In 1922, Vincente Blasco-Ibañez, politician and writer, buys Garavan in the middle of rural, a property was called Fontana Rosa. He finds there what he has searched for a long time in his life of banishment: peace and isolation.
He creates patiently in this garden a corner of his native Valence: tiles of narative ceramics, pergolas, basins and flower stands in the bright decors.
This place of memory populated with the busts of his favourite writers (in the course of renovation), makes the object of a true revival.
More info on: http://www.tourisme-menton.fr/Menton-Fontana-Rosa-Garden.html

Villa Fontana Rosa Vincente Blasco-Ibañez - Menton visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Villa Fontana Rosa Vincente Blasco-Ibañez' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Alpes Maritimes.

Fontana Rossa Gardens in Menton lie just above the Port de Menton Garavan in the Garavan district. It is one of several notable gardens found on the terraces of the Garavan district. The gardens were laid adjacent to the Moorish style 'House of Writers' villa in the 1920's by Vincente Blasco-Ibañez, a Spanish writer and screenwriter.

Vincente Blasco-Ibañez intended that the garden would honour famous writers, and the busts of several notable ones are installed in various sites. It is laid out along Andalusian and Arabian-Persian styles with Ficus macrophylla, Araucaria heterophylla , palm trees, banana trees or scented rosebushes. Sadly, after his death, the house fell into disrepair and ruin.

The gardens are now being carefully restored and can be visited by appointment. There are paid, guided tours on Fridays.

Fontana Rosa Garden
Avenue Blasco-Ibañez
06500 Menton - French Riviera Cote d'azur
Phone: + 33 (0)4 92 10 33 66

Flight: Nice Airport and then train
Train: Menton Station with trains to Nice and Monte Carlo
Car: Menton is on the E80/E74, about 30km east of Nice, 10km east of Monte Carlo. It is 2km west of the Italian Border and 10km west of Ventimiglia in Italy.