The Aesthetic of Menton: Quaint, Traditional and Inviting

Dust rising from the dry paved roads settles on the town of Menton, coating the walls of the narrow streets. This sandy colour permeates the old town with a relaxed sensation. 

Old Menton is a district with steep tiers of houses huddled one on top of the next. The steeply cobbled medieval steps and alleyways are dark, narrow and winding. Shafts of sunlight reveal jumbled dwellings in muted shades of ochre and pink and gold. The whole town is permeated by a myriad of rippling patches of light and dark, sudden flashes of sun and blue church towers, all projected against the velvety backdrop of the mountains.

Ruins come to life in this old town. Century-old buildings are not only maintained but kept alive, which gives the city a vintage look as if taken out of a classic movie scene. The bright sun has over the years faded the colours of the buildings, and dust from the dry paved roads settles on the walls creating this dreamy setting. The narrow streets of the old town are bordered with the ochre facades of tall houses, winding and vaulted. On rue, Saint-Michel sits the basilica of the same name, a baroque church with a landmark bell-tower.