Top 4 winter activities in True Wonderland

Sunny and vitamin-packed: your winter in Menton, Riviera & Merveilles promises to be as invigorating as a good lemon! To ward off the season’s inevitable sluggishness, our destination has gone into overdrive to come up with 100% vitamin C activities. And with (very) mild temperatures all year round, the Côte d’Azur has plenty to brighten up your stay. Whether you’re looking for a touch of festivity, a flake of glide or an unusual jaunt through the landscapes of the Vrai Pays des Merveilles, which winter activity are you going to fall for?

Idea No 1:

Give yourself a nice slice of happiness

Good news! At Vrai Pays des Merveilles, winter is sunny all the way to your plate. The Fête du Citron® is in full swing every year in Menton, during the second half of February. On the program: parades of colorful citrus floats and an atmosphere as festive as it is tangy!”

The Menton lemon, a strong character
As you’ll have gathered, in Menton, Riviera & Merveilles, we don’t mess around with the golden citrus fruit. Used by our destination’s top chefs, it has to be of impeccable quality!

Here’s the secret checklist for recognizing a REAL citron de Menton:

A Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) label.
Grown and harvested in the towns of Castellar, Gorbio, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Sainte-Agnès and Menton.
Size between 53 mm and 90 mm.
Juice content of at least 25% of total fruit weight.
Color variation according to period: light yellow to greenish in early ripening, intense and bright yellow at optimal ripeness, and bright yellow in winter.

I follow in the footsteps of the golden fruit!

©89eme Fete Du Citron Exposition Des Motifs Dagrumes Credit Ville De Menton 8|varotto patrick

We can't wait to find out!

Did you know?

Here, we love lemons so much that we’ve created an itinerary dedicated to their discovery. Between towns and valleys, by car or on foot, meet the artisans and producers who help make this unique fruit ever better.

©Fete Du Citron 2023 Exposition Des Motifs Dagrumes Credit Ville De Menton 1

Idea No 2:

Sliding from resort to resort

Cross-country skiing, tobogganing or snowshoeing: it’s all gliding in Menton, Riviera & Merveilles! When winter rolls around, the peaks of the Mercantour National Park are decked out in a white coat that enchants winter sports enthusiasts. The landscapes are all the more majestic, giving an air of the end of the world…

For an avalanche of laughter, families meet up at Castérino and Turini Camp d’Argent. These human-scale resorts are the perfect places to try your hand at the iconic winter trio: savoring the local gastronomy, learning to ski gently and practicing cross-country skiing.

Do you have a taste for a challenge? Opt for a snowshoe hike to the Pointe des Trois Communes. Legend has it that you can catch a glimpse of Corsica during the walk… Come and check it out?

I'm off to the great white!

©Vol En Parapente Avec Azur Parapente Mont Gros Jean Francois Briand Min

Idea No 3:

Fly off to other horizons

For a first flight or a training course, admire the landscapes of the Vrai Pays des Merveilles from another angle in the winter season… by swapping the car for paragliding! Take to the skies, and treat yourself to the unforgettable panoramas of the Côte d’Azur.

To experience during your stay: a landing with your feet in the water at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, or a rando-vol at the Sospel site. So, where do you start?

I'm reaching the top!

Idea No. 4:

Winding the thread of time

What if we told you that it’s possible to travel back in time in Menton, Riviera & Merveilles? Just follow the Route de la Belle Époque! The latter is the true symbol of the sumptuous era of our history.

Here’s a sneak preview of what you could admire along the way:

🏛 Le trophée d’Auguste (La Turbie)

☀️ Le Riviera Palace (Beausoleil)

🥾 Le sentier Le Corbusier (Roquebrune-Cap-Martin)

🪴 Le jardin du Palais de Carnolès (Menton)