How to spend a day at port in Villefranche-sur-Mer
France's sunny south is so varied that it would be possible to spend a lifetime here without getting bored, and it's no surprise that many artists of the 19th and 20th centuries did exactly that, arriving to capture the bold colours of the Côte d'Azur and never leaving.
With everything so close, and Villefranche-sur-Mer exceptionally well connected, a day will still give you a sense of what ensnared these artists, all without travelling for more than 40 minutes (the train station, which has direct services to all of the following places, is a 20-minute walk from the port).
Getting there: check out current offers on sailings with Marella Cruises*, whose Western Mediterranean sailings* include a stop along the French Riviera.
In Villefranche-sur-Mer
This brightly coloured port town is largely medieval, and the warren-like cobbled streets are a lovely way to kill a morning, by dipping in and out of churches and coffee shops. Secret passageways add to the allure: the 130 metre long tunnel Rue Obscure cuts underneath many of the town's buildings, and was built in 1260.
Wednesdays and Saturdays are market days in Villefranche-sur-Mer*, when the town becomes even more kaleidoscopic and buzzes with the chatter of shoppers and the scent of Provençal flowers.
There are beaches in town, too, and Plage des Marinières compares very favourably to its more famous neighbours in Nice, because here, the beach is sand rather than pebbles.
Alternatively, get a taxi for 10 minutes to stretch out at Plage Petite Afrique in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, a fine shingle beach surrounded by cliffs and pine trees with several cocktail bars.
Nice
A seven-minute train journey or 10-minute taxi ride away, Nice is the largest city on the Côte d'Azur. If you're looking to stretch your sea legs, it's even possible to reach on foot, with the walk taking around an hour.
Vieux Nice, the city's old town, with its flame-coloured buildings in oranges and yellows, looks perpetually sun-kissed. Just getting lost in the narrow streets is an activity in itself, but don't forget to make pit stops, Niçoise cuisine is legendary.
Look out for street food vendors selling socca, a fried, chickpea pancake that tastes like hummus on steroids. Salade niçoise is another speciality, but beware of butchered versions. A true salade niçoise shouldn't contain boiled vegetables; the accompaniments to the hard-boiled eggs, olives and anchovies should all be raw.
Many artists made Nice their home, which is reflected in the excellent choice of museums and galleries today. Musée National Marc Chagall and Musée Matisse, principally showcasing works by their namesakes, are two of the best.
Don't miss the vast food market on Cours Saleya, open daily except for Mondays, when it becomes an antiques market.
Monaco
It's no secret that Monaco isn't cheap, but if you're dipping in for the day, it's easy to do on a small budget. A train taking just 15 minutes from Villefranche-sur-Mer runs to Monaco every 10 minutes at peak times.
Once there, indulge in a spot of window shopping by heading to Port Hercules to admire the superyachts at berth. Climb up to the Prince's Palace next to watch the changing of the guard, which takes place daily at 11.55 am.
Monaco has had a royal family for over 700 years, and the tradition of the changing of the guard has been taking place for more than 200 years. This is also the starting point for an extremely scenic clifftop walk of just over 2 km linking the Prince's Palace to Saint-Nicolas Cathedral.
Many come to Monaco to gamble large sums of money at Monte Carlo's casinos in an atmosphere straight out of a Bond film. If you're reluctant to risk your cash, head to Casino Café de Paris, where the bets are often lower value.
To appreciate the immense biodiversity of the Mediterranean, or simply if it rains, head to the Musée Océanographique, an aquarium-cum-museum in a Neo-Baroque palace built into the cliff.
Èze
The perfume-making town of Èze, a 10-minute taxi from Villefranche-sur-Mer that runs along the famous Moyenne Corniche road from Nice.
Precipitously balanced on a cliff 429 metres above the Mediterranean, the views from the Jardin Exotique (Èze's botanical garden) and many other vantage points around the medieval town are spectacular.
Leave time to dip into the numerous art galleries in town, and the perfume shops, where staff can explain the different local plants that are used in their scents. Perfume houses Galimard and Fragonard have both boutiques and little factories with museums here.
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
There are few places in France fancier than Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, but it's more understated, altogether less glitzy than you'll find in Monaco. To get here from Villefranche-sur-Mer, walk for 45 minutes, hop on a bus for 20 minutes, or take a taxi for just seven minutes.
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild is the peninsula's crowning jewel, an early 20th-century Belle Époque palace belonging to the Rothschild family, encircled with scandals and stories that seem straight out of The Great Gatsby. The nine gardens, each with a different theme, everything from Provençal to Japanese, are spectacular.
There are heaps of beaches on the peninsula, but to make the most of your day on the Côte d'Azur, head to Plage des Fossettes. Hemmed in by cliffs, the water here stays calm, even on a windy day.
Climate in Villefranche-sur-Mer
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum daytime temperature °C |  11 |
11 |
 13 |
 15 |
 19 |
 22 |
 26 |
26 |
23 |
19 |
14 |
12 |
| Hours of sunshine (daily) | ||||||||||||
| Days with some rainfall |  10 |
10 |
10 |
11 |
11 |
 9 |
 5 |
7 |
7 |
9 |
10 |
9 |
| Sea temperature °C |  14 |
 13 |
13 |
14 |
 17 |
 20 |
 23 |
 24 |
22 |
20 |
17 |
15 |
The above guide shows the climate in Villefranche-sur-Mer. Find out more about the climate across the region in our complete guide to the climate in the South of France.
Ready to experience the French Riviera? Browse the latest offers on itineraries with Marella Cruises, which includes port days in Villfranche-sur-Mer.
More about France
France by month
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Explore holiday destinations
- Beach holidays
- City breaks
- Family holidays
- Half term holidays
- Spring holidays
- Summer holidays
- Autumn holidays
- Winter sun holidays
- Honeymoons
- Coolcations
- Compare places
- Ski resorts
Save with latest deals & discounts
- Holiday offers
- Top travel brands
- Airlines & flights
- Discount hotels
- TUI
- Jet2holidays
- Neilson
- Marella Cruises
- Holiday Extras
- Pierre & Vacances
- Caledonian Travel
- Club Med
Airport parking
- Manchester Airport
- Stansted Airport
- Bristol Airport
- Luton Airport
- Birmingham Airport
- Edinburgh Airport
- Gatwick Airport
- Glasgow Airport
- Newcastle Airport
Airport lounges
- Manchester Airport
- Birmingham Airport
- Bristol Airport
- Edinburgh Airport
- Glasgow Airport
- Heathrow Airport
- Newcastle Airport
- Stansted Airport
- Gatwick Airport
Be inspired
Get your weekly fix of holiday inspiration from some of the world's best travel writers plus save on your next trip with the latest exclusive offers
We promise not to share your details
