Villefranche is a small beach resort and residential town in the Alpes-Maritimes département. Situated on the French Riviera, it is hidden among wooded slopes, above the crystalline waters of the Côte d'Azure. The town itself is delightful, with medieval chapels and an impressive hilltop fortress built by the Duke of Savoy in 1560. And, just up the coast are the luxuries of Nice, and the extravagance of Monte Carlo.
Villefrance also offers excellent cafes and restaurants, a coarse sandy beach much favoured over Nice's stony bay and the very nice old town, vieille ville. The Citadelle st Elme dates back to antiquity and the town offers easy access to the millionaires peninsula of St Jean Cap Ferat.
Things to See & Do
* Old Town
* Fort of Mont Alban - views
* Promenade des Marinieres
* Saint Michael's Church
* Restaurants and Cafes
General Information
Cruise Season – Feb to Dec
Currency - Euro (€)
Language – French
Land Area – 4.88 km²
Population – 7,000 appox
Electricity – 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT/UTC + one hour
International Country Telephone Code – + 33
Port Location – The port is centrally located in downtown Villefranche.
Travel Links – Villefranche-sur-Mer is on the main Nice-Monaco-Menton-Ventimiglia rail line and provides a frequent service. The rail line curves around the edge of the bay, running just above the beach to the east of town.
The TAM bus 100 also passes the village every 15 minutes en route between Nice and Menton.