Citadelle de Villefranche
The citadel of Villefranche-sur-Mer looms over the old town; it is open to the public and has a number of interesting features.
Villefranche Sur Mer to Cap de Nice
A rugged coastal footpath with swimming spots along the way
This rugged coastal footpath runs from Villefranche-Sur-Mer all the way to Nice, providing excellent views of the harbour and lots of opportunities for secluded swimming and sunbathing along the way.
There are apparently plans to link this path to the Cap de Nice / Coco Beach walk, which will make a 3km hike in total. There is no information on when this might happen though, so watch this space for further news.
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What to see
Sights in Nice
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Volti Museum
The sculptor, Antoniucci Volti, was born in Italy in 1915 but his family lived in Villefranche-sur-Mer. His collection is housed in the town's 16th-century citadel.
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Goetz-Boumeester Museum
This museum's collection is composed of the donation of Henri Goetz to the town of Villefranche. It is located on the ground floor of an old barrack building in the 16th-century citadel, which houses many museums.
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Parc du Mont Boron
Looming protectively over the exclusive Cap de Nice area, the Parc du Mont Boron is a hilltop forest with picnic areas, olive trees, exercise circuits, hiking trails, boules pitches and a 16th-century castle. Sitting on the crest of a hill just over 190m high, Parc du Mont Boron looks over Nice to one side and Villefranche-Sur-Mer to the other - if you hike up to Fort Alban you can enjoy sweeping panoramic views from the Cap Ferrat peninsula in the east all the way to the Esterel mountains in the west.
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Saint-Pierre des Pecheurs Chapel
Located near the port in Villefranche is the tiny chapel of Saint Peter, patron saint of fishermen.
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Saint-Michel Church, Villefranche sur Mer
This Baroque Italianate church dates to the 1750s, although it was built on the site of a 14th-century church.
Where to lunch
Restaurants in Villefranche-sur-Mer
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Maison Gusto Restaurant
Located between the Port and Place Garibaldi, Maison Gusto restaurant is a must for lovers of burger in Nice.
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Salon de The de la Villa Ephrussy de Rotschild, St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Set in the room that Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild’s used as a dining room, the tea room/restaurant's terrace overlooks the Bay of Villefranche. All day, you can break for a delicious snack in this calm oasis with an unrestricted view of the bay.
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Jan Restaurant
Modern French food with a touch of South African heritage. From childhood Jan used to spend most of his time in the garden and kitchen and has replaced this with the markets of France. With his new restaurant in the old Port of Nice he is not only out to set the trends but to combine local with a stylish and attentive atmosphere.
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L'Aparte Restaurant
The restaurant is situated on the end of the Rue Obscure, a 13th century covered way.
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Le Cosmo Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
In a relaxed family atmosphere, the restaurant Cosmo offers a variety of traditional, Mediterranean and French cuisine.
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La Table du Royal Restaurant, St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Chef Bruno Le Bolch takes you on a journey of the senses that is a delight to the eye and the taste buds.
What to do
Things To Do in Villefranche-sur-Mer
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Provençal Tasting Tour, from Nice
A taste of traditional Provencal Nissarde cuisine, wine, and olives.
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Parasailing, Villefranche Sur Mer
Fly at 50 metres above the sea by yourself or with friends security attached, enjoy a spectacular view of the gorgeous Baie des Anges, mountains and surroundings.
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Nice Diving School
Nice Diving unveils to its clients the underwater marvels of the Mediterranean ocean along the shores of the Cote d'Azur.
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Club Nautique de Nice
Rowing, power boating and sailing. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, whether you prefer a leisure or competitive approach, the club offers its resources, its equipment, its fleet (except for power boating).
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Bikram Yoga
Classes of bikram yoga's 26 postures take place in a heated classroom every day in the port area of Nice. English speaking Yoga instructors.
Directions
The route starts at Le Lazaret in Villefranche-Sur-Mer, to find it just head west from the Quai/Old Town area, follow the footpath around the citadel and continue along past the Port de la Darse. You’ll come to a small private road which is open to walkers, the Sentier Littoral is signposted from the end of this road.
The route starts with a rocky section that juts out into the sea and is popular with elderly locals doing a spot of fishing or just enjoying the view. All along this trail you’ll find that the path meanders up and down, twisting its way around the headland, following steps that have been built into the rock. There are often ladders leading down into the water and flat rocks that make perfect natural diving boards - the area is unsupervised so swimming is at your own risk.
Towards the end of the walk you’ll come to the Batterie de la Rascasse, which was occupied by the Italian and German armies during WWII following the scuttling of the French fleet in the port of Toulon. It was disarmed in 1945 and has not been in use since.
Once you’ve passed the Batterie you’ll arrive at the excellently-named Pointe des Sans Culottes (Point of No Pants). There is a final steep climb up to Boulevard Princesse Grace de Monaco at Cap de Nice; the narrow staircase meanders up through a thick undergrowth of cacti, olive trees, fig trees and colourful flowers. The view back down to the bay is quite special.
Although one of the shorter Sentier Littoral hikes, this trail is not as easy as some of them - it rolls up and down following the terrain of the cliffs with lots of steps and rocks to navigate. Anyone of reasonable agility will be fine but it’s certainly not pushchair or wheelchair accessible.
