Day Trips
There are a number of towns on the train line from Villefranche, including:
- Antibes - home of Picasso's studio, now a museum, and many artisan shops and galleries.
- Cannes - site of the Cannes film festival (May), you can shop, eat, beach, and walk along its famous Croisette.
- Menton - on the Italian border. Visit its old town and beautiful basilica or have lunch on the Sablettes Beach. If you're there in February-March, check to see if their famous lemon festival is happening.
- Monaco - a city-state (basically a very small independent country, like the Vatican) and one of the wealthiest and most expensive places to live in the world. The Monaco Grand Prix is a yearly event and the late Princess Grace, formerly Grace Kelly of Philadelphia, is still beloved and mourned.
Along the Coast
Menton
Antibes
Beyond the Coast
These towns are more easily accessible by car or Uber. Tours through groups such as Viatour, TripAdvisor, Get Your Guide offer excursions to these towns.
Villages Perchés (Perched Villages) - These medieval villages are set high above the Mediterranean Sea, offering a different view of the Côte d'Azur (French Riviera).
- Eze - full of narrow streets, artisan shops, and an exotic botanical garden.
- St-Paul-de-Vence - an artist colony with an open-air museum and surrounded by ramparts
- Gourdon - contains a Romanesque church, a 1000-year-old chateau, and classified as one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France."
- Mougins - shaped like a spiral seashell with views of the coast and the foothills of the Alps
Here are some other beautiful towns along la Côte d'Azur.
Mougins
Further Afield
You can travel by car, train, or via tour to reach other areas of Provence. Travel time may vary based on the season and how you travel (car, boat, train, ferry).
- St-Tropez (1.5-3 hours from Villefranche) - the famous coastal town known for Brigitte Bardot and lots of glitz
- Arles (2.5-4 hours) - a UNESCO World Heritage site for its Roman ruins and an inspiration for Vincent Van Gogh
- Avignon (2.5-3 hours) - the "city of Popes" in the 14th century, site of the Palace of the Popes
- Aix-en-Provence (2-3.5 hours) - the capital of Provence full of beautiful 18th century architecture, close to lavender fields
- Cassis (2-3 hours) - a former fishing village with narrow streets and colorful facades
- Marseille (2.5-3 hours) - one of the largest cities in France with its famed Old Port and beautiful Notre Dame cathedral
- Valensole (2.5-4 hours) - a picturesque town surrounded by lavender fields
- Gordes (3-3.5 hours) - one of the "Most Beautiful Villages in France"
- Lourmarin (2.5-3.5 hours) - another "Most Beautiful Village in France" for a quiet countryside getaway
There are many other beautiful and ancient villages to discover in Provence.
