Menton
| Menton | |||
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The harbour of Menton, with the basilica of Saint-Michel-Archange beyond, viewed from the Quai Napoléon III
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 Menton
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Location within Provence-A.-C.d'A. region
Menton
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| Coordinates: 43°46′30″N 7°30′00″E / 43.775000°N 07.50°ECoordinates: 43°46′30″N 7°30′00″E / 43.775000°N 07.50°E | |||
| Country | France | ||
| Region | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | ||
| Department | Alpes-Maritimes | ||
| Arrondissement | Nice | ||
| Intercommunality | Riviera française | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor (2008–2014) | Jean-Claude Guibal | ||
| Area1 | 14.05 km2 (5.42 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2012)2 | 29,073 | ||
| • Density | 2,100/km2 (5,400/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
| INSEE/Postal code | 06083 / 06500 | ||
| Elevation | 0–774 m (0–2,539 ft) (avg. 16 m or 52 ft) |
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1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. |
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1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
Menton (French pronunciation: [mɑ̃tɔ̃]; Occitan: [meˈta], written Menton in classical norm or Mentan in Mistralian norm; Italian: Mentone [menˈtoːne]) is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.
Situated on the French Riviera, along the Franco-Italian border, it is nicknamed perle de la France ("Pearl of France").
The Menton area has been inhabited since the paleolithic era, and is the site of the original "Grimaldi Man" find of early modern humans, as well as remains of Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons. In Roman times, the Via Julia Augusta, a road connecting Placentia (now Piacenza) with Arelates (now Arles) passed through Menton, running along the Rue Longue in the old town. The first major settlement occurred during the 11th century CE, when the Count of Ventimiglia constructed the Château de Puypin (Podium Pinum) on the Pépin hill, north and west of the modern town centre. During the 13th century, the seigneury of Puypin fell to the Vento family of Genoa who built a new castle along the Roman road, now the site of the Vieux-Château cemetery, providing the core around which the current town grew. Menton was thus incorporated into the Republic of Genoa. The first mention of Menton dates from 21 July 1262, in the peace treaty between Charles of Anjou and Genoa. Its position on the border between the Angevin-ruled Provence and the Republic of Genoa, which at the time claimed Monaco as its western limit, made it a coveted location.
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