Queen Victoria memorial

Queen Victoria memorial, Menton, France.

From The Guardian

1882 Menton

On her first visit to the Riviera, Queen Victoria stayed in the cosy Swiss-style Chalet des Rosiers, which has been converted into six apartments. Part of the garden has been incorporated into the Exotic Botanical Garden of Val Rahmeh, which are open to visitors.

She visited the magnificent, exotic Hanbury Gardens, which are 4km from Menton, over the border in Italy, and are open to visitors.

The Queen took a drive to Monte Carlo one afternoon, but did not, of course, visit the casino, of which she disapproved. Her comments in her journal were: “One saw very nasty disreputable looking people walking about at Monte Carlo, though many respectable people go there also for their health. The harm this attractive gambling establishment does, cannot be over-estimated.”

On April 10,1939, a statue of Queen Victoria was unveiled in Menton on the Place Victoria. When the Italians seized Menton in the second world war they threw the statue into the sea. It was replaced in 1960.