RIVIERA AGENDA · ACCESS

Menton Lemon Festival 2027: which day, tickets, where to stay

The 93rd edition has its dates, its theme and its prices, and ticket sales are open. What is left is picking the right day, the right seat and the right base.

Mametas CheckedDates, times, prices and access checked · 15 October 2026

13-28 February 202793rd edition, theme “Douce France”. The Nice Carnival runs at the same time (9-28 February).

Parades on 14, 21 and 28 FebruaryDaytime parades on Sundays, 2.30-4pm. Night parades on Thursdays 18 and 25 February, 9pm, fireworks at 10.30pm.

Tickets on saleSince 5 October 2026. The organisers say the best grandstand seats go first.

Giant citrus sculpture at the Lemon Festival in front of Menton’s façades — Photo: Anatoli Nicolae, Unsplash

THE MAMETAS VERDICT

Yes, it is worth the trip, as long as you come on a parade day with a ticket already booked. If you only come once, pick a Sunday: the daytime parade, then the Biovès gardens exhibition in the late afternoon. Take the train, not the car, and book a grandstand seat if you want to see the floats rather than the back of someone’s head.

What there is to see

The festival comes down to three things, plus a few extras.

The Golden Fruit parades (corsos des fruits d’or), on Sundays 14, 21 and 28 February, 2.30-4pm, along the seafront around the Casino (avenue Félix-Faure, promenade du Soleil, avenue Carnot): floats covered in citrus fruit, brass bands, dance troupes.
The night parades, on Thursdays 18 and 25 February, 9-10.15pm, followed by fireworks at 10.30pm.
The citrus sculpture exhibition in the Jardins Biovès, every day from 13 to 28 February, 9am-6pm: giant lemon and orange structures, some needing nearly fifteen tonnes of fruit. It is lit up in the evening for the Gardens of Light, on Tuesdays 16 and 23 and Fridays 19 and 26 February, 8-11pm.
Around it: the orchid and winter garden show at the Palais de l’Europe (included in the Biovès ticket) and a free craft market.

Which day to come

One day onlyA parade Sunday. The 14th opens the festival; the 28th closes it and is also the last day of the Nice Carnival.

One eveningA night-parade Thursday (18 or 25): illuminated floats, then fireworks. Shorter, more spectacular, late return.

No paradeOn a weekday, the Biovès gardens exhibition is enough for half a day in Menton. In the evening, pick a Gardens of Light night.

Combine with NiceThe two festivals overlap: one weekend can do the Carnival on Saturday and the Lemon Festival on Sunday, without a car.

Tickets: what you really need to book

Everyone entering a parade enclosure needs a ticket, including children under 6 (free, but a ticket is still required). Tickets are sold on the official website; ticket offices take card, cheque, Chèques-Vacances or cash.

Parade, day or nightGrandstand €30 (child €15), standing in the promenade area €16 (child €8). Groups: €25 / €15.

Jardins Biovès€12 (child €7), 9am-6pm, including the Palais de l’Europe. Night-parade grandstand + Biovès combo: €37.

Gardens of Light€16 (child aged 6-12 €8), 8-11pm.

Our adviceBook the grandstand for parades, especially on Sundays. Standing works if you arrive early and are happy on your feet for 90 minutes.

These are the 2027 prices published by the tourist office. To resell a ticket, use the official resale platform, not a third-party site.

Getting there: train first

Menton station is about 200 m from the Jardins Biovès and a few minutes from the parade entrances. From Nice, the TER (regional train) costs €7.70 and takes about 40 minutes; the organisers announce a ZOU! train every 15 minutes between Cannes and Menton, with extra trains for the evening parades. Buy your return ticket in advance on the TER website to skip the queue at the station. Menton’s second station, Menton-Garavan, is about 3 km from the festival.

By car, the free park-and-ride car parks on parade days (P1 at exit 59 of the A8, P3 at the Val d’Anaud stadium) are linked to the centre by shuttles roughly every half hour. Motorhome spaces are very limited. The ZOU! 600 bus follows the coast from Nice via Monaco in about an hour; line 80 links the airport with Menton in about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Times that matter on the day

The organisers ask visitors to be in Menton before 11am on Sundays and before 6pm on Thursdays, and to reach the entrances 90 minutes before the start. Entrances open at 11am for the 2.30pm parade. Nobody is let in 15 minutes after the parade starts (2.45pm on Sundays, 9.15pm on Thursdays). Animals, dogs included, are not allowed on the parade route, at Biovès or at the Palais de l’Europe.

Nice or Menton as a base?

MentonThe easiest choice for a night parade, the Gardens of Light or two festival days: everything is on foot. Fewer hotels, so book early.

NiceMore choice and the Carnival on your doorstep, 40 minutes by train from Menton. Stay near Nice-Ville station so the return trip stays simple.

MonacoAbout ten minutes by train, but more expensive for the same festival experience.

Where to stay

Affiliate links: Mametas may earn a commission at no cost to you. The selection remains editorial.

MENTON · CENTRE

Hôtel de Londres

Three stars in the town centre, a few steps from the sea and the parade route. In 2026 it was closed in January and reopened on 6 February: check its 2027 dates before booking.

Our review · Google Maps ↗︎

See prices on Booking.com ↗︎

MENTON · SEAFRONT

Riva Art & Spa

On the seafront, about 900 m from the station: handy for walking back after a night parade.

Our review · Google Maps ↗︎

See prices on Booking.com ↗︎

MENTON · GARAVAN

Hôtel Napoléon

Four stars on the seafront, on the Garavan side, open all year in 2026: quieter than the centre on festival nights, at the cost of a longer walk to the parades.

Our review · Google Maps ↗︎

See prices on Booking.com ↗︎