The 2019 Lemon Festival in Menton, France

© Mandoga Media/Alam

When an ideal microclimate gives you lemons…

…put them on everything. That's the philosophy behind the two-week Lemon Festival that begins today in the coastal city of Menton, France, where this citrus-covered dragon looms large. This sliver of the French Riviera just down the road from Monaco almost never sees freezing temperatures, even during the winter. That makes it ideal for growing lemons, oranges, and other citrus crops - and the harvests are plentiful, as proved by the Lemon Festival's many fruit-bedecked sculptures and parade floats.

If you're not among the lucky 10 million or so who'll visit the Riviera this year, don't be sour - you can check out the Lemon Festival any given February. The annual event is the second-largest in the region (after the city of Nice's colourful pre-Lenten Carnival, which kicked off yesterday), so you lemon lovers can look forward to plenty of future chances at joining the fun.