Villefranche-sur-mer
Oct 6th, 2003, 06:18 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Villefranche-sur-mer
We are going to spend 4 days in French Riviera next summer. Looking for a quiet beautiful place to relax. Is Villefranche-sur-mer a good choice? Would appreciate any suggestions about hotels there.
Oct 6th, 2003, 07:29 AM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 305
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We have been to Villefranche twice, including just two weeks ago. We stayed at the la Flore which is on the main road high above the harbor. Our room had its own terrace overlooking the harbor and cap ferrat. Nice was 5 minutes by a bus out front of the hotel next door. Monaco was 20 minutes by car, but train is available. You can walk down to the beach, not as rocky as Nice, several beach area cafe's, walk to cap ferrat. Beaulieu and a casino are near by but we did not make it there. Did visit eze village high up. The Hotel Welcome is also in Villefranche right down by the water. It does have balconys but no where near the secluded nature of the terrace at La Flore, which does have a pool. Also you can watch the cruise ships drop anchor in the harbor.
Oct 6th, 2003, 07:46 AM
#3
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We really love Villefranche-s-m. We've explored the south of France extensively and I think this makes a great base if you have a car.
We are quasi-budget travellers. Last time in Villefranche was 2 years ago and we found a brand-new hotel that was nice, clean and cheap. I know our room was under $100 US and we had a view of the ocean and cap ferrat. I actually posted about it right after our trip--let me dig up that post and I'll add it here.
We are quasi-budget travellers. Last time in Villefranche was 2 years ago and we found a brand-new hotel that was nice, clean and cheap. I know our room was under $100 US and we had a view of the ocean and cap ferrat. I actually posted about it right after our trip--let me dig up that post and I'll add it here.
Oct 6th, 2003, 07:46 AM
#4
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From a previous post:
Date: 06/22/2001, 09:45 pm
It's small, cheap (our beautiful ocean view room was just $80/night!!) and it's nice and clean and very pretty. We just stumbled on it, it's new and has only been open for 6-7 months. The rooms are decorated in a beach/nautical theme--very casual but stylish. Best of all: very comfortable beds.
The hotel is named Ancoraggio, it's in Villefranche-sur-mer, which is located right between Monte Carlo and Nice, a perfect spot for a base with daytrips around the Cote d'Azur (Antibes, Nice, St. Paul de Vence, Grasse, Monaco, Menton, Cap Ferrat, etc.). The hotel has a pool and a restaurant with a pretty view. We will be visiting there again. We know our way around there well--but for a first timer to the area it might be hard to find. It's on the middle corniche in Villefranche-sur-mer. I'm sure the innkeeper can give you directions (she is English). I loved this place, can you tell?
All I have to contact them is this:[email protected]
or their tel is 04.93.76.67.40.
Date: 06/22/2001, 09:45 pm
It's small, cheap (our beautiful ocean view room was just $80/night!!) and it's nice and clean and very pretty. We just stumbled on it, it's new and has only been open for 6-7 months. The rooms are decorated in a beach/nautical theme--very casual but stylish. Best of all: very comfortable beds.
The hotel is named Ancoraggio, it's in Villefranche-sur-mer, which is located right between Monte Carlo and Nice, a perfect spot for a base with daytrips around the Cote d'Azur (Antibes, Nice, St. Paul de Vence, Grasse, Monaco, Menton, Cap Ferrat, etc.). The hotel has a pool and a restaurant with a pretty view. We will be visiting there again. We know our way around there well--but for a first timer to the area it might be hard to find. It's on the middle corniche in Villefranche-sur-mer. I'm sure the innkeeper can give you directions (she is English). I loved this place, can you tell?
All I have to contact them is this:[email protected]
or their tel is 04.93.76.67.40.
Oct 6th, 2003, 07:50 AM
#5
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
And a bit more from a subsequent post (please keep in mind this info is 2 years old):
More info on the Ancoraggio:
It is completely newly renovated. It is small, not too many rooms. It is run by a family (the mom is English and used to be a model in Paris, the Dad is French, their 20-something son is the chef, etc). It is welcoming and low-key.
The hotel is not located on the beach--it is on the middle corniche. As you drive along the Med in the Cote d'Azur, there are 3 corniches--3 roads that run more-or-less parallel to the beach. The lower corniche runs along the beach or near to it as possible, the middle corniche is up the hill about 1/4 to 1/2 mile, and the top corniche is at the top of the hills, anywhere from 1-3 miles from the beach. They are all windy roads, not highways or freeways. From the middle corniche you can always see the ocean. From the Ancoraggio, if you have an ocean facing room (which I think most are) you will have a beautiful view of the bay at Villefranche-sur-mer, with Cap Ferrat on the left rounding out the bay. We enjoyed watching the pleasure boats and other bay activity, but we didn't spend most of our time at the hotel.
You would definitely need a car. I am sure that the innkeeper could fax you directions.
