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Which is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful in the entire Mediterranean. Its magnificent panoramic views delight the eye from the moment you arrive in the city by sea, train or mountain roads.

Filled with light, Villefranche-sur-Mer, lying at the foot of a vast range of crescent-shaped hills, with its 16th-century port and Citadel, picturesque coastline and constant play of colors, has retained many traces of the past and is rightfully considered a city of art and painting.

Villefranche-sur-Mer is located 5 km east of, on the shore of a picturesque bay between Mont Boron mountain And Cape Car Ferrat. Essentially it is an eastern suburb. The Bay of Villefranche is one of the deepest Mediterranean harbors, allowing large cruise ships to come close to the shore and passengers to admire the beauty of the landscape.

The name Villefranche translates as "free city", since in the Middle Ages the residents of Villefranche had a number of tax privileges.

The pride of the picturesque old quarters is the oldest Obscure street(translated from French - Dark, rue Obscure), famous for the vaults that cover it. This street is 130 meters long and runs along the walls of the citadel. The name should be taken literally: it is a tunnel carved into the rock. During storms and enemy attacks, local residents took refuge here; during World War II, the street was used as a bomb shelter, and now it is chosen by wine and cheese merchants: the tunnel is always dark and cool.

Another attraction of the city is located in the area Port de la Santé. This Chapelle Saint-Pierre, patron saint of fishermen. This 14th century Romanesque chapel, where local fishermen once prayed.

For a long time the building served as a warehouse for fishing nets and was nothing remarkable, but in 1957 Jean Cocteau, who spent a lot of time on, painted its walls with scenes from the life of the Apostle Peter.

The cultural life of Villefranche is concentrated within its walls Citadels (La Citadelle). This majestic fortress was built in 1557 by order Duke of Savoy Emmanuel Philibert in order to protect the city. This decision was made after the city suffered greatly from the actions of the Franco-Turkish army. Its restoration began in 1979, and since 1981 it has housed the city hall, congress center and 4 museums (Musées de la Citadelle): Volti Museum, Goetz-Bumester Museum, Roux Collection.

Also noteworthy Church of Saint-Michel (Eglise Saint-Michel). It was built in the Baroque style in the 18th century. Here you can see a sculpture of a reclining Christ made of fig wood, made by an unknown convict. You can also admire the organ, built by famous craftsmen from Nice - the Grinda brothers (1790) and included in the list of historical heritage.

Villefranche Bay is not only remarkably beautiful, but also quite deep (up to 95 meters), so it was equipped Europe's first cruise ship berth. In the 19th century Russian was stationed here naval base, A after World War II - US Sixth Fleet, patrolling the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The life of military sailors was more like a vacation in a sanatorium than a service: they shocked decorous old ladies with their naked torsos, ate bouillabaisse in the port restaurant La Mère Germaine and made love with city beauties. When the Americans returned home, the French were left with multi-colored children and a sign on the Quai Courbet thanking the residents of Villefranche for their warm welcome.

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Illefranche was once considered a democratic, almost bohemian place: in addition to artists, writers came here (Aldous Huxley, Katherine Mansfield); The Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards rented Villa Nellcôte here in the early 1970s, where the band recorded the album "Exile on Main Street". In recent years, reporters have become more interested in fabulously expensive and unprecedentedly scandalous Villa Leopolda on Cairo Hill (Col de Caire) near Villefranche. In 1902, the middle-aged Belgian King Leopold II built this villa for the young French courtesan Blanche Delacroix. But he miscalculated: the gift did not make the right impression on the courtesan. The frivolous girl did not even think of refusing her other lovers. Later she had children, and the unfortunate Leopold tried in vain to figure out whether he was the father. In the end, the 74-year-old king married Blanche Delacroix - and after 5 days of family life he died. The Belgian court did not recognize this marriage; the villa went to Leopold’s nephew, Albert I. The palace with a luxurious park, which requires at least 50 gardeners to care for, changed hands more than once, and recently another scandal broke out. Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov was planning to buy a villa from the widow of Lebanese banker Edmond Safra for 500 million euros, but abandoned the idea because he was offended by the French, who detained him on suspicion of involvement in an international prostitution ring. The Russian oligarch wanted to get the deposit back, but the French court refused him this.

Villefranche-sur-mer(Villefranche-sur-Mer) is a city and commune of the canton of Beausoleil, district of Nice, department of Alpes-Maritimes. Located between Nice and Monaco, on the Cote d'Azur, it is a city of history, culture, art, gastronomic delights and nature.

