“I honestly wouldn’t be here without them. I’m their biggest fan,” says Lee, an American from Las Vegas and part-time resident of Villefranche-sur-Mer, a cozy, village-like town adjacent to Nice on the captivating French Riviera.
I’m freshly back from a visit to this beautiful seaside hamlet, and I’ve fallen in love. So, apparently, has Lee.
“I looked at a lot of language schools,” she says, “and this one just stood out. I started out with one month of lessons and just kept coming back. I was at a beginner level, then intermediate, and now I’m in the avancé class.”
As Lee tells me about her experience at Institut de Français, a French language school hugging the hillside in Villefranche-sur-Mer, she sprinkles more and more French words into our chat. Her franglais, as the locals call it, is not only adorable but also impressive.
“Je parle avec tout le monde... I talk to everyone,” she says, “the butcher, the patisserie ladies, the baker... everyone is so friendly. Everyone is ready to help me with my French.”
Suddenly, she switches entirely to French. I’m a bit caught off guard, and dare I say... a tad envious.
Her French is excellent. I’d lived for a full three years in France before I could speak anywhere near Lee’s level.
They’re certainly doing something right at Institut de Français. Not only did a visit to the school sweep me off my pieds, but I discovered that Villefranche itself is a rare find—a gem of a town in one of the most coveted areas in all of France. Welcoming, not snobby, chic without being pretentious, and for expats like me, just the right amount of franglais.
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Swoon-Worthy French Villas Along the “James Bond” Road
Nestled between Nice and Monaco, Villefranche is a mash-up of wildly elegant, flower-flowing villas and earthy, burnt-pastel homes stacked haphazardly along the Mediterranean. It’s as if Positano and Florence, Italy, did an 1800s collaboration with a palette of muted orange, yellow, and deep turquoise.
The town is quite hilly, which accounts for Villefranche’s otherworldly views of the bay below, but it can also be a consideration for potential expats. Staircases take residents up to the steeper parts of town, which Lee says has helped her stay in shape after many croissants and pains au chocolat.
The M6098 roadway, also known as the corniche, flows easily through the town from Nice to Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Monaco, and points beyond. It’s a two-lane, mountain-clinging route that showcases some of the most scenic landscapes along the French Riviera.
If it’s not on a top-ten list somewhere, it should be.
Palm trees sway graciously along the turns. Mimosa flowers and violet bougainvillea dangle between stately stone columns and palatial private hotels. The odd Porsche or two vrooms by, gliding onto a long driveway lined with carefully manicured orange trees.
It feels like Daniel Craig might be just around the next corner. Indeed, part of the James Bond classic Never Say Never Again was filmed nearby.
The corniche deposits you directly into the heart of Villefranche, an incorporated suburb of Nice. A little over 5,000 residents are nestled in various neighborhoods that climb upward from the historic center.
The palm-filled, rocky peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat rounds out the curve of Villefranche’s horseshoe-shaped bay, and from nearly every vantage point, you can experience exceptional views of the Mediterranean Sea.
Housing options range from vibrant village homes to a smattering of apartment buildings above the corniche, to swoon-worthy French villas ready for an editorial spread in Architectural Digest.
The range in prices increases accordingly. There’s no getting around the fact that Villefranche is not for every budget, and that’s for good reason.
Her appeal is undeniable.
The Jazzy Side of the French Riviera
While neighboring Nice is the undisputed queen of the French Riviera, with her endless supply of social, cultural, and culinary experiences, she also tends to be loud, brash, and unapologetically rock-n-roll.
Villefranche is her demure, laid-back neighbor, keeping things cool and understated. All the French Riviera magic is there... only the dial has been turned down low. Like your favorite light jazz station serving up rosé and sax hour.
The historic center is the hub of Villefranche. All points lead to this shimmering patchwork of village homes, medieval alleyways, and colorful cafés facing the sea. Watching the sailboats glide across the bay between Villefranche and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, patrons can soak up the south-of-France sunshine—and perhaps enjoy an early Apérol Spritz—at Achill’s Rooftop Bar or the Welcome Hotel. The latter boasts a wine bar with live music on Saturday nights and is known as the boutique hotel to stay at in Villefranche.
Around the corner from Achill’s, you’ll find the restaurant Mayssa Beach directly on the waterfront and not far from the town’s formidable Citadel. A warm and welcoming establishment, both well-heeled Niçoise (Nice residents) and tourists enjoy the glass-paneled rooftop terrace and delicate seafood dishes.
A classified historic monument, the Saint-Elme Citadel was built in the 16th century. After the dramatic Siege of Nice in 1543, when twenty thousand Franco-Turks laid claim to Nice for 20 days, the Duke of Savoy built a series of fortifications to protect his territories, including the Citadel of Nice, the Citadel of Villefranche, and the Fort of Mont Alban, which lies between the two bays.
