Scott

I am thinking of staying in Villefranche sur mer. It looks great but is there alot to do in the town as far as sightseeing? I would like you opinions thanks

navyflyer

Villefranche is one of my favorite spots but there is not much to do there. It is really picturesque and the beach was nice. I went to the fortress that overlooks the bay and spent time taking pictures. It is worth a visit and there are nice restaurants there.

Andre

Scott,<BR><BR>As navyflyer says, not much to do in Villefranche proper, but quite a bit to see in the vicinity: <BR>-St.Jean Cap Ferrat: villa Ephrussi de Rothschild with beautiful gardens, hike along the coastline<BR><BR>-Nice: Matisse & Chagall museums, old port and lots more to explore<BR><BR>- Eze: beautiful medieval town in an amazing cliffside setting<BR><BR>- St. Paul de Vence: pretty village and great modern art at the Fondation Maeght)<BR><BR>- Monaco: no comment<BR><BR>The only negative about Villefranche IMO is that it is on the Basse Corniche (coastal road) which tends to have some major traffic jams (especially heading towards Nice). Also, this means that the expressway (autoroute A7) is difficult to reach. Otherwise it has a beautiful waterfront and is a good location for exploring the French Riviera.<BR><BR>I stayed just above Eze at Les Terrasses d'Eze, and this was definitely a better location for exploring w/ a car (which I would recommend renting). The hotel has an amazing cliffside setting and was good value for money (though nothing out of this world).<BR><BR>Hope this helps,<BR>Andre

carol

Scott,<BR><BR>Andre has it exactly right--but he neglected to tell you that there's a great train which stops in Villefranche and all along the Riviera in both directions. Nice is 5 minutes away, Monte Carlo maybe 15 minutes in the opposite direction. The train also stops at Antibes and Cannes, and Menton. You can take buses from Nice to other great towns also.

Andre

Carol,<BR><BR>Thanks for mentioning the train, which indeed I forgot. I still find Villefranche a less convenient location for exploring hillside and inland towns such as Eze, St. Paul de Vence, Biot, Grasse etc.<BR><BR>I just reread my original post and saw that I made a small mistake: the expressway along the coast is the A8, not A7.<BR><BR>Andre

dena

Hi Scott,<BR><BR>As the above posters mentioned, Villefranche-sur-mer is a somewhat quiet town. It really depends on your preferences and what time of the year you are going. We just spent 3 weeks there this summer and I wouldn't stay anywhere else when I return. The location, IMO, is great for seeing the sights. The train as Carol mentioned, is extremely convenient. And in order to get to the towns that are not on the train route, ie. Grasse, St. Paul de Vence, you can either take a train or bus to Nice, and from there another bus to your destination. The other option is renting a car. We did this and I have to tell you that the coastal ride is not particularly pleasant. Lots of bridges and tunnels and speeding trucks. However, the roads going north towards Provence, were very pleasant driving. I should mention that perhaps during the summer, the traffic is worse, so that is why I ask when are you planning on going. <BR> Also, there is a little night life in Villefranche along the quay, near Hotel Welcome. Tourists milling about having dinner. But again, it depends on when you plan on going. I heard that it is much quieter in the winter. SO, perhaps if you can provide a little more info, I could have a better response for you.<BR> Have a wonderful time, it is one of the most beautiful places in the world! If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Au revoir!

jt

How does one get to villa Ephrussi de Rothschild without a car? I don't mind a long walk from a train station. Their web site doesn't shed much light. tks

dena

Hi JT,<BR><BR>The Rothschild villa is in St. Jean Cap Ferrat, which is the town right next to Beaulieu. You could take the train to Beaulieu and walk to the villa. Not a very long walk, depends on what you are used to. The towns of St. Jean Cap Ferrat, Beaulieu and Villefranche-sur-mer are all within walking distance of each other. The train station at Villefranche would be a bit further walk to St. Jean Cap Ferrat than the station in Beaulieu. Hope that helps!<BR>