Villefranche-sur-Mer stretches along the bay lying between Mount Mont Boron and Cape Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. This bay, up to 65 meters deep, is considered to be one of the most beautiful and safest on the Mediterranean. The name Villefranche translates from French as «the free city». It was so named because the Count of Provence, who founded it in the 14th century, established a duty free trade there. During the 16th century, the Duke of Savoy decided to fortify the Cote D’Azur to make it an outpost for barbarians and a port for warships. He ordered the equipping of an inner harbour and the construction of a fortress. Up to the 18th century Villefranche was the principal port of the Sardinian and then Savoyard States, and lost its special importance when the port came to Nice.
Although Villefranche was originally a fishing port, its history is closely linked to the wars at sea. After the Crimean War in 1856 the raid was loaned to the Russian Imperial Navy, and it remained its supply base until World War I. After World War II until France joined NATO in 1962, during the Cold War, it was home to the U.S. 4th Fleet. Now it’s back to being a fishing port and a pleasant, peaceful place.
The old town rises from the raid, where on the waterfront Curb, Italian colorful facades of houses look into the mirror of the sea surface. Walk along Rue du Poileu, the main artery of this city, which is an intricate jumble of narrow streets.
Also, take a look at the Rue Dark, under the arches of which the population of the city hid during the bombings. Visit the seventeenth-century Church of St. Michael, in Italian Baroque style. It is impossible not to notice the beautiful altar and the marble balusters of the confessional, the eighteenth-century altar decorations, the statue of St. Roch and his dog made of polychrome wood, the fig tree sculpture of Christ lying, said to have been made by convicts, and the magnificent organ made by the Grinda brothers, famous craftsmen from Nice.
Between the beach and the Citadel la Citadelle to the south of the beach, a promenade of brightly colored Italian-style houses winds along the bay. The first floors of houses occupied by cafes, bars and inexpensive restaurants. To the northwest, up from the embankment go narrow winding streets, sometimes turning into stairs.
Yacht enthusiasts have long appreciated the charm of the bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer. This is where the most prestigious ships anchor during cruises. Those who simply like to swim and dive will appreciate the transparency of its waters and the comfort of its beaches.
