Menton’s Senior Citizens Won’t Bite: Go Talk to Them!

Shortly after arriving in Menton this August, I got the sense that the town’s older residents are not particularly fond of Sciences Pistes. For many students, this might not come as such a shock. After Integration Week, complaints echoed through the Old Town. As one woman eloquently put it, “Sciences Po drove us crazy until 3 in the morning !” The objections vary in subtlety, from frustrated sighs and muttered grievances to water-pouring incidents on the heads of unsuspecting Le Rétro-goers.

The Old Town especially seems like a hotspot of animosity, being the nucleus of Sciences Pistes’ parties, protests and student life. Students’ feeling of unwantedness is all the more understandable after last spring’s barrage of reputation-tarnishing headlines. The campus was publicly denounced as “out-of-control” and even slated for closure by current far-right National Rally mayoral candidate Alexandra Masson. Multiple newspapers from Le Figaro to Nice-Matin seized on the controversy with a range of less-than-flattering qualifiers for Sciences Pistes’ “radicalism.” 

As a 1A, I didn’t experience the controversy first-hand. However, a few mildly unpleasant interactions with locals this September left me somewhat disheartened. I sought the feeling of belonging here and found myself longing for the effortless, unquestioned interactions of my life back home. But now, having mostly settled in, I can say that my first impressions were mistaken.

Since then, everyday interactions with locals — especially sweet mamies and papis at the café or the supermarket — often become the highlight of my day. From discussing my home country with eager listeners to spontaneously learning a Mentonnaise dance with a troupe of senior citizens on the Promenade du Soleil, my fondness for this town has only grown.

Curious to find out what Menton’s older residents really think of Sciences Pistes, I asked around. Many couldn’t offer a clear answer. Why? They felt they simply don’t interact with students enough to form a judgment. However, a group of three older Mentonnais offered some reassuring words. When asked whether they see Sciences Po as an asset to Menton, they replied emphatically: yes! They see it as promoting education and rejuvenating the town. As for the noise? Not a bother (though they admit they live further from campus). To them, noise is a sign of life, the youthful energy they remember from their own younger days. They also shared an appreciation for students’ initiatives, recalling how in 2020 a group of Sciences Pistes took action to provide delivery services for vulnerable community members. 

Attending Sciences Po’s 20th anniversary spectacle and seeing how many locals showed up only confirms this for me. Students and staff alike have been reaching out to the community and renewing public interest in the campus.

As a 1A student who didn’t experience the heat of last spring, this article might come across as naive. Whether summer break and the 20th anniversary festivities de-escalated any animosities, I can’t say for sure. Yet experience and hope lead me to believe that resentment towards Sciences Pistes is exceptional amidst many welcoming and curious locals.

We are on the right path — Sciences Pistes don’t need to change to win the approval of locals. They simply need to continue being empathetic, engaged and lively, taking every opportunity to share the ummah spirit with the town. On an individual level, we can continue building these bridges by reaching out and assuming our place in the Menton community without hesitation.

So, the next time you’re in the line at the store, make a friend!

Photo Source: Rebecca Canton