The story of Villefranche-sur-Mer
Villefranche was founded in 1295 by Charles II of Anjou, Count of Provence, who granted it tax-free status, the "free town" in its name. Its deep, sheltered bay made it a strategic harbour for the Dukes of Savoy, who built the Citadelle Saint-Elme in the 1550s.
In the 20th century the village drew writers and artists. Jean Cocteau stayed at the Hôtel Welcome and decorated the small Chapelle Saint-Pierre on the harbour with his drawings in 1957. The Rue Obscure, a covered medieval street, still runs under the houses of the old town.
