Villefranche sur Mer is one of the oldest inhabited sites on the Côte d’Azur.
In Roman times, Villefranche was called “Olivula Portus” and its harbor was an attractive area which attracted a large population of merchants and traders. Its harbor is vulnerable: in the Middle Ages, it was subject to numerous pirate attacks, which led the inhabitants to abandon the site.
In 1295, the Count of Provence Charles II wanted to repopulate the harbour: he refounded a town called “Villa franca” or Villefranche; it is exempt from taxes, which allows it to attract inhabitants again. In 1388, the Duke of Savoy became the new lord of Villefranche sur Mer. The Dukes of Savoy fortified Villefranche sur Mer in the 16th century to protect the site of the French and Ottoman navy: the fort of Mont Alban and the citadel Saint -Elme come out of the ground. Villefranche is therefore a war port and a fortified site.
Between 1793 and 1815, Villefranche, which is called Villefranche in Piedmont, was occupied by the French. The king of Piedmont Sardinia administered the city again between 1815 and 1860, the year the county of Nice was annexed to France: between 1856 and 1860, he authorized the Russian navy to anchor in the bay of Villefranche. The military vocation of the port is increasingly challenged by new activities, such as tourism. This is developing thanks to the arrival of an international clientele, the Russians, the English, the Belgians and the Americans. Today, Villefranche sur Mer is the second largest cruise port in France on the Mediterranean after Marseille.
To learn more about the important sites of Villefranche sur Mer, its religious heritage and its military architecture, book a guided tour with the Guides de France.
Discover the main sites of the Côte d’Azur (Nice, Antibe, Eze, Monaco) with the Guides de France.