As mentioned in the section ‘The Port of Menton’, Menton’s economy in the 19th century was centered on production and exportation of citrus fruits, with 80% of the population being directly or indirectly dependent on the cultivation of lemons, oranges, and limes. By the time of annexation by France, more than half of the cities revenues came from the trade with citrus fruits.
Consequently, taxes on citrons were a matter of concern not only for the agricultural workers and owners of the land used for the cultivation of citrus fruits, but also for the administration of the city as well. Yet, while the relevance of citrus fruits remained at high levels until the end of the 19th Century, its taxation varied greatly throughout its history according to Menton’s status as either a part of Monaco, a free city, or a city of France.
During the 1830s, increases in taxes on citrus fruits led to Menton losing out on competitiveness on international markets. The growing discontent over this measure was even cited as “une des causes, sinon la principale, de la révolution de 1848”.
While holding the status of a free city, Menton’s citrons were subject to high taxes when exported to France. The situation became slightly better when Menton became a Sardinian city in 1849 , though, as the Sardinian kingdom had a trade agreement with France. Still, the taxe burden was considerable, and forced the municipality to jump in and cover part of the costs to ensure the producers’ survival, leading in turn to the municipality facing financial problems.
While the merits of the annexation might be debatable, its impact on the trade of citrons was without any doubt positive, as it opened the French market to tax-free exports. The rattachement’s impact on Menton’s economy, however, was more complex than just facilitating and boosting trade with citrons. Tourism would soon become the principal economic activity, as discussed in the other sections of this website. Somewhat ironically this change in relevance of the lemon in Menton from a main export to a tourist attraction can be seen in the yearly Citrus Festival:
Frenchification of Menton 