Proposal and Photoshoot Location on the French Riviera: Menton

Less than a mile from the Italian border, nestled between the blue sea and rolling alpine mountains lies one of the calmest places on the French Riviera – the town of Menton. If you’re looking for the ideal proposal location or a place for a photoshoot in the South of France, then the town should be at or near the top of your list. There’s a mix of sea, Mediterranean architecture, and streets that belong on postcards along with something you don’t always get on the French Riviera: tranquility.

How to pronounce Menton, France: The first syllable of "Menton" rhymes with "font", not with "meant".

The view of Menton old-town from the Panoramic viewpoint is sublime and its famous yellow staircase (Les Rampes Saint-Michel) which itself offer beautiful views) make for some amazing exploration. You’ll be drawn into the labyrinth of timeless medieval-era streets and – when you reach their summit – marvel at the Place de la Conception. The atmosphere of the town is unique on the Riviera; it’s much calmer than bustling places like Nice and Monaco, and feels more authentic to its history as a peaceful fishing village.

The best time of day for a photoshoot in Menton is late morning to early afternoon. Avoid mid to late afternoon because, I’ve noticed, the sun’s positioning at that time begins to adversely affect the light on some of my favorite spots. There’s no golden hour light to be had in Menton due to its orientation regarding nearby mountains.



The best way to get to Menton if you’re staying in Nice is via train (use France's official SNCF Connect app to buy tickets or else you may have to queue at Nice central station – which is not a pleasant experience if it’s busy). The train takes 45 minutes but it’s a beautiful journey that winds around the winding coastline past Monaco and towards Italy (you'll want the train going in the direction of Ventimiglia). Trains in France are relatively cheap, costing (at the time of writing) less than 16 euros for a return to Nice for one adult. If you go by train – avoid rush hour as Nice to Monaco gets very busy during weekday office hours.

The advantages of having a photoshoot here include the variety of locations and backdrops you can use. There’s images with sea, panoramic wide images with the old town, beautiful, quaint streets, and a variety of architecture. Other places on the riviera don’t quite span the same amount of variety, as well or as consistently as Menton. Eze, for example, is beautiful - but unfortunately various luxury hotels and its Exotic Garden have monopolized all the views of the sea – so professionally-taken panoramas with sea and spectacular views are impossible.

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A final advantage is that visiting the town is worth-it anyway. It’s just a fun, beautiful, calm place to be that – in my opinion, has way more charm – and far fewer roaring speed-bikes and Lamborghinis - than places like Monaco. For me, it’s one of the few places on the bustling Riviera that’s retained its character of old and that feels much more like a more traditional Mediterranean town.

Disadvantages of a Photoshoot in Menton

The only disadvantage of a photoshoot here is that – because of geography – Menton doesn’t benefit from golden hour light. The sun sets very early, maybe a couple of hours before the actual sunset. So – if you’re set on golden hour photos, consider a place like Coco Beach in Nice or Cap Ferrat instead.

Another potential minor disadvantage is that Menton doesn’t have the same architecture as Eze – in some ways it has much more spectacular architecture, but that certain style of honey colored stone isn’t very common here. There are, however, beautiful pastel colored buildings and some spectacular churches.

About Me

I'm a British wedding a couple photographer based in the French Riviera, where I live with my wife and two children. I specialise in light, candid, natural couple photography and give people all the advice and information they need for their photoshoot. I also organise elopements and family photoshoots. You can contact me here, or see more of my work here.