The hotel is decorated in a nautical theme--blue and white with lighthouse decoration, etc. The tiling, flooring, paint, and everything else is new and nice. It's not luxurious--it's simple and clean. For the price, I was impressed by how nice it was--partly because it is new.
The rooms we stayed in (we had 4 adults in 2 rooms) both had a queen-size bed and a single bed. The bathrooms were nice, good water pressure in the shower. They provided bath gel but nothing else by way of toiletries. The linens were new and clean, simple, white.
They had breakfast available for 45 francs, which was a typical French breakfast: demi-pain, pain-au-chocolate, and crossaint, with butter, jams, and hot chocolate/coffee/tea. The view from the restaurant makes breakfast (and any other meal) worth it.
The hotel also has a pool, though it was out of service during our visit. There is a small Casino store (small french grocery mart) just across the street and another market a block away, and a gas station right nearby too. We parked on property for free.
We went to the beach. When we were in Monte Carlo we went to the commercial center--I think it was a Carrefour but maybe was a Giant store and we bought beach towels for $5 each and spent a day at the beach in Villefranche-s-m which was really fun. We wished we had bought snorkle stuff at the store, not because there would be fish but just for fun.
I don't know if the hotel had A/C or not, we certainly didn't need it. We also didn't see any bugs, spiders or mosquitos.
Each room had a TV which had CNN and BBC world news I think. I didn't notice if there were phones in the rooms because we didn't need one.
You would definitely need a car if you stay at the Ancorragio. I don't remember any restaurants in walking distance although the hotel has a small restaurant inside the hotel itself. The hotel is located up on the hills overlooking the bay, not on the beach. Walking to the beach from the hotel would be a mile of very steep downhill trudging. This is a hotel for people with cars only.
I finally found a brochure, so here is more contact info on the Ancoraggio:
8 Boulevard de la Corne d'Or
06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer
Tel: 04.93.76.67.40
Fax: 04.93.76.91.04
More info on the Ancoraggio:
It is completely newly renovated. It is small, not too many rooms. It is run by a family (the mom is English and used to be a model in Paris, the Dad is French, their 20-something son is the chef, etc). It is welcoming and low-key.
The hotel is not located on the beach--it is on the middle corniche. As you drive along the Med in the Cote d'Azur, there are 3 corniches--3 roads that run more-or-less parallel to the beach. The lower corniche runs along the beach or near to it as possible, the middle corniche is up the hill about 1/4 to 1/2 mile, and the top corniche is at the top of the hills, anywhere from 1-3 miles from the beach. They are all windy roads, not highways or freeways. From the middle corniche you can always see the ocean. From the Ancoraggio, if you have an ocean facing room (which I think most are) you will have a beautiful view of the bay at Villefranche-sur-mer, with Cap Ferrat on the left rounding out the bay. We enjoyed watching the pleasure boats and other bay activity, but we didn't spend most of our time at the hotel.
You would definitely need a car. I am sure that the innkeeper could fax you directions.
The hotel is decorated in a nautical theme--blue and white with lighthouse decoration, etc. The tiling, flooring, paint, and everything else is new and nice. It's not luxurious--it's simple and clean. For the price, I was impressed by how nice it was--partly because it is new.
The rooms we stayed in (we had 4 adults in 2 rooms) both had a queen-size bed and a single bed. The bathrooms were nice, good water pressure in the shower. They provided bath gel but nothing else by way of toiletries. The linens were new and clean, simple, white.
They had breakfast available for 45 francs, which was a typical French breakfast: demi-pain, pain-au-chocolate, and crossaint, with butter, jams, and hot chocolate/coffee/tea. The view from the restaurant makes breakfast (and any other meal) worth it.
The hotel also has a pool, though it was out of service during our visit. There is a small Casino store (small french grocery mart) just across the street and another market a block away, and a gas station right nearby too. We parked on property for free.
We went to the beach. When we were in Monte Carlo we went to the commercial center--I think it was a Carrefour but maybe was a Giant store and we bought beach towels for $5 each and spent a day at the beach in Villefranche-s-m which was really fun. We wished we had bought snorkle stuff at the store, not because there would be fish but just for fun.
I don't know if the hotel had A/C or not, we certainly didn't need it. We also didn't see any bugs, spiders or mosquitos.
Each room had a TV which had CNN and BBC world news I think. I didn't notice if there were phones in the rooms because we didn't need one.
You would definitely need a car if you stay at the Ancorragio. I don't remember any restaurants in walking distance although the hotel has a small restaurant inside the hotel itself. The hotel is located up on the hills overlooking the bay, not on the beach. Walking to the beach from the hotel would be a mile of very steep downhill trudging. This is a hotel for people with cars only.
