On Sunday morning, we headed off to the Menton Lemon Competition as a part of our France street journey itinerary. For those who’re undecided what this is- it’s a show and parade of ENORMOUS floats and designs… all fabricated from lemons (and different citrus fruit!)
Significantly. I’ll be trustworthy, we weren’t certain what to anticipate!
It was the final day of the Lemon Competition and I used to be fairly excited, though site visitors was horrendous. The autoroute there was nice, however as quickly as you exited on the Menton exit, you joined a slow-moving, lengthy queue for a number of miles.
The place is Menton?
Menton is on the south-east nook of France, about 10 miles from the Italian border, proper on the coast. It’s an attractive a part of the world- undoubtedly value a street journey. Menton can also be solely an hour from Good, so you may simply go to for the day. There’s additionally a pageant in Good on the identical time- try the timetables so you may catch each.
Parking on the Menton Lemon Competition
Fortunately we have been on the bikes, so we determined to park up and stroll the mile or so into Menton. It was fairly straightforward to seek out motorcycle parking, however I feel automobiles can be a lot tougher as you might be directed into designated automobile parks. Motorhomes are apparently parked in a carpark on the seafront, however solely on Sundays!? I’m actually undecided why or what occurs on the opposite days!
Citrus Competition 2019 – shopping for tickets
There are totally different occasions taking place all through the week, together with night-time gentle shows, fireworks and parades. Sundays are the large parade days and lots of the roads are closed to accommodate the procession (which could be why the site visitors was so unhealthy!)
Earlier than you may queue to enter, you needed to queue to get tickets, which took about quarter-hour. Tickets value 12€ simply to enter the backyard (which is what I did). The shows within the backyard are static and are NOT the identical ones used within the display- I used to be nervous the backyard would shut at 2pm when the parade began, nevertheless it didn’t. You should purchase further tickets for parades, seating, evening shows etc- it’s all on the web site HERE
Taking a canine to the Menton Lemon Competition
You aren’t allowed to take canines into the backyard and even for them to be on the parade apparently. There are too many individuals and the organisers don’t need canines fouling within the backyard, which I utterly perceive.
We didn’t need to depart Mac within the motorhome all day, so Mr WB volunteered to take a seat in a restaurant while I visited the pageant, then he might go in afterwards if he needed to.
Visiting the Menton Lemon Competition 2019
I actually don’t know what I anticipated, however I naively hadn’t anticipated SO.MANY.PEOPLE. Oh my goodness, it was loopy! As soon as we had the tickets, we needed to be a part of the queue for the precise entrance. I feel we have been queuing for about an hour- it was very gradual transferring as they checked everybody’s luggage and patted folks down. Unsure they appreciated my biker lady kevlar!
We have been additionally stopped many instances by folks telling us we couldn’t take a canine into the pageant… I really want to be taught the French for “it’s okay; they’re simply ready with me!”
Contained in the Menton Lemon Competition
As soon as inside, it was only a mass of individuals. I managed to get near the shows (there have been 10 in total- the designs change yearly) by standing my ground- fortunately I’m tall! Folks have been attempting to push you out of the best way and strolling in entrance of you while you tried to take images. There was an enormous mixture of nationalities, together with a shocking variety of Chinese language/ Asian.
The shows have been impressive- I can not comprehend how lengthy they need to take to construct! All of the lemons and oranges seemed recent too- regardless that this was the final day! I don’t know how they managed to try this.
Enjoyable Truth- do you know while you plant a lemon tree you can’t inform if it’s going to be a lemon or an orange tree till the fruit grows!
Meals and Drink contained in the Fete du Citroen
There have been plenty of stalls contained in the backyard and many distributors shouting their wares. You could possibly purchase lemon timber (I used to be so tempted, however we have been on motorbikes!), lemon juice and limoncello, lemon cleaning soap, postcards, images and lots of different mementoes. There have been additionally some meals/ drinks stands, however as I used to be alone I attempted to be as fast as potential.
Watch our video of the Menton Lemon Competition
You’ll be able to see the queues, the unbelievable designs and the sheer variety of folks attempting to see them! (It’s also possible to see our journey to Monaco and the place Mac and I have been chased by an enormous scary canine…!)
Menton Lemon Competition- value a go to?
My lasting impression is awe on the designs, however overwhelm on the folks. I’ll be trustworthy, I began to really feel a bit claustrophobic after some time, which wasn’t a lot enjoyable. We have been extremely fortunate with the weather- it was about 19 levels. In March! I feel on a wet day it will be much less crowded, however you’d get moist! For those who occur to be heading that means on the finish of February, then it’s value a cease off, however I’m undecided I’d advocate a street journey particularly to see the festival- I suppose it relies upon how a lot you want lemons! 😉
6 Ideas for visiting the Menton Lemon Competition
- Put on comfy footwear. There are only a few locations to take a seat down and it’s so busy you’re unlikely to get one anyway. It’s a shocking quantity of strolling.
- Don’t convey large luggage when you will help it- you’ll simply get jostled quite a bit
- Don’t convey an enormous digital camera/ tripod- you’ve acquired no hope of having the ability to set it up and compose a pleasant picture. I took my GoPro in with me- it’s small and straightforward to hold round. (Have I discussed how a lot I LOVE this factor??!)
- Having mentioned that- an extendable tripod or selfie stick you may carry above your head with a go-pro or one thing on it could be a very good thought so you may see over folks’s heads.
- Convey a bottle of water in with you, particularly if it’s sunny. The backyard acts like a bowl, and all the warmth from all of the folks makes it fairly stifling.
- Until you REALLY need it, yow will discover less expensive postcards and souvenirs outdoors the backyard at different retailers round Menton. Vacationer retailers are open on a Sunday through the pageant.
Menton itself seems to be like a very fairly town- we’d like to return again and see it higher. A lot of it’s closed off through the pageant, so we’ll need to revisit at a distinct time of yr to discover it correctly. We’d additionally like extra time to discover the remainder of the French shoreline, together with Good, which has plenty of low cost and free issues to do– shocking for the French Riviera and is among the prime cities in France!
Have you ever ever visited the Menton Lemon Competition? Would you wish to? Let me know under.
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