Villefranche-Sur-Mer

In the previous post, we explored the French Provencal town of Vence. We rather started in the middle of things. Let’s backtrack to our base of operations in Villefranche-sur-Mer, a village adjacent to Nice on the Mediterranean.

The village of about 5,500 permanent residents crowds down the steep slopes to the edge of the water.

It’s a port…

… where one sees some modest watercraft.

That little skiff may be on a day trip out of Monte Carlo six miles away.

For the rest of us, Villefranche is an excellent center from which to explore Nice and the surrounding area (including Vence).

It’s interesting and appealing in its own right, with charming streets, shops, restaurants and swimming, for those of us who don’t have a yacht handy.

We arrived in Villefranche by train (has its own station), but it’s also easy to reach by bus and car — or yacht, if you’re so equipped. We toured Nice (just a few miles away) and the area from there via excellent bus connections. Getting around within the town is primarily done on foot, due to the extremely steep and narrow streets.

Walking around the town is an endlessly enjoyable exercise, discovering hidden ways, tiny gardens, views that suddenly open between two buildings, and streets that become stairways.

Walk west along the Quai Amiral Courbet beside the harbor and investigate the Citadel, a fortification on the edge of the harbor dating from 1557, which also houses the town hall and three museums.

In the evening, the streets and squares come alive with people, strolling musicians, and restaurants in the narrow streets fill up with diners.

At the edge of the port is the small 16th-Century Chapelle Saint-Pierre.

It has an interesting exterior, but the real attraction is inside, decorated, like the exterior, by Jean Cocteau. I didn’t attempt to photograph it, but blogger Catholic Eye Candy gives you a glimpse, HERE. Don’t overlook this inspired combination of classical and modern aesthetics when you’re there.

The town is, in short, spectacularly — almost unbelievably — picturesque, and has been the setting for numerous films.

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention that one of the masterpieces of 20th Century music was recorded at a nearby villa: “Exile on Main Street,” by the Rolling Stones.

Now that we’ve settled in and looked around, found the boulangerie for excellent bread, bought fruit and vegetables and pasta for dinner, we’re ready to retire for the day. Tomorrow we’ll set off for the next excursion from our base: a walk around nearby Cap Ferrat.

This is the second in a series of posts about visiting southern France. Click the navigation below to see previous and succeeding posts.

© Brad Nixon 2015, 2017. Some photos © Marcy Vincent 2017, used by kind permission.