Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
police station, city hall, a summer outdoor theater, and two art galleries. There's still only
one fortified entry to this huge complex.
Chapel of St. Pierre (Chapelle Cocteau)
Thischapel,decoratedbyartistJeanCocteau,isthetown'sculturalhighlight.Cocteauwas
a Parisian transplant who adored little Villefranche-sur-Mer and whose career was distin-
guished by his work as an artist, poet, novelist, playwright, and filmmaker. Influenced by
his pals Marcel Proust, André Gide, Edith Piaf, and Pablo Picasso, Cocteau was a leader
among20th-centuryavant-gardeintellectuals.Atthedoor,Marie-France—whoispassion-
ate about Cocteau's art—collects a €2.50 donation for a fishermen's charity. She then sets
you free to enjoy the chapel's small but intriguing interior. She's happy to give some ex-
planations if you ask.
In 1955 Jean Cocteau covered the barrel-vaulted chapel with heavy black lines and
pastels. Each of Cocteau's surrealist works—the Roma (Gypsies) of Stes-Maries-de-la-
Mer who dance and sing to honor the Virgin, girls wearing traditional outfits, and three
scenes from the life of St. Peter—is explained in English. Is that Villefranche-sur-Mer's
citadel in the scene above the altar?
Cost and Hours:
Wed-Mon 10:00-12:00 & 15:00-19:00, usually closed Tue (varies
with cruise-ship traffic) and when Marie-France is tired, below Hôtel Welcome, tel. 04 93
76 90 70.
Nearby:
A few blocks north along the harbor (past Hôtel Welcome), Rue de May
leadstothemysterious
Rue Obscure
—acoveredlanerunning400feetalongthemedieval
rampart. This street served as an air-raid shelter during World War II. Much of the lane is
closed indefinitely for repair.
Boat Rides (Promenades en Mer)
Consider treating yourself to a seaborne perspective of this beautiful area. A relatively
inexpensive option is to take a
cruise
(€18 for 2-hour cruise as far as Monaco—but
doesn't actually stop there, departs at 15:00, June-Sept Wed and Sat, also Thu in July-
Aug, no trips Oct-May, boats depart from the harbor across from Hôtel Welcome, call
to confirm ever-changing schedule, reservations a must, tel. 04 93 76 65 65,
www.amv-
sirenes.com
)
. Or, to be your own skipper, rent a
motor boat
through Dark Pelican (€100/
half-day, €165/day, deposit required, on the harbor at the Gare Maritime, tel. 04 93 01 76
54,
www.darkpelican.com
)
.
