Cimetière du Vieux-Château
Perched at the very top of Menton's old town, this 19th-century hilltop cemetery offers what many consider the finest panorama on the entire Côte d'Azur — a sweep from the Italian border to Cap Martin with the pastel rooftops of Menton tumbling to the sea below.
A garden of extraordinary monuments
The cemetery is not just a viewpoint but a destination in its own right. It was designed in the Romantic era and contains the graves of English, Russian and German aristocrats who wintered in Menton for its mild climate — ornate mausoleums, Celtic crosses and Orthodox domes cluster together in a genuinely moving display of 19th-century funerary art.
The grave of William Webb Ellis, the Englishman credited with inventing rugby, is here and marked with a small plaque — a quirky pilgrimage for sports fans. Bougainvillea and wild rosemary soften every path, making it feel more garden than graveyard.
Getting up there
From the Basilique Saint-Michel-Archange piazza, continue climbing via the Montée du Souvenir staircase — it takes about ten minutes at a gentle pace and the views open progressively with each flight of steps.
The cemetery is freely accessible during daylight hours. Go at golden hour before sunset when the light turns the sea to hammered copper and the Italian hills go violet — you will use every frame on your camera.
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