Search the directory...

in

About Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer and Beaulieu-sur-Mer

The three ports of Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer and Beaulieu-sur-Mer are set along the most beautiful and spectacular part of the French Riviera. Separated by the two peninsulas of Cap Nice and St-Jean-Cap Ferrat, they provide a variety of sheltered mooring spots, and each has its own distinctive history and points of interest. 

Nice is the capital city of the Alpes Maritimes and one of the most populous in France. The city has changed hands many times, and is one of the oldest settlements in Europe. The Greeks founded a permanent settlement on the site around 350BC, and called it Nikaia, after ‘Nike’, the goddess of victory.

After being an Italian dominion for years, Nice became part of France in 1860. In the second half of the 18th century, the mild Mediterranean climate and spectacular natural beauty enticed the English upper classes to spend their winters in Nice. The Promenade des Anglais owes its name to these earliest visitors to the region.

There are many buildings from the ‘Belle Époque’ era, and gardens, statues and fountains remain adjacent to palm tree-lined boulevards. The port has its own unique atmosphere, below the towering Mont Boron, and surrounded by plenty of restaurants and bars.

Nice is much more than just a place for fun in the sun. You can wander the cool, narrow pedestrian lanes in the romantic old town, lingering over the sights and scents of the colourful flower and produce markets, and trawling for antiques. Festival fans descend for the many summer events. There are many wonderful restaurants; from chic little bolt holes to family-style French cooking and Michelin-starred cuisine; and then there are the many, many late night bars, often with live music.

Sailing Eastward, just around the Cap de Nice, is the unspoilt town of Villefranche-sur-Mer, situated in a vast, picturesque, deepwater bay. The town dates back to 130 BC and has developed around the port constructed by Charles II of Anjou in 1295. The bay is one of the deepest in the Mediterranean and was fortified as a naval base by the Duke of Savoy whilst they were at war with France. The idyllic sea front offers many restaurants, cafes and attractive shops. Their only marina cannot facilitate yachts larger than 30 metres in length. (Note: Pilotage is compulsory for vessels over 500GRT).

Further East, sailing around the picturesque St. Jean Cap Ferrat, is Beaulieu, a relatively small but lovely port with just a few berths for Superyachts - so be sure to reserve!
Beaulieu means ‘beautiful place’ in French, and the story goes that on arriving in the town, Napoleon proclaimed, “Bellolocco” (what a beautiful place) and that is how Beaulieu was named. The town became popular as a holiday destination for the world’s aristocracy at the turn of the century; and some of the best known visitors included the 1st Prince of Wales, Queens of Italy and Portugal, and Gustave Eiffel. Many extravagant ‘Belle Époque’ hotels were built to cater to the new visitors. The town is very refined and not the place to visit for nightclubs and packed beaches. The marina has many restaurants and cafes, as well as vendors supplying yacht items for chandlery and provisioning.

 

Read more

Information

Address

France

Review this service

No one has left a review on this page yet.