Menton lemon, an exceptional citrus fruit

The Lemon Festival is in full swing in Menton. Until February 27, parades follow one another, the Biovès gardens can be visited at night around the exhibition of citrus patterns…

It’s time to visit the Casetta. This municipal nursery is entirely dedicated to citrus fruits. This is an opportunity not to be missed, to discover the long history of citrus growing in Menton, and to learn all about the famous lemon of Menton.

Because Menton lemons are not the ones, explains Franck Roturier, director of the city’s parks and gardens: “There are very strict specifications, which allowed this lemon its PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) classification in December 2015.

The lemon must be grown in a very delimited territory. It is grown on terraces, and not above 300 m altitude. You must also be a member of the Association for the promotion of Menton lemons. The orchards are subject to certification and agree to be controlled by a certifying office. There are several varieties eligible for cultivation: ‘Eureka’, ‘Santa Teresa’...

“The lemon must be grown in one of the four municipalities of Menton, Roquebrune, Sainte-Agnès and Castellar.”

Frank Roturier

at franceinfo

The Menton lemon is therefore an exceptional product, which obviously explains its price. If you are offered Menton lemons at 4 or 5 euros per kilo, it is not a real Menton lemon.

And you will realize it when you taste this lemon: its taste is rather sweet, not very acidic and the aromas are intense.

Its traceability is total, the seller must be able to tell you that it comes from such and such a farm, or even from a specific parcel.

Before being recognized as a Menton lemon, the fruit is inspected from every angle. It should neither be too big nor too small, be free of spots on its skin.

This examination is reminiscent of the Lemon Magistrate, created by Louis 1st Prince of Monaco, when Menton was still Monegasque: “This magistrate was created in 1670. Monaco then wanted to regulate the production of lemons, and above all to control it, because trade was subject to tax levies.

The Lemon Magistrate was made up of 18 people. There were notables (the families of Adhémar de Lantagnac, Mauléon…) as well as producers. It was during this period that we created the steel discs that made it possible to measure lemons.”

It was therefore already an exceptional product. Its glory declined in the 19th and 20th centuries, because its cultivation was abandoned, in particular due to the difficulties of exploitation in the terraces.

Today, the Menton lemon is grown on around 30 hectares. Half of the trees were reintroduced between 2015 and 2017.