Having just returned from a week on Ile St. Louis in Paris, we will be taking a cruise in September that will bring us to Villefranche sur Mer and Nice for eight hours, more or less. We are not at all familiar with these two places. If anyone has suggestions, based on personal experience, as to what we might find interesting, we would really appreciate it. We are mobile, 70 yrs old, and don't gamble (among other things we don't do). Thanks.
PS: Everyone's suggestions for our stay on Ile St.Louis were greatly appreciated, and they really enhanced our enjoyment of our visit.
Posted by
S.F. Bay Area, CA, United States
1878 posts
We stayed in Nice, trained to Monaco/Monte Carlo, and stopped for an hour or two in Villefranche Sur Mer on the way back to Nice. We found Villefranche the most appealing of all, but it might be somewhat less so with a ton of your fellow passengers visiting as well. (Nothing against cruises, we did one in 2011.) We found the interesting parts of Nice to be the beachfront promenade with its pebbly beach, and the old town area. There are a couple of museums in town too, Chagall and Matisse spring to mind, but there are others. Be sure and come back and spend a few hours in Villefranche, crowds or not, before getting back on the ship. We found it a very appealing small town. Monaco/Monte Carlo are also nice enough, but I don't think with your limited time I would choose that over more time in Villefranche. The weather will probably be quite nice that time of year. We had great weather in late April, I would have to think September will be nice.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
You will be boated to the dock from your ship. The train station is uphill to your right and obvious from the port area. It runs frequently. About ten minutes. You can use a local bus but the train is easier to find. There is really not much in Villef... other than an attractive little coast town. The beach is top less and fronted by some nice bars. Nice is more interesting with museums and an old fort/castle on top. Any good guidebook will highlight Nice for you. The beach in Nice is also top less. Don't know where that lands of your list of things you don't do anymore.