Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Helpful Hints
Market Day:
A fun bric-a-brac market enlivens Villefranche-sur-Mer on Sundays (on
Place Amélie Pollonnais by Hôtel Welcome, and in Jardin François Binon by the
TI). On Saturday mornings, a small food market sets up near the TI (only in Jardin
François Binon). A small trinket market springs to action on Place Amélie Pollonnais
whenever cruise ships grace the harbor.
Last Call:
Villefranche-sur-Mer makes a great base for day trips, but the last bus back
from Nice or Monaco is at about 20:00. After that, take the train or a cab.
Internet Access:
Two options sit side by side on Place du Marché.
Chez Net,
an “Aus-
tralianInternationalSportsBarInternetCafé,”hasAmericankeyboards,whereas
L'X
Café
has French keyboards. Both are opendaily,have Wi-Fi, andlet youenjoy alate-
night drink while surfing the Internet.
Laundry:
Thetownhastwolaunderettes,bothownedbyLauraandlocatedjustbelowthe
main road on Avenue Sadi Carnot. At the upper
pressing moderne,
Laura does your
wash for you—for a price (Tue-Sat 9:00-12:30 & 15:00-19:00, closed Sun-Mon, next
to Hôtel Riviera, tel. 04 93 01 73 71). The lower
laverie
is self-service only (daily
7:00-20:00, opposite 6 Avenue Sadi Carnot).
Electric Bike Rental:
If you plan to explore coastal sights but don't feel like walking,
consider renting anelectric bikefromHenriat
Eco-Loc.
Theadventurous canalsotry
this as an alternative to taking the bus to Cap Ferrat, Eze-le-Village, or even Nice (al-
though the road to Nice is awfully busy). You get about 25 miles on a fully charged
battery (less on hilly terrain—after that you're pedaling; €15/half-day, €25/day, early
April-Sept daily 9:00-17:00, deposit and ID required, best to call for reservations
24 hours in advance; helmets, locks, baskets, and child seats available; pick up bike
across from small TI on the port, mobile 06 66 92 72 41,
www.ecoloc06.fr
)
.
Taxi:
For a reliable taxi in Villefranche-sur-Mer, call or email
Didier
(mobile 06 15 15 39
15,
taxididier.villefranchesurmer@orange.fr
)
. If he's busy, beware of taxi drivers who
overcharge—thenormalweekday,daytimeratetocentralNiceisabout€40;totheair-
port, figure €60; one-way to Cap Ferrat is about €25, to Eze-le-Village is about €40,
and to Monaco is €60. The five-minute trip from the waterfront up to the main street
level (to bus stops on the Low Corniche) should be less than €10. Ask your driver to
write down the price before you get in, and get a receipt when you pay (general taxi
tel. 04 93 55 55 55).
Minibus:
Little
minibus #80
will save you the sweat of going from the harbor up the hill,
but it only runs once per hour (daily 7:00-19:00, €1.50, schedule posted at stops and
on
www.lignedazur.com
)
. It travels from the port to the top of the hill, stopping near
Hôtel la Fiancée du Pirate and the Col de Villefranche stop for buses #82 and #112 to
