Mairie de Menton
In France’s far southeastern corner sits Menton, a pastel-colored city on the French Riviera by the Italian border. The city’s old town is a study in Belle Époque architecture.
Of all of Menton’s 19th-century villas and hotels, the façade of its city hall struck me as the most quintessentially Mediterranean. The marble steps leading to the main entrance are flanked by towering banana plants, their broad leaves pointed in a thousand directions. Although I had walked past this building dozens of times during my stay in Menton, I decided only on my final day in the city to take a series of photos — with the intent to render this image in pastel.
Specifically, I wanted to capture the building’s faded elegance — the slightly-askew shutters; the over-the-top crenelations along the parapets; and most of all, the savory combination of canary yellow and terra cotta against a deep blue winter sky.
Downtown Menton may not have the charm of other French Riviera towns, nor the glitz of modern Monaco. Sure Menton is long past its prime. But for a few shaded blocks of Menton’s old quarter, you can easily let your mind wander back to a less hurried age.
Inspiration: 17 rue de la République, Menton FR
