Gardens of the French Riviera & the Menton Lemon Festival

Departing: February 2027 - February 2027

The French Riviera has long attracted artists, gardeners and travellers with its extraordinary combination of sunshine, dramatic coastlines and wonderfully varied landscapes. Here, generations of passionate gardeners have created remarkable gardens where exotic plants flourish in the Mediterranean climate, from botanical collections to elegant estates overlooking the sea. Enjoy a full day at the spectacular Menton Lemon Festival, when the town bursts into colour with elaborate floats, sculptures and displays celebrating the humble citrus fruit. Alongside the festivities, discover the exceptional gardens of the Riviera, including the Fondation Ephrussi de Rothschild with its magnificent sea views, the richly planted Hanbury Gardens just across the Italian border and the Jardin Exotique d’Èze perched above the Mediterranean. From Villa Thuret and Serre de la Madone to the gardens of Monte Carlo and La Mouissone, uncover a fascinating world of plants, design and creativity.

Included

Explore the Menton Lemon Festival & Hanbury Garden, with entrance fees included
All other visits as outlined in the itinerary
Professional Tour Manager
5 nights at the Hotel Nice Excelsior, Nice (or similar)
4 breakfasts, 4 lunches & 3 dinners
Private air-conditioned coach travel

Highlights

Sit back and enjoy all the colour and spectacle of the Menton Lemon Festival
Cacti of every shape and size in Monte Carlo and Èze
The richness of the plant collection at the Hanbury Garden
Marvellous sea views and opulent surroundings in St Jean Cap Ferra

Colin Crosbie

Studied horticulture at the West of Scotland Agricultural College. He then worked in the Savill and Valley Gardens in Windsor Great Park before being appointed as Head Gardener to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother at Royal Lodge Windsor.

Tour Itinerary

Join our arrival transfer from Nice Airport or meet your Tour Manager and fellow travellers at the designated meeting point before enjoying lunch at a local restaurant. This afternoon, we visit Serre de la Madone, the historic garden created by American plantsman Lawrence Johnston, who spent more than 30 years collecting exotic plants from around the world. Discover how his remarkable collection flourishes among mature olive trees and Mediterranean planting before continuing to our hotel in Nice. This evening, we enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hôtel Nice Excelsior, Nice

After breakfast, we head to St Jean Cap Ferrat to visit the Fondation Ephrussi de Rothschild, where elegant gardens surround the villa and its impressive art and historical collections. The gardens are divided into contrasting sections, each offering its own character and planting, with wonderful views across the Mediterranean. Lunch is included here. This afternoon, we continue to the Jardin Exotique d’Èze, perched high above the coast among the ruins of an ancient castle. Discover its remarkable collection of cacti, aloes and agaves while enjoying spectacular views across the Riviera.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Hôtel Nice Excelsior, Nice

We begin at Jardin Botanique Val Rahmeh in Menton, where exotic and subtropical plants flourish in a sheltered Mediterranean setting. Discover its collection of palms, citrus, olives and rarer species, alongside a lush tropical garden. We then cross into Italy to visit the magnificent Hanbury Gardens at La Mortola, created by Sir Thomas Hanbury from 1867 as an exceptional botanical collection. Exotic plants from around the world thrive among the terraces, rocky slopes and mature trees, with wonderful views towards the Mediterranean. Lunch is included here before we return to Nice for dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hôtel Nice Excelsior, Nice

Today, Menton comes alive for its famous Lemon Festival, a spectacular celebration of colour, creativity and spring. What began in the 1930s with a handful of carts decorated with citrus trees has grown into one of the French Riviera’s most dazzling events. Elaborate floats and imaginative sculptures make their way along the Promenade du Soleil, while music and performances add to the carnival atmosphere. With vibrant displays in shades of yellow and orange, the festival is a joyful expression of Menton’s citrus-growing heritage and the joie de vivre of the French Riviera.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hôtel Nice Excelsior, Nice

After breakfast, we head to Cap d’Antibes and Villa Thuret, where botanist Gustave Thuret created an exceptional collection of plants from around the world. Today, some 3,000 species thrive across the gardens, including rare trees and exotic plants flourishing in the Mediterranean climate. We continue to La Mouissone in Grasse, whose three hectares of gardens follow the natural slopes of the hillside, combining olive groves, woodland, bamboo and Mediterranean planting with panoramic views towards the coast. After lunch here, we visit the beautiful hilltop village of St Paul de Vence, once a haven for artists and writers, with narrow streets, galleries and far-reaching views. This evening, we enjoy our farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Hôtel Nice Excelsior, Nice

Our final visit takes us to Monte Carlo and the Jardin Exotique de Monaco, which reopened in 2025 following an extensive renovation. Created in the late 19th century, the garden showcases an extraordinary collection of cacti, agaves and other succulents from arid regions around the world. Set dramatically on the cliffs above Monaco, it also offers spectacular views across the principality and Mediterranean. We then transfer to Nice Airport, where our tour comes to an end.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation

Housed in a handsome 19th-century Belle Époque building in central Nice, the Hôtel Nice Excelsior is close to the Promenade des Anglais and the city’s elegant boulevards and squares. All en-suite rooms include air conditioning, flatscreen TV, safe, mini bar, hairdryer and free Wi-Fi, with tea and coffee-making facilities provided in selected room categories. The hotel also has a peaceful garden with a summer bar, terrace and seasonal outdoor swimming pool.

Availability & Booking

2027

11th February from $2,605

Call to Book

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