© Ali Shayler
Circuit de la Rade
Surround yourself in the wooded hillsides of Villefranche-sur-mer
Leave the old town of Villefranche-sur-mer and escape into the wooded hills as far down as Cap Ferrat. Take a tour of the old city via Rue Obscure, a shady path the winds its way through vaulted cellars from the old harbor.
Villefranche's bay is notable for reaching a significant depth only a short distance from shore, and as a result has turned it into an important port for hundreds of years. The US Navy has stopped by since World War I, making Villefranche the home prt of the U.S. 6th Fleet from 1948 to 1966, when French President Charles DeGaaulle withdrew France form NATO and required U.S. forces to leave.
Directions
From the entrance of the old town head across the square A.Pollonnais then the market to find the beginning of Rue Obscure. Follow this and continue along Rue du Poilu until you reach the train station. Head north from the train station and cut through some houses via a steep path. Follow the M6098 for a couple hundred meters east then take the path on the north side of the road that leads alongside a 7 house terrace. Follow this path until the crossroads with Boulevard de Suede. Turn right and head south east down Chemin des Serres. Follow the road until it reaches Boulevard du Marechal Joffre. Take a right here then and immediate left to cross the railway. Take the path on the south side of the railway and follow it along the coast back to the harbor and the starting point.
