosen.

More Than a Move—A Lifestyle Upgrade

France has always drawn students, professionals, retirees, and lifelong francophiles, but the motivations are evolving. In 2025, over half of new American residency permits (52.5 percent) were issued to students—many combining education with an enviable European lifestyle.

Beyond universities, nearly 17 percent of Americans relocated for work, whether salaried or self-employed, while 9.5 percent moved for family or partners. Another 21 percent fell into the “other” category—a group that includes retirees and lifestyle movers who simply decided life should be slower, sunnier, and more intentional.

And nowhere embodies that philosophy better than the French Riviera.

From Villefranche-sur-Mer to Nice, Antibes to Menton, the Riviera offers year-round sunshine, walkable seaside towns, world-class healthcare, and a pace of life that prioritizes long lunches, outdoor markets, and evenings by the sea. For many Americans, it’s not about escaping something—it’s about choosing balance.

Why the Riviera, and Why Now?

For Americans watching growing polarization and burnout back home, France represents stability, structure, and social cohesion. The Riviera adds another layer: safety, beauty, and a deeply ingrained culture of living well.

A morning swim, a café au lait on a sunlit terrace, and a workday that ends with a coastal walk—it’s no longer fantasy. It’s routine.

Brits Still Calling France Home

While American numbers are rising, British migration tells a slightly different story. Post-Brexit rules mean UK nationals now require residency permits, and first-time permits fell from about 8,899 in 2024 to 7,870 in 2025, an 11.6 percent decrease.

Still, the British presence in France remains strong. More than 170,000 Britons live in France as legal residents, many of them also drawn to the Riviera’s climate and lifestyle. The community is well-established, international, and deeply woven into local life.

An Inclusive Home for the LGBT+ Community

France’s appeal also extends strongly to members of the LGBT+ community, even though official immigration statistics don’t track sexual orientation or gender identity.

Legal protections, nationwide marriage equality, a ban on conversion therapy, and recognition of gender diversity all contribute to France’s reputation as a welcoming place to live openly and safely. On the Riviera, inclusive communities thrive alongside international residents, creatives, entrepreneurs, and retirees.

Pride events across the region, visible queer-friendly businesses, and a generally live-and-let-live Mediterranean mindset make southern France especially attractive to LGBT+ expats seeking both freedom and quality of life.

For some, France is also a place of refuge, offering humanitarian and asylum pathways to those fleeing persecution. For many others, it’s simply a place where they can be themselves—by the sea.

France’s Enduring Global Pull

The rising number of Americans moving to France reflects a broader shift in how people define success and happiness. Education, work, love, safety, inclusion, and lifestyle all intersect here—and on the French Riviera, they do so under blue skies and palm trees.

For Americans making the leap, France isn’t just a destination. It’s a recalibration.

And for those who choose the Riviera, it’s a daily reminder that life can be both meaningful and beautiful.

Walking in Pink: Monaco Steps Up for Breast Cancer Awareness

 

Monaco will turn shades of pink on February 15, 2026, as the Principality once again comes together for the Pink Ribbon Walk, a powerful and uplifting event dedicated to breast cancer awareness, prevention, and solidarity. Set against Monaco’s iconic waterfront and city streets, the walk is more than just a charitable outing—it’s a public statement of care, remembrance, and collective action.

Each year, the Pink Ribbon Walk draws residents, international visitors, families, survivors, caregivers, and supporters of all ages. Some walk in honor of loved ones, others in celebration of survival, and many simply to show that breast cancer awareness isn’t confined to one month on the calendar—it’s a year-round commitment.

A Walk With Purpose

The Pink Ribbon Walk is designed to be inclusive and accessible, welcoming participants whether they are seasoned walkers or simply showing up to be counted. There’s no pressure, no competition—just a shared goal: raising awareness about early detection, research, and support services for those affected by breast cancer.

Funds raised through the event support initiatives focused on education, screening, and patient assistance, reinforcing the message that early diagnosis saves lives and that no one should face cancer alone.

Monaco’s Unique Role

Few places in the world lend themselves to a cause like this quite like Monaco. Compact, international, and deeply civic-minded, the Principality has a long history of supporting health-focused charities and global awareness campaigns. The Pink Ribbon Walk fits seamlessly into that tradition, transforming Monaco’s streets into a moving symbol of unity.

As walkers move through the Principality, the visibility of the event becomes part of its power. Pink ribbons, shirts, and banners spark conversations, encourage curiosity, and remind onlookers—locals and tourists alike—why awareness still matters.

More Than a Symbol

While the pink ribbon has become a globally recognized emblem, the walk itself is a reminder that symbols only matter when paired with action. Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers worldwide, and while research and treatment have advanced significantly, access to screening, education, and emotional support continues to be critical.

Events like Monaco’s Pink Ribbon Walk help keep that momentum going—publicly, visibly, and compassionately.

A Day of Community and Hope

Beyond its charitable mission, the Pink Ribbon Walk is also a moment of connection. Friends walk side by side. Families explain the meaning of the ribbon to their children. Survivors are met with applause, smiles, and quiet moments of understanding. It’s emotional without being somber, hopeful without being naïve.

That balance is what makes the event resonate year after year.

How to Take Part

Participation is open to everyone, and walkers are encouraged to register in advance, wear pink, and invite others to join. Whether you’re a Monaco resident, a neighboring Riviera local, or visiting the Principality that weekend, the walk offers a meaningful way to give back in just a few hours.

For those unable to attend in person, spreading the word, donating, or sharing information about early screening are equally important ways to support the cause.

Walking Forward Together

On February 15, 2026, Monaco won’t just be walking—it will be standing together. Step by step, ribbon by ribbon, the Pink Ribbon Walk transforms awareness into action and compassion into visibility.

In a world that often moves too fast, this is one walk worth taking.