Villefranche-sur-Mer

Villefranche-sur-Mer (vieille ville et port de la Santé)

A pastel harbour village on a deep bay, 10 minutes from Nice

Hours

Town always open; check Chapelle Saint-Pierre hours on site

Tickets

Town free. Train about 10 minutes from Nice (check fares in the app); Zou! bus 600 €2.10 contactless or €2.50 cash (Monaco Tribune, 2026)

Address

From Villefranche station, the beach and old town are just below

The station sits halfway up the hillside, so the moment you step off the train there's the round bay below you, ringed by yellow, pink and orange houses. Steps lead down to the beach, and inside the old town the Rue Obscure runs like a tunnel, a medieval street roofed over its whole length. The little Chapelle Saint-Pierre on the harbour was decorated by Jean Cocteau. 'Emily in Paris' filmed here, which has put it on plenty of itineraries. It's much smaller and slower than Nice, perfect for half a day of sea and a long lunch.