Story
The territory of Villefranche-sur-Mer has been known since ancient times. At that time there was an anchorage for various types of ships, but very often it was attacked by barbarian tribes.
At the end of the 13th century. Duke of Provence Charles II of Anjou encouraged his subjects to settle on the sea coast, granting them exemption from paying duties, and named the new city Villa Franc (Free City).
In the 16th century Duke Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy built 2 fortresses here - in the port and on Alban Hill. Subsequently, this place was under the rule of the Turks and finally came under the control of the County of Nice.
In the second half of the 18th century. Russian squadron under the command of Admiral Count A. Orlov, she used the bay as a stopping place in the Mediterranean Sea and it was from here that she went to sea to defeat the Turkish fleet in Chesme Bay (after the battle on June 24 and a huge fire on the night of 25 to 26 of the same month, 1770). ).
After the Crimean War lost by Russia, the Russian fleet was deprived of bases on the Black Sea and therefore the government’s eyes turned to the Mediterranean Sea. In 1856 Dowager Empress Alexandra Feodorovna visited Villefranche-sur-Mer. After concluding a corresponding agreement with the Sardinian kingdom, in 1857. A landing stage and an infirmary for Russian sailors were built in this port. Villefranche-sur-Mer only became a French city in 1860. after the annexation of Nice to France. The government of the French Empire recognized this treaty as valid.
Russian naval base existed in Villefranche-sur-Mer until 1880. Emperor Alexander II and other members of the imperial family came here several times.
In April 1901 The last official visit of a member of the imperial family took place in Villefranche-sur-Mer - then Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich received the President of France E. Lube on board the cruiser Aurora.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the territories of the communes of Beaulieu and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat were separated from Villefranche-sur-Mer, to which they previously belonged.
At the end of World War II, ships of the US 6th Fleet were based in the local port.
For a long time, the history of this settlement was associated with the presence of representatives of the Russian aristocracy here. Since the 18th century. The imperial nobility preferred to spend winters on the Cote d'Azur rather than endure the very cold winter period in snowy Russia. Villefranche-sur-Mer began to enjoy greater popularity on the Cote d'Azur, for its port was very convenient for anchoring warships in its roadstead. The presence of Russians and even members of the Imperial family here led to the formation of a Russian colony, the construction of Orthodox churches and a chapel in Nice.

Oceanography
In 1893, an expedition of Russian scientists from Kyiv arrived here to conduct oceanographic research, because the Villefranche-sur-Mer raid was very interesting from the point of view of studying the sea currents that passed here. Research continued until 1930, when the building built in its place became the Oceanographic Observatory of Villefranche-sur-Mer.

Attractions

It should be noted that all local attractions are very close to each other - approximately a few tens or hundreds of meters from each other.
Citadel (fortress) Saint-Elmo was built in the 16th century. During its construction and later, it served to protect the town from attacks from the sea. Nowadays there is the administrative center of the city - the mayor's office, the town hall and the city police, as well as a cultural center, including several free museums, 2 small art galleries, a concert hall and the Green Theater, as well as the Memorial Hall of the 24th Alpine Battalion.
St. Peter's Chapel was built in the Romanesque style and dates back to the 14th century. In 1957 it was painted by the very famous artist Jean Cocteau with scenes from the life of St. Peter (the patron saint of fishermen) and fishermen - both inside and outside. It contains many paintings and sculptures. The chapel is open to the public every day and the entrance fee is 2 euros.
Church of Saint Michel built in 1750 in the Italian Baroque style and is located in the center of the Old Town on the site of another 14th century church. It houses the organs of the Grinda brothers, which are among the oldest in the Alpes-Maritimes, classified as historical monuments in 1990; In addition, there is also a large sculpture of Christ by Gissar, carved from a whole piece of fig tree wood.
You can stroll along the 130 m long Obskyur (“Dark”) street, which runs through the Old Town along the embankment; on it there is a long passage dating back to the 13th century. Since 1932 it is registered as a historical monument. During World War II, the basements of its houses were used as bomb shelters.

Shops and restaurants
Among the main attractions in Villefranche-sur-Mer are private food markets and shops, replete with various local products and fish, and numerous souvenir shops. There are 6-7 restaurants on the shore with a different range of dishes.

