Basilica of Saint-Michel Archange
about 30 minThe baroque basilica above the old town, begun in 1619, free to enter on weekday afternoons and Saturdays.
The minor basilica of Saint-Michel Archange dominates the old town. The first stone was laid in 1619, it opened for worship in 1653, the great campanile rose in 1701-1702 and the facade was finished in 1819, says the tourist office. It keeps a set of 18th-century damask hangings and has been a listed monument since 1947. Free. Open 3 to 5 pm Monday to Friday and 10 am to noon, 3 to 5 pm Saturday; Sundays only for Mass.
What to do there- See the baroque facade and the great campanile
- Look for the 18th-century damask hangings
- See the 17th-century organ
- Walk the black-and-white pebble forecourt
- Hear the music festival on the forecourt (late July to mid-August)
Old town and harbourPlace de l'Eglise, 06500 MentonBest: afternoon, late morning, golden hourOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Jean Cocteau Museum, the Bastion
about 60 minA 1636 harbour fort that Jean Cocteau restored and designed himself to house his works, open every day except Tuesday.
The Bastion is a fort built in 1636 at the old port, restored and designed by Jean Cocteau to hold his works; he planned the staircase, the tapestry and the pebble-mosaic floors himself, says the tourist office. The collection holds over 2,000 pieces. Open 10 am to 12:30 pm and 2 to 6 pm, closed Tuesdays. Full ticket 5 euros, free on the first Sunday of the month. The same page notes a closure from 14 to 24 November.
What to do there- See Cocteau's works inside the 1636 fort
- See the staircase and tapestry he designed
- Look for the pebble-mosaic lizard on the floor
- See his drawings, ceramics and films
Old town and harbour5 Quai Napoléon III, 06500 MentonBest: morning, late morning, afternoonOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Les Enfants Terribles
about 80 minA harbour-front restaurant with Cocteau-inspired decor, fish and shellfish, and a large terrace; closed Monday and Tuesday.
Les Enfants Terribles stands at the start of the pedestrian street beside the Cocteau museum, its decor inspired by Cocteau's works, says the tourist office. The chef offers fish, shellfish and Mediterranean dishes, and 100 of its 140 seats are on the terrace. Open noon to 10 pm Wednesday to Sunday (the tourist page says 10:30 pm), closed Monday and Tuesday. Reviews mention mussels, paella, oysters and bouillabaisse.
What to do there- Order the truffle-cream ravioli
- Try the bourride provençale with saffron
- Eat sea bass or wolffish Ligurian style
- Share the grilled côte de bœuf
- Order the mussels
- Sit on the terrace near the pedestrian street
Old town and harbour1 Quai Bonaparte, 06500 MentonBest: lunch, dinnerOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Les Gascons
about 80 minA restaurant of south-western cooking at Place du Cap, rated 4.9, open Tuesday lunch and Wednesday to Saturday lunch and dinner.
Les Gascons, at 21 Place du Cap, is listed as a restaurant open for lunch (noon to 2 pm) Tuesday to Saturday and dinner (7 to 10 pm) Wednesday to Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday. It is rated 4.9 from 380 reviews, which mention duck breast, foie gras, Gascony and Landes cuisine, wine and profiteroles.
What to do there- Order the duck breast
- Try the foie gras
- Finish with the profiteroles
Old town and harbour21 Pl. du Cap, 06500 MentonBest: lunch, dinnerOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Menton Covered Market
about 45 minThe Belle Époque covered market between the port and the old town, open mornings, with about thirty traders of local produce.
The covered market stands between the port and the old town. The tourist office says it has been the showcase of local produce since 1898, with about thirty traders selling local products under Belle Époque ceramics by Saïssi of Menton. Open 8 am to 1 pm, closed Mondays on the listing; the tourist page says Mondays have few stalls open. On Saturday mornings clothes sellers set up on Place Fornari. Free to enter.
What to do there- Buy local produce from about thirty traders
- Admire the Belle Époque hall and its ceramic facade
- Look for cheese, olive oil and fish stalls
- Shop for clothes on Place Fornari on Saturday mornings
Old town and harbourHalles municipales, Quai de Monleon, 06500 MentonBest: morning, late morningOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Old Castle Cemetery
about 45 minTerraced hilltop cemetery on the old castle site, with a view from Italy to Cap Martin; free, open daily.
The cemetery stands where the old castle was and rises to 63 metres, with a view from Italy to Cap Martin, says the tourist office. Its stacked terraces hold the graves of Menton families beside those of foreign residents; the tomb of William Webb Ellis, the inventor of rugby, is shut for works on that page. Free. Open 7 am to 5 pm every day (the Google listing says to 7 pm). Steep climb.
