Every February, the "Fête du Citron" takes place in Menton, France. Held for the 89th time this year, this lemon festival decorates the streets of this French coastal town from February 11 to 26. Marc Stragier attended this year and shared an atmospheric impression of the event. "It's been on my 'to-do list' for 20 years, and this year, we finally managed to go for a weekend," says the merchant.
The Fête du Citron began in 1934 at a local Menton hotel to highlight flowers and citrus. However, it was so successful that in the following years, it grew into a large-scale event with concerts, exhibitions, and celebrations around the PGI-recognized citrus.
Marc Stragier.
The various parades with citrus floats, accompanied by brass bands, dancers, and carnival music, always draw the biggest crowds. "All the floats and sculptures that wind their way through the streets are handmade with lemons and oranges. It's an extraordinary, impressive parade with beautiful works of art. An average of 12,000 kilos of citrus are used for these sculptures. These are placed, one by one, with the utmost care, and, every night, the floats are repaired if necessary," Marc explains.
The regional protected products are, however, not used in the designs. For one thing, not enough of these lemons are produced to provide the various artworks. Also, organizers say it would not benefit commerce because the growers have to earn from it too. "Better to let lemon lovers from all over the world enjoy these quality products."
The event attracts about 200,000 visitors to the French coastal town. "People here seem to love lemons and oranges. The event coincides with the carnival in Nice, one of the top winter events on the Côte d'Azur. Nonetheless, this is well worth visiting too. It is, after all, one of a kind. You can discover the latest creations celebrating this national heritage," Marc concludes. In 2019, the French Ministry of Culture added this citrus festival to the country's list of intangible cultural heritage events.
Photos: Marc Stragier
For more information:
Fête du Citron
Website: www.fete-du-citron.com