A wander through the colourful streets of Villefranche-sur-Mer

France, Photography, travel, Villefranche-sur-Mer

Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French Riviera is a port of call for cruise ships that sail on the Mediterranean. Passengers can disembark here for day trips to the well known resorts of Nice and Monaco. For me, however, on my first cruise of any kind, I convinced my travelling companion (my sister in law) that we should just wander through the colourful streets of Villefranche instead. It seemed like the more relaxed option and as it turned out, completely the right decision !

The streets of Villefranche-sur-Mer

Our visit to Villefranche began by boarding a tender boat which takes you the short distance from the cruise ship to a small terminal in the harbour. From there, it is a matter of a few minutes’ walk to reach the centre of Villefranche. Here you find cafes, bars and restaurants that overlook the harbour. Beyond lies a small section of beach which on the day of our visit was packed with sunbathers enjoying the September sunshine.

It was, however, the steep incline of cobbled streets behind the seafront that drew me in. So, off we set with no fixed plan to wander up the maze of streets. We found streets filled with colourful houses, painted in gorgeous Mediterranean tones of orange, yellow, pink and terracotta. Around every corner, we came across yet another pretty street, complete with terracotta pots and laundry hanging out to dry. We found cafes, pretty boutiques and a relaxed vibe far removed from the hubbub of Nice and Monaco. We took our time, climbing progressively higher until we were rewarded with views of the Mediterranean in the small gaps between the houses.

The colours of Villefranche-sur-Mer

After our wander, we descended back down the maze of streets to reach the harbour again. Feeling like we had done our step count for the day, we found a little harbourside bar for some well earned refreshment. Sitting under the shade and sipping champagne (French, of course), we watched the world go by, as only one can when in France.