Menton

Related Category: French Political Geography

(mäNtôN´), town (1990 pop. 29,474), Alpes-Maritime dept., SE France, near the Italian border and on the Mediterranean Sea. A popular resort of the Riviera, it was a part of Monaco until 1848 when it declared itself a free city under the protection of Sardinia. It passed to France after a plebiscite in 1860. Menton has a 16th-century fort overlooking its harbor and a 17th-century Baroque church. The town is noted for its music and art festival.