Was in Nice last year & loved it, never made Menton & am thinking of spending several days there before heading to Santa Margherita.Is Menton as lively (rollerblading, jogging etc.) along the sea, outdoor cafes w\great food.all the things I loved about Nice. What would make Menton stand out? Thanks...

Best natural beauty and climate on that coast--and wonderful flowers. But, it is<BR>much smaller--no more than 10K or so.<BR>And, you are :15 from Monaco. Menton is my favorite in that region--it has a very Italian feeling.

Melanie,<BR><BR>Menton is a more "staid" atomosphere than Nice. We found it enjoyable --but much more sedate. There is a higher percentage of senior travelers in Menton than in Nice.<BR><BR>Menton has better beaches (sand rather than pebbles), a pretty old town with good shopping and restaurants ---but it feels less ancient and definitely better maintained than the Vieux Ville in Nice.<BR><BR>Menton is more peaceful--less frenetic than Nice. <BR><BR>It's the kind of place you envision couples strolling or jogging along the beachside walkway, or families with baby carriages ---but rollerblading just doesn't fit its image.<BR><BR>We enjoyed it for two days and would return for the relaxing pace it offers.<BR><BR>There are some great hilltop villages above the town that are accessible by bus or car.<BR><BR>

Menton is very low key - families on the beach, even if Mom is topless, orange and lemon trees in the town square - cute old town, but still lots more locals than tourists. As Bob says, way smaller than the others, and it's hard to believe that Monte Carlo is just a hop up the road.

Hi Melanie. First, glad you loved Nice; it's one of my favorite places. <BR><BR>Georgine hit it: Menton is not as lively as Nice. But both times I've been there I've seen a few people jogging along the waterfront (though I can't remember seeing any rollerbladers.) Also, as she pointed out, Menton has a sandy beach, instead of the pebbles in Nice. <BR><BR>If you love Nice, I'm sure you must love Vieux Nice. I like the old town in Menton, too, especially the way it rises from the water. And one of the two churches on the main square that sits above the harbor is quite beautiful inside. <BR><BR>But what really makes Menton attractive, in my opinion, is the setting. The mountains rise up right behind it (being so sheltered, Menton is one of the warmest & sunniest places in France; no surprise many people would choose to retire there) and, as I noted earlier, the old town climbs up from the water. I think one of THE most picturesque shots along the entire Cote d'Azur is the shot of the old town of Menton from either the long breakwater that stretches out from the Jean Cocteau Museum, or from the large boulders on the breakwater across from the beach. The lovely pastel-colored buildings of old Menton, and the church steeples, are framed by (usually) a rich blue sky and, below, graceful stone arches on the roadway that runs behind the beach. <BR><BR>Menton is also noted for its gardens, many of them created by British people who moved to Menton (probably to escape the punishing hot & dry climate of the UK) and, in fact, the city motto is "Ma Ville est un Jardin." <BR><BR>Hope you enjoy it if you decide to visit. <BR><BR>

We like Menton very much for all the reasons cited above. It also has a sizable proportion of English visitors and is generally regarded as easier on the wallet, two factors that are supposedly linked per what I've read in guidebooks.