Ah- the south of France! I have no doubt that every inch of France is beautiful, but the south of France somehow just sounds so romantic doesn’t it? Its many villages and hill towns- not to mention stone castles, hillside olive groves, sidewalk cafes, and lavender fields (sadly it is the wrong season for that)… are places that travel dreams are made of. Most of that’s for a little later… but for now… travelling through on the train we have glimpses of what is to come after our week in Villefranche sur Mer. Our train journey takes us past many rolling hills with little villages and steepled churches, castles, vineyards… it really reminds me of Tuscany. We pass many endless cornfields that somehow feel familiar to me…

… and I realise we are passing through Van Gogh country bought alive to me in two visits to the Van Gogh Alive experience. I could almost feel his spirit here as the train rolled on.

Anyway… after another big travel day we arrive in our little piece of the South of France… Villefranche sue Mer on the Côte d’Azur (French Riviera)… where there are beaches galore, heaps of incredible resorts and unforgettable historic attractions that gaze out over the Mediterranean.

Villefranche-sur-Mer is a secret place amidst the hectic glamour and glitz of the French Riviera. A combination of modern and ancient, and it’s nestled against the steep villa-clad hillside on the Bay of Angels. This town is an explosion of colour! Red, orange, or even yellow come to mix with the oh so blue sky and the sea for a striking contrast. One of the most picturesque small towns in the French Riviera and I immediately fell in love with this place (I feel like I’ve said this before… but it’s true 😂🤷🏼‍♀️).

Located between the bustling city of Nice and the uber-opulent Monaco, the whole coast road from Nice to Monaco is incredibly beautiful with views to die for! But I’ll get to that too. We did have to stop in Nice to pick up the key for our apartment and felt a little intimidated by its size and big city feel, so were very pleased to arrive in the much smaller town of Villefranche.

While it might not appear so, we are travelling on a budget and most of our hotels have been average at best (see Shepherds hut in Cochem 😂). So despite the very steep walk from the station dragging our bags, it was delightful to arrive to this view from our apartment for the next week. Sitting on our balcony we can see the beach… yachts and cruise ships coming in and stately villa’s perched on top of the green hills.

We were tired and it was late so we quickly showered and went out for a quick dinner… the exploring would come later. Being a Saturday night, the town was bustling and it was difficult to find a restaurant that could accomodate us but we eventually found a leafy little tapa’s place along a cobbled alley… enjoyed some well deserved wine (all that dragging of our bags up through railways stations and train changes and uphills is exhausting) and some delicious food and it was time to go home to bed.

Passed a pumping nightclub on the way home…

And then just as we were hopping into bed we heard the loud and distinctive bang of fireworks. What a lovely welcome out over Jean Cap Ferrat that we planned to explore tomorrow. And the perfect view from our little balcony.

The Spice Girls music was pumping from the nightclub down on the waters edge and I wondered if it would stop me sleeping but I was quickly in dreamland.

As usual I woke before sunrise… I can actually clearly see the colour gradually creeping into the sky as I lie on the sofa bed in the living room.

So I get up for my morning walk, eager to explore this new place… and each morning I head for a different part of town. Villefranche has a picturesque Old Town (Vieille Ville), built on a terrace overlooking the sea with a labyrinth of streets and laneways with never-ending steps that are perfect for exploring.

Think cobblestoned streets, pastel colored shutters complementing the colorful houses…

… sailing boats bobbing in the harbor and the relaxed atmosphere of the Mediterranean Sea.

Add in a few palm trees

and slinking cats…

… some ancient fortifications and a few canons for some history…

… and some modern sculpture for good measure.

There are none of the bright and beautiful well cared for flower boxes and street decorations of all the previous places we have visited. Here it is much more rustic and lived in… with lots of greenery… and some bougainvillea (sadly past it’s best)… perhaps due to the hotter drier climate.

I miss the flowers but it very definitely has its own charm here and I wandered aimlessly completely lost clicking away and soaking it up.

