Menton · Beyond the Postcard

About the walk

Just a few kilometres from the Italian border, Menton is one of the most colourful towns on the French Riviera, with pastel-coloured buildings, narrow cobbled streets and beautiful Mediterranean views. Our walk began at the beachfront car park, from where we followed the promenade towards the historic old town. We climbed the famous Rampes Saint-Michel to visit the basilica and neighbouring chapel, before exploring the winding streets, hidden corners and charming squares of the old town. Along the way, we passed several historic landmarks, enjoyed the atmosphere of the shopping streets and eventually made our way back to the beachfront, where we finished with views of the colourful old town and marina. We spent around 3–4 hours exploring Menton, including plenty of stops for photographs and time to enjoy the scenery. If you're planning to stop for lunch, browse the shops or spend some time relaxing on the beach, allow a little longer. The interactive map below follows our actual walking route, with photographs and short descriptions of the places we visited along the way.

Short film

Photo stops

Rampes Saint-Michel

From the car park, we followed the beachfront promenade, where public toilets are available, before reaching the steps of Rampes Saint-Michel. The climb takes you through Menton's colourful old town, with beautiful views opening up over the beach and Mediterranean Sea. Our photos were taken from the top of the stairs, looking back towards the coastline.

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Basilique Saint-Michel Archange de Menton

At the top of Rampes Saint-Michel, we reached the beautiful Basilique Saint-Michel Archange, overlooking Menton's old town and the Mediterranean. Built in the 17th century, this Baroque church features an impressive 53-metre bell tower and was elevated to basilica status in 1999. A small café and public toilets can be found nearby, making this a convenient place to take a short break before continuing through the old town.

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Chapelle des Pénitents-Blancs

Right next to the basilica stands the beautiful Chapelle des Pénitents-Blancs, a small Baroque chapel with an ornate façade. Built in the 17th century for the White Penitents, a religious brotherhood devoted to charity and helping those in need, it is another charming landmark in Menton's historic old town.

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Rue de la Conception

To the left of the basilica, a narrow staircase leads down towards Rue de la Conception, winding between the colourful buildings of Menton's old town. This charming passage offers excellent photo opportunities, with picturesque narrow streets and a beautiful viewpoint capturing both the basilica and the neighbouring Chapelle des Pénitents-Blancs together.

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Rue des Grenadiers

We continued our walk through Menton's historic old town along Rue des Grenadiers, a charming narrow street lined with colourful buildings and traditional Mediterranean architecture. Its winding passageways, weathered façades and quiet corners offer plenty of opportunities to capture the authentic character of the old town.

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Chapelle de la Miséricorde ou des Pénitents noirs

At the end of Rue des Grenadiers, we came across the Chapelle de la Miséricorde, also known as the Chapel of the Black Penitents. Tucked away among the colourful buildings of Menton's old town, this historic Baroque chapel features an elegant façade and offers another lovely photo opportunity along our walking route.

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Rue Trenca

From the Chapelle de la Miséricorde, we continued along the picturesque street shown in our photographs, winding through Menton's colourful old town before reaching Rue Trenca. The narrow passage, traditional shutters and charming Mediterranean architecture offered more lovely photo opportunities along the way.

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Mairie de Menton

Continuing through the old town, we reached the Mairie de Menton, the town hall housed in an elegant historic building. One of its hidden treasures is the Salle des Mariages (Wedding Room), decorated by the French artist Jean Cocteau in the 1950s with colourful murals inspired by Mediterranean mythology. The room is still used for civil wedding ceremonies today.

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Rue Saint-Michel

From the town hall, we continued onto Rue Saint-Michel, Menton's lively pedestrian shopping street, lined with boutiques, cafés and local shops. After exploring the street and enjoying the atmosphere, we turned back towards the beachfront, making our way towards the Mediterranean Sea.

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Place du Cap

At the end of Rue Saint-Michel, we reached Place du Cap, a charming square in the heart of Menton's old town, surrounded by colourful buildings, restaurants and cafés. From here, we continued towards the beachfront, leaving the bustling shopping streets behind and heading back towards the Mediterranean Sea.

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Quai Bonaparte

From Place du Cap, we reached Quai Bonaparte, the seafront road running alongside Menton's old town. Crossing the road takes you down to the beach, where the colourful hillside buildings provide a beautiful backdrop to the Mediterranean coastline.

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Menton's Beachfront

We finished our walk at Menton's beautiful beachfront, where you can enjoy a swim in the Mediterranean, stroll along the marina and find the colourful Menton sign. From the beach, you can also enjoy one of the town's most iconic views, with the pastel-coloured buildings of the old town rising above the waterfront and the basilica overlooking the coastline. From here, you can also access the beachfront car park, bringing our walking route back to its starting point.

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