In today’s post, I’m sharing tips for taking a day trip to Villefranche-Sur-Mer and Cap-Ferrat.
Villefranche-Sur-Mer is one of the most peaceful, quaint villages in the Côte d’Azur. Located just east of Nice, Villefranche-Sur-Mer makes an easy “no brainer” day trip option.
The town is nestled at the bottom of the region’s iconic rolling mountains and cradles a stunning turquoise Mediterranean bay. The pastel buildings, charming streets, and its staggering backdrop make this town a quintessential Côte d’Azur destination.
In this guide, I’m going to share some info about this absolute jewel of the French Riviera, how to get there, and how to make the most out of your day trip to Villefranche-Sur-Mer and Cap-Ferrat.
Our 1 day Villefranche-Sur-Mer and Cap-Ferrat itinerary will start in Villefranche-Sur-Mer and take you through Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, over to Paloma Beach and Fossettes Beach, into the iconic Grand-Hotel Du Cap Ferrat for a water-front drink, and, finally, to Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild at golden hour.
Day trip to Villefranche Sur Mer and Cap-Ferrat
Why visit Villefranche-Sur-Mer and Cap-Ferrat?
We used nearby Antibes as our base and stayed for five nights. We bookended our time in Antibes with relaxing days “at home,” exploring Old Town and Cap d’Antibes. We took one day trip to Nice and another to explore Villefranche-Sur-Mer and Cap-Ferrat.
Villefranche-Sur-Mer made a perfect day trip from Antibes, but I could also see this being a a wonderful base for exploring the Côte d’Azur.
The South of France has many glitzy, glamorous towns (Nice, Cannes, and St.Tropez all come to mind), but Villefranche-Sur-Mer captures the more subdued, charming side of this region. Whether you choose to stay for several nights or visit for a day, Villefranche-Sur-Mer is an absolute MUST on any French Riviera itinerary.
We decided to explore Villefranche-Sur-Merand Cap-Ferrat on the same day. The two areas are close together and easily conquerable in a day. This was one of our favorite days of our whole trip.
More guides from our South of France + Lake Como trip:
The Perfect Antibes Travel Guide
How to Spend Four Days in Lake Como, Italy
26 Lifesaving Tips for Traveling with a Baby in Europe
Side note: I bought this coffee table guide book about Provence and the Cote d-Azur on a whim a few years ago and finally put it to a practical use while we planned this trip. This book overviews a vast selection of towns in the South of France, and we found it to be very helpful while choosing where and how to spend our time.
How to get to Villefranche-Sur-Mer
Getting to Villefranche-Sur-Mer is fortunately very easy. The town is located just around the cape from Nice–depending on where you are heading from it will take you 20-30 minutes or even less.
If you are flying into the Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, the drive to Villefranche-Sur-Mer will take about 40 minutes.
If you are planning a trip to the French Riviera, I do highly recommend renting a car. There is so much to see and explore, and having a car will allow you to do this on your own schedule and leisure.
1 day Villefranche-Sur-Mer itinerary:
Start the day in Villefranche-Sur-Mer
The proper way to start any day in the South of France is by enjoying a water-front view of the Mediterranean with a cappuccino in hand. Fortunately, the Welcome Hotel in Villefranche-Sur-Mer provides both of these things!
After the espresso kicks in, make your way down the boardwalk to the Plage des Marinieres (the perfect crescent beach I mentioned earlier).
We got a late start on the day (surprise surprise, I can’t even fully blame Charlotte), so we arrived in Villefranche-sur-mer around 10am that morning. However, this is a full day of exploring and I recommend kicking it into gear a bit earlier.
By the time we made it to the Plage des Marinieres, it was quite warm out and the beach was pretty crowded. Ideally, we would have wanted an early morning to enjoy the beach to ourselves.
Head to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and park at the Hotel Royal-Riviera
Head back to your car and drive to the other side of the peninsula.
If you have the full day ahead of you, park at the top of the peninsula near the Hotel Royal-Riviera. Grab a drink and then hop on the coastal trail (called the Sentier du Littoral) that will take you all the way down the peninsula towards Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat Coastal Walk:
This walk is one of my favorites in the world that we’ve done. Enjoy the sweeping views of the crystal blue water, the lush, mountainous coastline, and staggering villas that populate one of the most expensive zip codes in the world.
Stop and take a picture at Place David Niven
This gorgeous pink villa is one of the main reasons I wanted to visit the South of France, so I was very satisfied when I saw it in person. It was built in 1880 and has its own little pink harbor. It is SO dreamy.
Some of its past occupants include the Duchess of Marlborough, Charlie Chaplin, David Niven, and is even rumored to have been a hideout for Dodi Fayed and Princess Diana during their relationship! Juicy.
Walk through Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Keep walking along the coastal path until you reach the idyllic fishing village of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. It is one of the most pleasant places I’ve ever been.
Grab an ice cream or a bite to eat at one of the restaurants along the waterfront and take a nice, deep breath.
Lounge at Paloma beach
Time for our next stop at Paloma Beach. We laid out and swam here for about an hour and it was absolutely lovely. The beachside cafe had closed for the season the day before we arrived, sadly, but it would be a perfect place to grab a bite to eat.
The beach is pretty rocky which probably wouldn’t bother anyone who didn’t share our San Diego-spoiled expectations of soft white sand. We just brought a blanket and wore our sandals most of the time. Otherwise, between the stunning views and relatively temperate water, this cove is perfect.
Check out Fossettes Beach around the corner
If you have the stamina to check out another beach (you should!), head around the corner to Fossettes Beach. But first, make a pit stop for a beverage or snack if you need one at the stand above the trail.
Get a drink at Grand-Hotel Du Cap Ferrat
After some sunbathing, head over to the Grand-Hotel du Cap Ferrat to witness the luxury of Cap Ferrat firsthand.
Let’s be honest, if you have the funds, you should probably stay at this iconic hotel. If you don’t, a drink at the bar will have to do (always our play, no matter where we are in the world, lol).
Spend golden hour at the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild
I can’t think of a better way to cap off a day in the French Riviera than by wandering the grounds of the blush pink Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild at sunset.
Enjoy the gorgeous gardens and views of the dazzling coves below. Admission costs €14.
Thank you so much for checking out our tips for taking a day trip to Villefranche-sur-Mer
and Cap-Ferrat. I hope this guide was helpful! Have the best time, and let me know how it goes.Looking for more guides about France? Click here.
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