Currently, an impressive arts and exhibition center and a staple of cultural life in town, the Citadel cuts a striking figure between the historic center and the Darse port. A stone causeway connects the two bays, creating a picturesque walk where residents go for morning jogs or seaside strolls with friends.
Once a military base, the Darse is now a port de plaisance, or leisure port. Lined with private sailboats and a sprinkling of bars and restaurants, this cozy corner of Villefranche is a perfect date-night spot. Watch the sun dip below the Mediterranean on the deck of Ancora Restaurant, and after a steak and their signature polenta fries, walk across the street to catch live jazz at the Trinquette Jazz Club.
Villefranche is never short on activities.
Music is a big deal in town, as is art. Residents can enjoy open-air movie showings at the Citadel from June to September, and the venue hosts Hollywood-style musicals at the Théâtre de Verdure. Art shows, from a Brigitte Bardot exposé to a Lithuanians on the French Riviera exhibit, rotate throughout the year at the Citadel. You’ll also find classic car races, traditional festivals like the Naval Flower Battle, DJ sets and jazz concerts, and open-air plays like Don Quijote performed in the historic center.
Besides tennis and soccer clubs (for all ages), sailing and water sports figure prominently in this seaside community.
Champagne at Your French Lessons
Feeling comfortable as an American was one of my biggest takeaways during my visit.
Everywhere I went in Villefranche, from the Provençal farmers market to the Jaes Group concert at Trinquette Jazz, I bumped into travelers and expats.
At my hotel (La Régence), at the market, with the owner of Trinquette, and at points all around town, I spoke my heavily-accented French and no one batted an eyelash. As with Nice, the French are used to hearing English, and many speak it themselves. Your efforts at speaking French will not only be welcomed, they’ll be praised.
If you’d like to make instant friends and improve your French at the same time, Institut de Français is the place to be. Housed in an exquisite villa overlooking the Bay of Villefranche, the school offers courses ranging from two weeks to one month, with the opportunity to extend your lessons.
With an in-house chef who cooks up gourmet French fare for lunch, students spend the entire day at the school, practicing their French skills in the villa’s welcoming garden, which faces the Mediterranean.
The school arranges homestays in town and organizes excursions along the French Riviera. Upcoming day trips include a visit to the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer and an afternoon in the hilltop village of Eze.
Perhaps the coolest thing about the Institut was when I attended their Welcome Drinks party. The chef prepared local specialties like mini pain bagnat (a Niçoise sandwich) and pissaladière flatbread (a focaccia-style pizza), with flutes of Champagne for all the students, no less.
A Welcoming Home on the French Riviera
Depending on whether you rent or buy outright, a budget for Villefranche-sur-Mer will start at $3,000 a month, or more. Housing will be the biggest cost for residents. Two-bedroom rentals start at €1,300 ($1,406) per month, and a two-bedroom apartment to purchase goes for €449,000 ($485,800) or more.
You can find savings on French healthcare, which averages about $2,300 per year for full-time residents. The rest of the costs are standard for France; groceries run around $600 to $800 a month for a couple, and there is a wide range for eating out. I found three-course lunch specials from $28 to $40 in Villefranche and along the coast.
Electricity averages $62 per month, a cell phone plan around $22, and a cable TV bundle about $32 monthly.
If you decide to move to Villefranche-sur-Mer, consider leaving your car at home. Parking is a real challenge, and transportation to Nice and along the French Riviera is fast and efficient. The train station is about an eight-minute walk from the historic center, and there are multiple stops to catch the bus to Nice along the corniche road. Nice has an international airport within the city limits, which can be accessed by bus or tramway. There are multiple connecting flights to the U.S., and, at present, one direct flight to Newark. Several low-cost airlines also make traveling around Europe very easy and inexpensive.
The Verdict
Villefranche-sur-Mer is certainly not for everyone, pricewise, but it can be very attractive for digital nomads and retirees looking for a welcoming home on the French Riviera. For expats seeking to work remotely, it’s quite an idyllic setting, one that combines the beauty of southern France with easy access to high-speed internet and a ready-made expat community at your doorstep.
For retirees, there are several attractive paths to settle part-time or full-time in Villefranche. If the budget permits, buying an apartment or home outright is a very secure investment. Due to its sought-after location, prices have historically increased, and there will always be a high demand for properties along the sun-kissed Côte d'Azur.
Other retirees, like Lee, may prefer part-time residence in the town. Since expats are able to stay in France up to three months sans visa, spending winters in the south of France can be pretty wonderful. You’ll also have a wealth of healthcare options nearby. French healthcare is excellent and inexpensive, and you can use the system even as a short-term resident. You’ll pay the “full price” for doctor’s visits, which is currently €25.
Finally, expats with families would be better served in a larger community like Nice, which has a wealth of services for children and several international schools. While Villefranche is tailor-made for the retirement crowd, it would be a bumpier transition for school-age children to slide directly into a local French school. Nice is a welcoming spot for international families.
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