What to do there- Take in the view from Italy to Cap Martin
- Climb the stacked terraces of graves
- Look for the grave of rugby inventor William Webb Ellis (shut for works)
- See the Russian Orthodox chapel
Old town and harbourMontée du Souvenir, 06500 MentonBest: morning, late morning, afternoonOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
L'Endroit
about 80 minA quayside restaurant open 7 am to 12:30 am except Tuesday and Wednesday, with a terrace on the port.
L'Endroit, at 4 Quai Gordon Bennet, is listed as a restaurant open from 7 am to 12:30 am on Sunday, Monday and Thursday to Saturday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. A second table on the listing, 5 to 7 pm, is happy hour and is not the opening hours. Reviews mention the port, the terrace, tartare, bruschetta and homemade fries.
What to do there- Sit on the terrace by the port
- Try the tartare or bruschetta
Old town and harbour4 Quai Gordon Bennet, 06500 MentonBest: lunch, dinnerOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
La Mandragore
about 80 minA restaurant on Place aux Herbes open 9 am to 5 pm every day, with a terrace, rated 4.5.
La Mandragore is a restaurant on Place aux Herbes in the old town, open every day from 9 am to 5 pm, so it serves lunch only. Rated 4.5 from 581 reviews, which mention the terrace, stuffed vegetables, scallops and tartare.
What to do there- Eat on the terrace
- Try the stuffed vegetables
Old town and harbourPlace aux herbes, 06500 MentonBest: lunchOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
La PecoraNegra
about 80 minAn Italian pizza restaurant on the quay with a view of the port, open for lunch and dinner every day except Thursday.
La PecoraNegra is a pizza restaurant on Quai Gordon Bennet. The Google listing shows lunch (noon to 2:30 pm) and dinner (7 to 10 pm) every day except Thursday, so it is one of the few places open on Monday and Tuesday. Reviews mention the view of the port, socca, tiramisu, vitello tonnato and spritz. Mirazur's website lists it among its Menton addresses.
What to do there- Look over the port while you eat
- Try the socca
- Finish with the tiramisu
Old town and harbourQuai Gordon Bennet, 06500 MentonBest: lunch, dinnerOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Le 31
about 80 minA harbour-front restaurant at 31 Quai Bonaparte, open for lunch and dinner every day except Thursday, rated 4.5.
Le 31 is a restaurant at 31 Quai Bonaparte, on the harbour front. The listing shows lunch (noon to 2:30 pm) and dinner (6:30 to 10:30 pm, to 11:30 pm on Tuesday) every day except Thursday. Reviews mention the sea and sea view and the lemon tart; a 25-euro menu is mentioned twice.
What to do there- Look out to sea while you eat
- Finish with the lemon tart
Old town and harbour31 Quai Bonaparte, 06500 MentonBest: lunch, dinnerOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Mitron Bakery
about 20 minA bakery in the old town that reviewers come to for its lemon tart, with fougasse, focaccia and brioche.
Mitron Bakery, at 8 rue Piéta in the old town, is listed on Mirazur's website among its Menton addresses. The Google listing shows it open 8 am to 7 pm Tuesday to Saturday and to 3 pm on Sunday, closed Monday. Reviews mention its lemon tart more than anything else, then fougasse, panettone, brioche and focaccia. French Wikipedia lists the fougasse mentonnaise among the town's specialities. A bakery, not a meal.
What to do there- Taste the lemon tart
- Pick up a fougasse mentonnaise
- Try the brioche, focaccia or panettone
Old town and harbour8 Rue Pieta, 06500 MentonBest: morning, late morning, afternoonOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Sablettes Beach
about 90 minThe beach sheltered by three jetties beside the old town, with the promenade and a view of the colourful houses.
The Sablettes is a small beach below the old town, sheltered by jetties; its listing speaks of calm, clear water. French Wikipedia says it was a very small sand beach until 1969, enlarged artificially in 1968-1969 and protected by three breakwaters. Reviews mention lockers, wooden deckchairs, pebbles, the promenade and the view of the old town. Its listing shows no opening hours, so the guide does not plan it.
What to do there- Swim in the calm, sheltered water
- Walk the promenade with the old town in view
- Rent a locker or a wooden deckchair
Old town and harbour06500 MentonBest: morning, late morning, afternoonOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.
Tony Restaurant
about 80 minAn Italian restaurant on Quai Bonaparte open noon to 10 pm every day, with a view of the port.
Tony Restaurant, at 9 Quai Bonaparte, is listed as an Italian restaurant open every day from noon to 10 pm, rated 4.4 from over a thousand reviews. Reviewers mention the view of the port and the sea, octopus, fritto misto and rum baba.
What to do there- Look over the port while you eat
- Order the octopus
- Try the fritto misto
Old town and harbour9 Quai Bonaparte, 06500 MentonBest: lunch, dinnerOn the map ›Something wrong?
Hours unverified: they come from its listing and may have changed.