Beaches
Everyone can enjoy a wonderful holiday on the central beach (Plage des Mariniers - Sea Beach), covered with very small pebbles; There is another small beach in the city - Plage de la Darse (“Inner Harbor Beach”).

Holidays and festivals
One of the most famous holidays in the city since 1902. A magnificent and colorful day is held - the “Sea Battle of Flowers”, in which numerous boats and yachts participate, richly decorated with flowers, accompanied by the music of various orchestras.

Bay and boat trips
Villefranche-sur-Mer Bay was previously called “Orlov Bay”. Now one of the deepest natural harbors with a depth of 65 m, you can admire cruise ships and super yachts over 150 m long. Here you can also book a yacht excursion along the coast and engage in water sports.

City tours
In the city you can see the beautiful building of the railway station. The city buildings are located in tiers on the mountain along the shore of the bay and it would be a shame not to admire the houses built in the Italian style and the numerous villas that amaze with their luxury. It is worth noting that country real estate in Villefranche-sur-Mer is the most expensive in the world.
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Cinematograph
Villefranche-sur-Mer has been repeatedly featured in various works of cinema: in Alfred Hitchcock's film "To Catch a Thief" starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, in one of the "Bond" films - "Never Say Never Again" with Sean Connery, as well as in Ronin with Robert De Niro.

Excursions

A visit to Villefranche Bay is included in all sightseeing tours of the Cote d'Azur and Nice.

A guide with photos to the resort town of Villefranche-sur-Mer on the Cote d'Azur in France.

Villefranche-sur-Mer can be called one of the most beautiful and recognizable places on the Cote d'Azur coast between Nice and Monaco. Thanks to its “photogenicity”, the town has more than once become the location for filming episodes of numerous films, for example, such famous ones as “To Catch a Thief” by Alfred Hitchcock with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, “Never Say Never Again” from “Bond” with Sean Connery, “Ronin” "with Robert De Niro and others.

Bay of Villefranche– one of the deepest natural harbors (95 meters) in the entire Mediterranean, where large vessels, such as cruise ships or superyachts over 150 meters in length, can anchor.

Villefranche-sur-Mer is located approximately six kilometers from Nice (the distance depends on which road you take). By car from Nice to Villefranche you can drive along the “low cornice” along the sea, over the Mont Boron hill, or leave Nice on the “big cornice” and then turn down from it to Villefranche.

The houses in Villefranche are arranged in tiers on the mountain along the bay, and it is these tiers of brightly colored Italian-style houses and luxurious villas surrounded by lush vegetation that give it its unique charm. Villefranche, together with the adjacent Cape Ferrat, is one of the most expensive places in the world for the price of country real estate.

Where to stay in Villefranche-sur-Mer

Due to the picturesque local landscapes, intimate atmosphere and proximity to Cap Ferrat, holidays in Villefranche are more expensive than in Nice and many other coastal towns. This is also due to the small number of rooms in hotels throughout Villefranche and its popularity - many fans of this place book more or less budget hotels or apartments here almost in advance.

How to get to Villefranche-sur-Mer

The train station is located in Villefranche directly above the central beach. All trains traveling along the Cote d'Azur also stop in Villefranche-sur-Mer. Travel time from Nice Ville to Villefranche is only 6 minutes.

You can also get here by bus No. 81 or No. 100 from Nice. Bus number 81 passes through Villefranche on the way to Cap Ferrat, and bus number 100 travels along the “low cornice” through the town towards Monaco and Menton.

If you have chosen this resort town as your holiday destination and are arriving at Nice airport, then you do not have to make a transfer in Nice and do not languish with your things in buses crowded with tourists and residents of the Cote d'Azur. Pros: large reliable company, international taxi service at local prices; order confirmation is sent to your email, and a Russian-speaking driver is waiting at the exit from the arrivals area with a sign with your name on it; the fare is known in advance; payment of the full amount only upon arrival at the place.

If you are planning to choose Villefranche-sur-Mer as a holiday destination on the Cote d'Azur, you need to know some of the features of this town.

Due to the mountainous terrain, some of the hotels in Villefranche will require a steep climb. That is why the best of them (and quite expensive ones) are located right next to the port, literally a stone's throw from the seashore.

The streets of Villefranche are very narrow, they are mainly reserved for the cars of local residents, so parking is an acute problem. If you are planning to stay in Villefranche and travel by car, be sure to check with the hotel how the problem of parking for guests is resolved. For example, at the Provencal Hotel, where we once stayed, it was necessary to pay the daily cost of parking at the local city hall office, put a receipt on the windshield, and only then park on the streets near the hotel. That is, no one guaranteed you a place. Although, to be fair, we always managed to park the car within 50 meters of the entrance to our hotel.