I finally found a brochure, so here is more contact info on the Ancoraggio:
8 Boulevard de la Corne d'Or
06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer
Tel: 04.93.76.67.40
Fax: 04.93.76.91.04
Oct 6th, 2003, 07:59 AM
#6
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just found a website for them. It seems more spare than I remember it! I think my travel standards have risen over the past 2 years! Still, it was a good place for us and I think if we were returning, and on a budget, we'd stay there again.
http://membres.lycos.fr/ancoraggio/index.htm
http://membres.lycos.fr/ancoraggio/index.htm
Oct 6th, 2003, 09:03 AM
#7
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,715
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I too stayed in Villefranche on one of my visits at the aforementioned Hotel Welcome. This place was nice, clean & inexpensive but it has no pool (I was there in winter). But before recommending Villefranche, I would ask for a better description of "quiet beautiful place to relax..." What price & what, if anything, do you want to do? V.sur mer is a good choice if you're planning to travel around to see Monaco, Eze, Nice,Antibes etc. because it's got decent public transport & is along the main road(s)if you're going to drive (the Welcome hotel is on the base corniche). However, if you're just looking to stay in a pretty place to relax & not hop around, I can think of lots of nicer choices. Then, some are in the hills (Eze, St Paul de Vence, Tourettes sur Loup etc.) and some are on the shore (Antibes, Beaulieu, Cap Ferrat). So more info from you on budget & specs will get better info.
Trending Topics
Oct 6th, 2003, 11:07 AM
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In responce to mclaurie: I hope I would not need to rent a car, since public transportation seems to be good there. We are planning to come to Cote d'Azure after some strenuous hiking/climbing in Chamonix area, so a restful place (not too overcrouded), with a nice beach and lovely historical area is essential.
Hope it helps.
Hope it helps.
Oct 6th, 2003, 05:03 PM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,358
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We stayed at the La Flore last month. A little rough around the edges, small pool but a surprisingly good restaurant for a *** hotel. The balconies are very nice, but ours had most of the marvelous view blocked by a palm tree!
There is a much nicer *** place next door, the Versailles.
Both hotels have good parking.
If the beach appeals to you, the Hotel Welcome is down in the port and closer.
Small beach, however.
For a lovely place to just relax I recommend the ****Chateau Valmer, which is a little west of San Tropez in La Croix Valmer.
There is a much nicer *** place next door, the Versailles.
Both hotels have good parking.
If the beach appeals to you, the Hotel Welcome is down in the port and closer.
Small beach, however.
For a lovely place to just relax I recommend the ****Chateau Valmer, which is a little west of San Tropez in La Croix Valmer.
Oct 7th, 2003, 03:44 AM
#10
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,715
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So Argus, if you're planning on touring around. I'd say Villefranche is a good base. But if you really want to mostly stay put & relax in a beautiful setting, as I said earlier, I think there are better places for prettier views, better beach, nicer pools, more restaurant choices.
If beach is important, I suggest Cap D'Antibes where the beaches are big & sandy. Someone here posted about a place called Hotel Castel Garoupe which sounded nice to me-near the Hotel du Cap. It's an apartment style hotel, according to the post. I'm not sure if it's on the beach or a short walk away.
If beach is not important, the options are endless for charming settings with pools. The Vista Palace in Roquebrune sounds wonderful from posts here (vistapalace.com) There are also several places in Cap Ferrat (Claire Logis is one I took note of). I've stayed at La Colombe D'Or in St Paul de Vence which is up in the hills. The pool there is fabulous & they have a famous restaurant. The town of St Paul is charming but touristy during the day, quieter at night. There's also the Hotel St Paul there as well as several b & bs with pools. Just below St Paul is the town of Tourettes sur Loup where there are also some nice b & bs.
I'd have a look on provencebeyond.com to get a feeling for the various towns.
If beach is important, I suggest Cap D'Antibes where the beaches are big & sandy. Someone here posted about a place called Hotel Castel Garoupe which sounded nice to me-near the Hotel du Cap. It's an apartment style hotel, according to the post. I'm not sure if it's on the beach or a short walk away.
If beach is not important, the options are endless for charming settings with pools. The Vista Palace in Roquebrune sounds wonderful from posts here (vistapalace.com) There are also several places in Cap Ferrat (Claire Logis is one I took note of). I've stayed at La Colombe D'Or in St Paul de Vence which is up in the hills. The pool there is fabulous & they have a famous restaurant. The town of St Paul is charming but touristy during the day, quieter at night. There's also the Hotel St Paul there as well as several b & bs with pools. Just below St Paul is the town of Tourettes sur Loup where there are also some nice b & bs.
I'd have a look on provencebeyond.com to get a feeling for the various towns.
Oct 7th, 2003, 08:44 AM
#11
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,327
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mclaurie, you probably mean Imperial de Garoupe. It is right on Plage de la Garoupe (there is a road between hotel and beach). It is a lovely hotel, not cheap! There is another hotel on the same bay called La Baie Doree. I havent been inside, but it looks nice. As for location; in Villefranche you can walk to the station; in Cap d'Antibes this would be a bit too far (either Juan les Pins or Antibes station).
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
ericao
Europe
12
Feb 6th, 2011 03:19 AM
