MENTON From Lemon to Festival!
The Lemon Festival is underway! To kick off this 92nd edition, we're taking you on a little tour of the City of Gardens and Lemons... On the agenda: meet our local producers, the Sacchelli family, citrus growers for generations, stroll through the heart of the carnival and wander through the beautiful ochre and pink streets of Menton!
Already in the area? Meet Christophe and Christelle Sacchelli at the Craft Market and our local ambassadors, Alba and Giorgia, at the la belle-iloise shop located at 2 Rue Pietà!
A protected geographical indication (PGI) variety, the Menton lemon stands out from all others thanks to its incomparable flavour, elliptical shape and intensely fruity sweetness. Noble and rare, it is grown using traditional methods on the hillsides of the Menton region, between the sea and the mountains...
Due to its exceptional characteristics, it has been awarded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, as it only grows in a small area covering four municipalities located less than 7 km from the Mediterranean Sea: Menton, Roquebrune, Castellar and Sainte-Agnès.
Head to Menton at 1442 Avenue de Prades to meet Christophe Sacchelli, who is busy harvesting on the family farm founded by his grandfather!
Sacchelli Estate
Welcome to Villa des Mimosas! Perched on the heights of Borrigo, the estate overlooks rocky hills lined with mimosa and lemon trees... The panorama offers an enchanting natural setting where life reigns supreme!
In February, the trees blossom with all kinds of citrus fruits: oranges, mandarins, grapefruit, kumquats and clementines... As organic permaculture citrus growers, the Sacchellis also cultivate more exotic fruits such as avocados, caviar lemons, kaffir limes, bergamots, limes and Buddha's hands!
Having taken over from his father Pierre 20 years ago, Christophe Sacchelli is also a beekeeper and a great defender of bees: he looks after his hives every day and produces his own honey!
Together with his wife Christelle, they developed the business and planted new trees in response to climate change. A pioneer in environmental protection, Christophe also devised an ingenious system for collecting rainwater and watering the entire orchard without consuming any water.
In addition to 100% natural cultivation methods without any chemical treatments, we use 100% traditional, artisanal techniques: absolutely everything is done by hand, and on foot! As the orchard stretches from the heights down to the valleys, it is very steep and machines cannot pass through, so all the fruit is harvested as in the old days, using secateurs, a trolley and wicker baskets!
Green at the beginning of flowering, then light yellow, the Menton Lemon turns bright yellow with thicker skin when ripe. Harvesting begins before Christmas, with the first cold snap, and ends in early March, as the days grow longer and the Lemon Festival comes to a close!
Our boxes of Flaked Mackerel with Herbs and Menton Lemon and our On dirait le Sud gift box have found their way among the lemon trees and the Sacchelli harvest!
The sorting stage is crucial: the Menton Lemon PGI imposes very strict specifications with frequent checks on the size of the trees as well as the shape, size and appearance of the lemons! If they are too small or too large, or have any marks or deformities, the lemons are downgraded and will not qualify for the PGI.
When we asked Sophie Bourlès, Purchasing Manager at la belle-iloise for 14 years, about our partnership with the Sacchelli family, this is what she told us:
"Menton lemons: a real favourite! Above all, it's a simple, human encounter with Christelle and Christophe. Deeply rooted in their land between the mountains and the Mediterranean, they represent everything we look for at la belle-iloise.
I have such admiration for the quality of their work and their commitment. We are proud to offer their lemons in our crumble. It's what gives meaning to my job. I hope we will be able to offer other citrus fruits in the coming years."
Sophie Bourlès, Purchasing and Procurement Manager
The Lemon Festival
Menton, with its traditional Lemon Festival, experiences the most beautiful days of the season... Here, harvests are celebrated as they once were in the olden days! A unique festival listed as part of France's intangible cultural heritage, each edition of the Fête du Citron® attracts more than 250,000 visitors...
Spanning 15 days, the festivities are in full swing with lemon-themed events and shows galore! Daytime carnival, night-time carnival, float parades, citrus fruit sculpture exhibitions, garden walks and craft markets... Every year, the programme is packed with entertainment and events. Strolling through the city sampling local delicacies is also one of the favourite activities during the Lemon Festival!
Citrus fruit display
The origins of the festival... In 1929, Menton was Europe's leading lemon producer. To attract and delight customers, a hotelier had the idea of organising an exhibition of flowers and citrus fruits in his gardens. It was so successful that the following year, a parade of floats decorated with lemons and oranges took to the streets! The town council saw this as an opportunity to develop tourism and organised the first official Lemon Festival in 1934.
Every winter, the 800-metre promenade along the Biovès Gardens is adorned with gigantic citrus fruit sculptures, each year based on a different theme: the 2025 edition invited visitors on a Journey to the Stars, while 2026 celebrates the Wonders of Life...
Craft market
Bringing together citrus growers, producers and other local manufacturers, the Artisans' Market is set up around the Biovès Gardens. At Christelle and Christophe's chalet, passers-by queue up to taste the citrus fruits and buy a few kilos! You can also find honey and delicious homemade jams made with fruit from the orchard...
The perfect opportunity for a friendly chat and to find out about farm tours and workshops offered at the estate all year round, outside of the festival season!
Pierre and his wife Maryse came to lend Christelle a hand, while Christophe is busy harvesting to ensure he has enough lemons and can deliver to the stall on time!
John Lemon, the unmissable mascot of the Lemon Festival, poses with our crumbled biscuit! Throughout the festival, he wanders the streets and attends all the events to liven up the parades, pose with passers-by and share good times...
Our shop on Rue Pietà
La belle-iloise shop in Menton is located at 2 Rue Pietà, a pretty pedestrian street in the heart of the old town, just two minutes from the beach. Our local ambassadors, Alba and Giorgia, both Italian, welcome you every day, all year round, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., to taste our sunny, sea-inspired recipes!
A magnificent bitter orange tree, typical of the French Riviera, stands proudly at the entrance to the shop. "Passers-by stop to admire it, and when it's in bloom, you can smell the scent of oranges all around the shop, it's wonderful!" Giorgia told us.
Last year, Christophe Sacchelli came to meet our customers for a lemon tasting session, accompanied by Steffen Scholl, founder of the Brasserie de Castillon, which produces craft beers made with Menton lemons!
Beauties of Menton
The must-do in Menton is to stroll through the old town, wandering through its picturesque narrow streets and colourful façades... Giorgia guides us: "Menton is like a small village! From Saint-Michel Church, you can admire a splendid panorama of the town. There's also a beautiful walk along Sablettes Beach, between the Old Port and Garavan Port, and magnificent Mediterranean gardens to visit, such as the Serre de la Madone..."
Night parade
When night falls on carnival evenings, the night-time parades light up Menton with joyful poetry! To the sound of brass bands, locals and visitors marvel at the illuminated floats parading through the crowd, carried away by the sweet magic...
An experience not to be missed, this magical and welcoming theatre offers a unique show under the stars, with a splendid fireworks display overlooking the Bay of Sunshine as the grand finale!
Find Christophe and Christelle on Instagram, and come see them at the Sacchelli chalet in the Jardins Biovès from 14 February to 1 March!
Envoyer le lien par e-mail
Mackerel Fillets out of stock