Italy, Monaco, France, Oh My!

The day after Carnival, my friend took me on what she calls the "Three-Country Tour": a day-long sweep through Ventimiglia, Italy (right on the border with France), Menton, France (first town you come to from Italy), and Monaco. The goal was to see the change in the towns from one country to another-- the three were palpably distinct, despite their proximity. And, it just feels cool to say you were in three countries in one day.

Ventimiglia is the Tiajuana of France. French people make regular day trips across the border to take advantage of lower prices on alcohol and 10-lb buckets of Nutella. (Literally. There were entire stores that sold nothing but alcohol and giant Nutella jars.) Despite the comparison with Tiajuana, I found Ventimiglia quaint and loveable. It needed some repairs and a fresh coat of paint, but that just added to the charm. The residents seemed more relaxed and quicker to smile than the Rivierans across the border.

The catchy synthesized jingle played in all French train stations welcomed us to Menton. The first word in my head as we arrived here from Ventimiglia was: polished. Menton seemed tidier and more put-together, but less charming, than the previous town. The streets were clean and broad. The buildings were freshly painted, in beige.

But we had chosen to come to Menton for a specific reason: the Festival des Citrons ("Lemon Festival")! Once a year, Menton creates a monumental sculpture garden, where all the sculptures are made of lemons and oranges.  Imagine really artistic Citrus Bowl parade floats on steroids. That's the Festival des Citrons.

But alas, like it's contemporary, the Nice Carnival, the festival kept its citrusy masterpieces behind high walls and charged exorbitant prices to see them. So we peeked through the gate, snapped a couple of pictures, and said goodbye to Menton.

Monaco might as well have been a different planet. We stepped off the train, walked through tunnels of marble and dark wood, and emerged in a tear-shaped fairyland of banks and designer labels. Monaco is beautiful, historic, and surprisingly green with all its parks and trees. My friend and I wandered through the steep cliffside town until our legs gave out, then headed back to the real world.