You can choose a car for your trip to the Cote d'Azur here:

Villefranche is a very small and intimate place, You can walk around the bay completely along the seashore, without rushing, in a maximum of an hour, so you have to imagine that your movements here will take place along the “beach-hotel-restaurant” route. There are no large shops or a main shopping street with a traditional promenade, and the needs of residents are mainly met by private grocery stores scattered throughout the town. In one of the squares (Jardins Binon), Provençal and flea markets are open on Saturdays until lunch. In restaurants in Villefranche-sur-Mer, compared to, for example, Nice, prices are higher due to the lack of much competition. After all, you can’t go to Nice for dinner, or even more so on the expensive Cap Ferrat, every evening, despite the short distance between them, so vacationers choose from only six or seven restaurants located on the seashore near the port, and in such conditions, one of the restaurateurs It makes no sense to reduce prices.

Many residents of Nice, other cities of the Cote d'Azur and the Ligurian coast of Italy come to Villefranche for half a day - a day on weekends to swim and sunbathe on the beach. Indeed, the central beach in Villefranche-sur-Mer is excellent, it is practically the only place between Nice and the Italian border with the smallest pebbles, there is a convenient entry into the water, which does not require special shoes for swimming and is suitable even for small children. In addition to the long central beach Plage des Marinières in Villefranche there is another small beach in the harbor area - Plage de la Darse. But, most likely, you won’t want to look for something better than the main beach.

Villefranche beach in the morning...

...And during the day

Sights of Villefranche-sur-Mer

Citadel on the seashore, built to protect the city in the middle of the 16th century. Now it houses the city hall of Villefranche, several free museums, small art galleries and an open-air theater.

St. Peter's Chapel 16th century Romanesque style. In the mid-20th century, in the 1950s, it was painted by the great Jean Cocteau, who lived and worked on the Cote d'Azur at that time. The artist depicted in the chapel scenes from the life of the Apostle Peter and the fishermen (the saint also fished, and Cocteau decided to give a gift to the local fishermen).

Church of Saint Michel in the heart of Villefranche's Old Town, it was built in the 1750s in Italian Baroque style on the site of an older 14th-century church.

Rue Obscure(Rue Obscure), or “dark street,” runs through the Old Town parallel to the embankment and is a long, narrow passage dating back to the 13th century.

All the attractions of Villefranche are located very compactly at a distance of several tens or hundreds of meters from each other.

Villefranche-sur-Mer photo

Old town of Villefranche

Friends, telling you about a new place for the first time, I don’t know what to write. I can only show you a couple of photographs, which, however, turned out much worse than the original:

Villefranche, the place where we settled and from where we made short but devastating raids along the Cote d'Azur, turned out to be a fantastically cozy town, forever stuck in a medieval, Mediterranean pastoral:

Colorful mud hut houses on narrow cobblestone streets:

The eternal struggle for the dominant color between fragrant lilac and azure sky with the desperate intervention of sea aquamarine:

Lively old women hanging laundry on the windows, a peach seller tired of the hot sun. Time has frozen here and you can safely cut it with a knife, like cutting tart Provençal cheese. Time is not valued here, because residents know for sure that one hot summer will definitely give way to another, just as motor ships change each other in the picturesque Villefranche bay:

Actually, cruise ships count down time here, permanently splashing their passengers onto the shores, who immediately fill the fast trains passing through the local small train station to the brim with market flocks and depart for Monaco or Nice:

And it's good that they don't stay here. Villefranche is accustomed to peace. And we did not regret at all that we had chosen this little world of peace, this picturesque time pocket, to live in, and not the cheerful whirlpool of Nice.

By the way, the local railway station probably boasts the most beautiful view:

The passenger will, perhaps, get greater pleasure only by getting off the train at the Venice station.

As soon as the July heat subsides, the resident and tourist will leave their home and hotel and go down to the Courbet embankment. Here, seven hundred thousand billion restaurants brazenly exploit the sea surf, luring rumbling empty stomachs and insatiable eyes with romantic rolls:

Stomachs and wallets form a system of communicating vessels here: stomachs fill up, wallets lose weight. In one of the restaurants I ordered assorted seafood (in the left photo on the left):

And for two hours I painfully crunched the vertebrae of fried roach for a 40 euro plate. And again I remembered Venice here with its one shrimp for 30 euros. But don’t be alarmed, I’m such a loser - here you can have a decent meal for reasonable money and still have enough chocolate crepe to spare.