I found this cool old passage under the buildings, the Rue Obscure, which almost felt bit creepy and has a very medieval atmosphere. Apparently it was used as a bomb shelter during the war.

And while Villefranche sur Mer is home to the second most expensive house in the world- the Villa Leopold, built on the orders of the King of Belgium, Leopold II, and worth around $750 million…

…the town still feels authentic and not like you’re living in an episode of homes of the rich and famous.

On another morning I visit the colossal Saint Elme Citadel, which is a stone fortress from the 16th century that rises up from sea level and extends up the hill and has beautiful gardens. It guards the natural harbour of Villefranche, the deepest on the Riviera, called La Port de la Darse. It’s got the best view in town, as it’s high enough to look out across the bay, the town, and the coastline of the Cote d’Azur. Perfect for sunrise!

… and it has a beautiful garden…

I also checked out the Fort du Mont Alban… a sixteenth century military stronghold on the cliff top overlooking the sea and surrounding peaks… and I’m always a sucker for high places.

Had to climb 7000 steps to get there… actually, that’s just what it felt like but it was 734. And it was definitely worth it for the spectacular views of Nice…

… Villefranche and the entirety of Jean Cap Ferrat.

Woke up one morning to the most beautiful pink sunrise…

… and headed out to the little local seafront port… delightful with crusty fishermen, actual fish in the water and lots of little colourful boats- not nearly so glitzy as many of the other Côte d’Azur harbours.

Wednesday morning we visited the weekly farmers market and picked up a few bits and pieces to have for dinner tonight as nowhere in town has the amazing view we have… so why not stay in, drink something chilled on the balcony and enjoy some local produce.

While in town for the market, we visited the 14th century Roman-style Chapel dedicated to St Peter, the Patron Saint of fishermen… and its stunning decoration by Jean Cocteau… very cute.

We walked to Jean Cap Ferrat- the little peninsula that we can see from our apartment that extends out and helps create the harbor of Villefranche. Once a fishing village, Ferrat is now considered one of the most beautiful towns in the south of France. A place of quiet elegance where time seems to slow down… full of beautiful villas and palms and surrounded by the crystal clear turquoise waters.

We strolled the gorgeous Sentier Du Littoral coastal path- a scenic coastal trail that wraps around the entire peninsula and features stunning views of the Côte d’Azur’s sparkling waters…

… rocky cliffs, vegetation and one of its most beautiful harbors.

We found a spot to lay our towels and rest on the beautiful but pretty crowded, pebbled Paloma Beach known for its views of the nearby greenery, gorgeous houses and neighbouring Bealieu-sur-Mer. As we lay on the beach listening to the sound of the lapping waves, it reminded me of being at my mum and dads place back in Sydney that always had that Mediterranean vibe.

Later continued on to Plage de Passable…

…and then back into the cute village of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat …

… with its very pretty port with many expensive looking boats where we stopped for a bite and glass of wine.

It was a long walk back to Villefranche but on the high road this time with the most spectacular views…

Looking from above our beach looked very inviting…

… and after the walk, we very definitely needed a swim. Our small seaside promenade leads onto a clean pebble beach… not sandy like at home (we’re very spoilt), but also not rocky as it is in other places- instead there is a fine gravel where you can walk freely without water shoes that you need at many Mediterranean beaches. Cool, clear and refreshing- just what we needed after a day of adventuring.

After a week here staying in our little apartment with the spectacular view, soaking up the sun, adventuring and exploring the amazing region, we are so happy that we stayed here… a little away from that glitz and glamour of Monarco or Nice. But so much life and character… gorgeous views of the glittering sea… the wonderful colours of the buildings as they cascade down the hillsides… amazing little restaurants like the little tapas bar we went to on our first night and returned to twice…

… with delicious food, our favourite wine since we left home and wonderful service especially from the beautiful young Mae who just celebrated her 21st birthday and looked after us so well. Farewell Villefranche sur Mer- you’ve been wonderful… but it’s time for new adventures… in Provence.