Villefranche-sur-Mer, Cote d'Azur / French Riviera
A stone's throw from Nice, the small medieval city has one of the most beautiful harbors in the Mediterranean, and the deepest. An adorable old town with its citadel, a port reminiscent of Italy, and beaches of rare beauty, let yourself be seduced by the riches of this city which has excited so many visitors and among them, artists!
What makes this town special?
The most illustrious artist to have stayed in Villefranche is undoubtedly Jean Cocteau. He decorated the Saint-Pierre chapel there, on the port, in 1956, which can be visited today. A walk in the old town, which dates from the 13th century, allows you to observe the facades covered with trompe-l'oeil and painted in bright colors, in the rue Obscure and the rue du Poilu. Rue Obscure is a real curiosity. It has been completely covered and vaulted since the 17th century. It served as a shelter for the inhabitants during the sieges.
Below the city is Place Amélie-Pollonais, the largest square in the city lined with cafes and restaurants with pretty colorful facades and welcoming terraces.
Climb up to the Saint-Elme citadel, a remarkable 16th century achievement which offers a breathtaking view of the city and the sea. Today there is the town hall, a garden, a chapel and four small museums: the Roux, and its ceramic figurines from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the Goetz-Boumeester museum, which exhibits a hundred works by this couple of 20th century painters . Sculpture lovers will prefer the Volti foundation-museum. And the most curious, the Alpine Hunters Museum!
The port of La Darse, built in the 18th century to fight against the atrocities of corsairs and pirates, is a former arsenal. You can still see its old rope factory and its walkway, which offers a splendid view of the harbour.
Do not leave Villefranche-sur-Mer without having rented a boat to explore Cap d'Antibes, Nice, Île Sainte-Marguerite or Monaco. Villefranche also has several beaches which are very popular, and where all the nautical activities are offered. From the station, there are many walks in the forest of Mont Alban-Beaulieu, from the Bay of Ants, the Saint-Michel plateau.