Of course, the medieval trough of Villefranche sometimes leaks and the surrounding city g.l.a.m.u.r flows here too:

The city is spread out on the cliffs, the nabobs of the world take advantage of this and build their luxurious villas in such a way that they can spit on top of their less fortunate neighbor:

The Mediterranean city, located on the shores of a charming bay, was founded by the Count of Provence, Charles of Anjou, at the end of the 13th century. Villefranche-sur-Mer has a strategic location: located between Nice (5 km) and Monaco (12 km), 15 km from Nice Côte d'Azur airport.

This wonderful Mediterranean town, with a population of 6,800 inhabitants, is the first settlement on the route from Nice to Monaco.

If you want to visit the surrounding area or other towns, this will not be a problem as Villefranche-sur-Mer is well served by buses and vehicles. Buses run between Nice, Monaco and Menton every 15 minutes.

Villefranche-sur-Mer has a marine terminal called "Port de la santé" where cruise ships arrive. And also the yacht port “Port Royal de la Darse”.

For lovers of active recreation, there are various opportunities for walks by the sea.

A pleasant climate, well-groomed beaches, a beautiful old town, amazing streets with stone stairs, ancient monuments, and a beautiful bay make Villefranche-sur-Mer an outstanding resort on the Cote d'Azur.

Sights of Villefranche-sur-Mer

Even though Villefranche-sur-Mer is a small town, it has many attractions that are worth visiting.

The old town of Villefranche-sur-Mer is built on the hills. Almost all the streets of the city will lead you to the sea. You will remember this city for its brightness and color. You can easily notice the “notes” of the Italian style: the houses are red, yellow, ocher.

Walk around the city on a tourist train (Petit Train Touristique). The walk lasts 25 minutes. Starting point: Place Amélie Polonnais.

In the 19th century, Villefranche-sur-Mer was the base of the Russian navy. Also during this period, an oceanographic laboratory was founded. During this period, Villefranche-sur-Mer was one of the favorite vacation spots of high-ranking officials of the Russian Empire.

Chapel Saint-Pierre

The ancient medieval chapel, made in the Romanesque style, has long been a storage place for fishing nets. The walls of the chapel of St. Pera are painted with scenes from the life of the Apostle Peter. In 1957, the chapel was restored.

Saint Michel Church

The church, located in the old town of Villefranche-sur-Mer, is designed in the Italian Baroque style. The church was built in 1757. Today the church houses numerous works of art. Notable is the organ from 1790, which is considered one of the oldest organs in France.

Street Obscure

The length of the street is 130 meters. In its design, the street resembles an underground passage that leads to the center of the old city. During World War II, Rue Obscure was used as an air raid shelter.

Citadel St Elme

The fortress was built in the 16th century by Italian architects. The citadel houses: the city hall, a concert hall, conference rooms, two art galleries, the Alpine Battalion Memorial Hall, several museums, and an open-air theater.

Collection Roux

The Ru collection will allow you to plunge into the legend. This collection is distinguished by its originality, uniqueness and high quality of work. Arlette Roux has always dreamed of creating sculptures. However, she failed to realize her desire to the fullest. This unique collection represents the era of everyday life for men and women in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Museums of Villefranche-sur-Mer

• Museum of History and Art(Musee d'art et d'histoire)
• The Museum of History and Art will present to you collections of modern art and collections of modern decorative art. The museum is located in the citadel.
• Museum of Marine Models(Musée Des Maquettes Marines)
• The museum displays models of French warships, as well as foreign sailing ships from various historical eras.
• Goetz-Bumester Museum(Musee Goetz - Boumeester)
• The museum houses about 50 works of art by Christine Boumeester.
• Volti Museum.

City markets of Villefranche-sur-Mer

The flea market (Marchés brocantes) is open every Sunday throughout the year. This market is located in La place Amélie Polonnais and sometimes in the Jardin François Binon garden.

The Provençal market (Marché provençal) is open every Saturday from 8.00 to 13.00. The market is located on the promenade (La promenade de l'Octroi), and sometimes in the garden of François Binon. Here you can find natural vegetables, fruits, farm products, fish, flowers, meat. As well as products of the region: olives, olive oil, herbs of Provence.