In the past, Menton, "City of Citruses", survived principally from it’s citrus production. This agricultural acitivity disappeared over the years. Today, the city has committed to encouraging land owners and farmers to re-plant lemon trees, orange trees, mandarin trees and other such kumquats. The "Menton Lemon", which has a very specific taste and unique conservational qualities, is in the process of being labelled.
Surrounding the once summer residence of the Princes of Monaco, the gardens of the "Palais Carnolès" contain the largest and most extensive fruit collection in Europe, including approx. 400 specimens from about 100 different species : orange trees, grapefruit trees, clementine trees, mandarin trees, citron trees, kumquats...
In february every year the world famous Lemon Festival is held. In this way, the city pays hommage to the golden fruit, which is the symbol of the city.
