Villefranche-sur-Mer
A colourful fishing town east of Nice, set on one of the Riviera's deepest natural bays, with a chapel decorated by Jean Cocteau and medieval arcaded streets.
Villefranche-sur-Mer lies about 6 km east of Nice, on one of the deepest natural bays on the Côte d'Azur. Its colourful houses cascade down the hillside to the sea, making it a classic postcard scene. By the fishing harbour is the little Chapel of Saint Peter, with murals painted by the poet and artist Jean Cocteau in 1957; admission is about €3. In town, Rue Obscure is a 13th-century fully covered arcade street, and the 16th-century Saint-Elme Citadel houses a free art museum. Large cruise ships often anchor in the bay, and the town beach is good for swimming. From Nice, the TER train takes about 7 minutes, or bus 15 about 20 minutes. It can be combined with Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat for a half-day trip.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
- Villa Kérylos
- Port Lympia
- Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat Coastal Path
- Castle Hill
- MAMAC Nice
- Nice Cathedral (Sainte-Réparate)
- Vieux Nice / Cours Saleya