Menton · Garavan · the Italian border
VTC in Menton: Nice airport, Monaco and Italy
The last town before Italy: a road that runs through Monaco, a price given in advance, and a chauffeur who speaks Italian.
Rather talk? 06 25 03 03 20 · English, Italiano, Français
- Population
- 30,604 inhabitants
- Postcode
- 06500
- Nice airport
- 27.4 km as the crow flies
- Languages on board
- Français · English · Italiano
Menton, at the far end of the French Riviera
Menton is the last French town before the Italian border, east of Monaco: from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, it is the furthest of the five towns Driver, Let’s Go! covers in detail, 27.4 km away as the crow flies.
The town rises in tiers between the sea and the mountains: the old town and the Basilica of Saint-Michel on their promontory, the Garavan district towards the border, gardens on the hillsides. This terrain shelters the town from the north winds and gives it a famously mild climate, which made Menton a winter resort as early as the 19th century.
For a VTC, Menton means a longer drive than Antibes or Cagnes, one that crosses Monaco or skirts it. That is why the price is given when you book, depending on the address.
Three roads between Nice and Menton, and which one to take
Between Nice airport and Menton, there is a choice between the A8 motorway, fast but tolled, and the corniche roads, slower and more scenic; Thierry chooses according to the time of day, the traffic and what you feel like.
| Route | What you see | When to take it |
|---|---|---|
| A8 motorway | The hills, tunnels | When you have a flight to catch: the most predictable |
| Moyenne Corniche | Èze, sheer drops above the sea | For an arrival with no time pressure |
| Basse Corniche, via Monaco | Villefranche, Beaulieu, the Principality | To stop along the way, in Monaco for example |
Tolls are included in Driver, Let’s Go! prices.
Monaco is on the way: it is one of the four fixed-fare rides from the airport (€115, about 45 minutes). For Menton, the ride continues beyond the Principality, and you get the price before you set off.
Menton, gateway to Italy: with a chauffeur who speaks Italian
The Italian border is just outside Menton, past the Garavan district; beyond it lie Ventimiglia and the Italian Riviera. Thierry speaks Italian, which makes a real difference on the other side.
The Friday market in Ventimiglia draws many visitors from the Côte d’Azur; further on, the Ligurian Riviera strings together its seaside towns. With a full day of hourly hire (€600, 200 km included, €1.50 per extra km), an escape to Italy is easy from Menton, Monaco or Nice, with a chauffeur who can ask the way, read the signs and book a table in the language.
For Italian guests arriving through Nice airport, it works the other way round: they can arrange everything in Italian, from booking to drop-off in Menton or in Italy.
- Italian, English and French spoken on board.
- A day in Italy: the 8-hour package, with kilometres beyond 200 at €1.50.
- Bring an ID document to cross the border.
February: the Lemon Festival and its closed streets
Every February, Menton holds the Fête du Citron, its Lemon Festival, with parades and citrus sculptures in the Biovès gardens: the town fills up, and several streets are closed to cars.
During the festival, pickup takes place at an accessible spot agreed in advance: a hotel outside the closed-off area, a street in Garavan, the seafront. Book earlier than usual, and give the exact address of your hotel.
The Menton lemon is a renowned local product, grown on terraces on the slopes around the town. Menton’s gardens, open to visitors, combine well with a day of sightseeing in the old town.
Where Thierry drops you in Menton
Menton stretches along the sea from Roquebrune-Cap-Martin to the border: the drop-off point depends on the district, and the old town is finished on foot.
The old town
Stepped lanes up to the Basilica of Saint-Michel: drop-off below, on the seafront or at the harbour.
The seafront
The promenade and its hotels: drop-off at the entrance.
Garavan
The district of villas and the Garavan harbour, towards the border: give the name of the villa and how to get in.
The station
Outside Menton station, for a connection or a departure by train.
What people come to Menton to see
Menton is visited for its Baroque old town, its gardens and the Musée Jean Cocteau; with a driver, you can add Monaco or Italy on the same day.
The Basilica of Saint-Michel
The Baroque church that towers over the old town, and its square looking out to sea.
The Musée Jean Cocteau
The Séverin Wunderman collection, on the seafront, and the Bastion devoted to Cocteau.
The gardens
Botanical gardens and villa gardens, on the sheltered slopes around the town.
For a day starting from Nice, the eastern loop takes in Villefranche, Èze, Monaco and Menton; the museums page places the Musée Cocteau among the museums of the Riviera.
Stopping in Monaco on the way to Menton
Monaco lies halfway between Nice airport and Menton: an hour’s stop in the Principality turns a transfer into a half-day of sightseeing.
The Rock, the Prince’s Palace, the Oceanographic Museum and Port Hercule can be seen in an hour or two; Thierry, who spent twenty years working in Monaco’s hotels, knows where to drop you and where to pick you up. With the suitcases in the boot, you visit hands-free.
For a short stop, mention it when you book the transfer; for a proper programme, the four-hour half day at €320 covers the drive, the waiting time, tolls and parking.
What Thierry checks before a ride in Menton
For a long ride such as Menton ⇄ airport, the pickup time matters more than for the nearby towns: five points are settled when you book.
Your flight time
For a departure, it sets the pickup time, with a margin for crossing Monaco.
The district
Old town, seafront, Garavan: the drop-off is not the same.
The time of year
In February, the Lemon Festival closes streets; in summer, the Basse Corniche gets busy.
The final destination
Menton, or beyond, in Italy: the price and the paperwork are not the same.
The language
French, English or Italian: say which suits you.
VTC in Menton: your questions
The questions specific to rides to and from Menton.
How much is a VTC between Nice airport and Menton?
Menton has no fixed fare with Driver, Let’s Go!: you get the price when you book, depending on the address, tolls included. For Monaco, on the same road, the fixed fare is €115.
Can you drive us into Italy from Menton?
Yes, with hourly hire: €600 for an 8-hour day, 200 km included, €1.50 per extra km. Thierry speaks Italian.
Does the Lemon Festival make pickup harder?
Yes, several streets are closed in February during the festival. Agree on an accessible spot in advance, and book earlier.
Can we stop in Monaco on the way to Menton?
Yes, mention it when you book: Thierry tells you before the ride what difference the stop makes to the price.
Which route do you take to the airport?
The A8 motorway when there is a flight to catch, as it is the most predictable; the corniche roads when the schedule allows. Tolls are included.
Neighbouring towns, and the services
Menton lies to the east; the other towns covered in detail are west of Nice.
The eastern loopVillefranche, Èze, Monaco and Menton in a single day.Read the page 
Airport transfersThe fixed fare to Monaco, the terminal, the luggage.Read the page 
VTC in AntibesWest of Nice, the €85 fixed fare.Read the page 
VTC in VenceUp in the hinterland, the medieval town.Read the page 
The whole area servedThe five towns and the other destinations from Nice.Read the page
Menton, Monaco or Italy: the price before you leave.
Give your address in Menton and your flight; Thierry replies in French, English or Italian.
Call 06 25 03 03 20Population (30,604 inhabitants), INSEE code 06083 and postcode 06500: the French government’s API Géo (geo.api.gouv.fr), accessed on 27 October 2026. Distance as the crow flies calculated from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport. Monaco fare: Driver, Let’s Go! prices.