Le Port de la Darse – Villefranche-sur-Mer

A slower pace of life on the water’s edge
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Le Port de la Darse in Villefranche – a different pace of life

Posted by Dan Norris on 24 March 2024
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Villefranche sur Mer is one of the prettiest towns on the French Riviera, with its picture-perfect, horseshoe-shaped bay – known as La Rade de Villefranche – and a beautiful 16th century, cobbled vieille ville (old town). Known for its generally more understated visitors it is perhaps on the opposite end of the scale to the more ritzy destinations such as St Tropez and Monaco, with a more down-to-earth feel in season. Out of season, much of the smaller coastal towns and villages pretty well close up, but in Villefranche there’s always a selection of good places to eat and drink, and enough life to make winter visitors feel welcome.

Port de la Darse Villefranche-sur-Mer

Alongside the ancient môle, pleasure craft bob gently in their moorings

But there’s also a lesser known part of Villefanche, one that is no less typical of the region, but far enough away from the quays at the water’s edge in the old town to be missed by many of the day visitors – Le Port de La Darse. Set around the town’s main harbour, the handsome but understated buildings mostly belong to the Observatoire Oceanologique de Villefranche, housing two research/teaching laboratories co-administered by Sorbonne University (SU) (Université Pierre et Marie Curie) and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Founded in 1882 by a Hermann Fol, a marine biologist and friend of Charles Darwin, the observatory still specialises in research on the huge variety of marine life found in the bay of Villefranche, making it one of the leading marine research facilities in the world. Alongside these subtly elegant facades sits a higgldy piggldy set of ship chandlers and ateliers, housed in Napoleonic, vaulted workshops, made strangely famous by the slightly odd 1983 James Bond outing, Never Say Never Again. Peep through the high barn doors to these little workshops, and you’ll see a fascinating glimpse of semi-frescoed intricate brick vaulted ceilings, with their original pillars and sculpted arches – often with a few battered boats being patched up for their next outing.

“Little pleasure craft and traditional coloured wooden ‘pointu’ fishing boats live permanently moored in the port…”

Hotel de la Darse Villefranche-sur-Mer

Difficult to walk past without at least stopping for an apero – the terraces of Hôtel de la Darse

At the entrance to La Darse is the handsome Hotel de la Darse, a 2 star, simple but attractive place to stay, perfectly situated away from the hustle and bustle of the old town, but with no less a view across the bay to the gentle green slopes of Saint-Jean Cap Ferrat on the other side. The hotel has a restaurant, La Stoa, with a charming veranda – serving fresh, original food with a little twist of originality, such as artichoke hearts perfumed with sage, and grilled octopus with citrus jam – and diners sit and watch the gentle pace of this sleepy port as it passes just beneath them. On a warm summer’s evening you’ll struggle to walk by this idyllic scene without stopping for at least an aperitif.

Just opposite the Hotel de la Darse is a funky 50s style structure that used to be a sailing club, perched on the edge of the jetty with a view over the little pleasure craft and traditional colourful wooden pointu fishing boats that live permanently moored in the port. The Ancora has a large, open dining hall, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a pleasant ambience, with a menu offering local specialities, good quality fish and seafood and a good choice of meat and pasta dishes.
Further along, towards the entrance to the dry dock and port authority offices, is a lovely little restaurant called La Corderie (literally the ropemaker’s). Popular for its outside tables scattered beneath beautiful plane trees, the dining area comes into its own in the summer months, with the centennial trees providing welcome shade from the midday sun, bathing diners in a romantic dappled light, giving the restaurant an intimate, relaxing atmosphere. There’s salads and pizza, grilled seabass, dill cured salmon focaccia with cream of chives, bouillabaisse, steak, beef tartare or homemade cod aïoli – all at sensible prices, which explains why this slightly out-of-the-way eatery is so popular with the local French families that frequent La Corderie, particularly at weekends.

Restaurant Ancora Villefranche-sur-Mer

A dining room at the edge of the port

If you’d prefer a light snack, there’s an outdoor kiosk style café restaurant named La Ballene Joyeuse – but don’t be put off – this busy little place is incredibly popular with locals, who sit there gossiping, munching on their omelettes, salads and pasta and sipping their expressos when most of the other restaurants have already closed their kitchens.

For those who enjoy something a little different, the restaurant La Trinquet, next door to the Hotel de la Darse, has obviously set out to create a more jazz infused mood, with regular live music, and a New York jazz feel to the décor, adding a little touch of sophisticated glamour to this little corner of the port.

Those who enjoy gentle strolls will enjoy the walk along the port’s mole, to the lighthouse at the far end, and you can admire the variety of small and medium sized sailing boats and cabin cruisers, with the occasional super yacht moored alongside – walking along the top of the ancient wall you’re treated from views on both sides. The little community in this port feels close, with locals often dining on board their moored boats, sometimes exchanging drinks and gossip with their friends alongside. The view from the seaward side of the mole is out towards the mouth of the bay of Villefranche, with Cap Ferrat rising from the water like a crocodile, and the horizon beyond.

Port de la Darse Villefranche-sur-Mer

The cobbled walkways behind the marine observatory

The Darse port dates from the 17th century, built to house the galleys belonging to the Duke of Savoy, and much of the original structure remains, the stone, obviously hewn from local quarries, matching the tone of the surrounding hills. The dry dock still exists – perhaps now seeing more super yachts than galleons – and this, together with the ship chandlers and ateliers dotted around gives La Darse the feel of a genteel but functioning pleasure port, the pace of life largely unchanged for decades, and its great to just sit and watch as the locals potter about, unphased by the odd tourist or beach visitor.

If you’re tired of the noise and bustle of the big beaches further round the bay, then you might like to visit the beach at the Darse. The entrance is towards the (dead) end of the port area, past the port authority office, just before the barrier to the gated apartment blocks, or alternatively through the port past the dry dock, so it’s a reasonably well kept secret (it will still get busy in peak months). It’s a pebble beach rather than sand, and its not very big, but hidden away there behind the observatory, it offers a pleasant alternative to the overpopulated sandy competition, and its slightly more shielded from the wind.

“Sit and admire the raw beauty of the clear waters in peace, with just the occasional passerby…”

Port de la Darse Villefranche-sur-Mer

The cobbled Sentier des Douanes links the Darse to the Old Town running along the water’s edge

To head back towards the Old Town from Le Port de La Darse, you can follow our favourite pathway. Walking past the Anchora restaurant to your right, a little further on at sea level and you’ll see the entrance to a footpath that runs along the base of the giant Citadelle. This little cobbled walkway takes you round to the main town almost at sea level, and the water splashes and foams around the rocks beneath your feet. There are little stone benches every so often, and you can sit and admire the raw beauty of the clear waters in peace, with just the occasional passer-by.

The Port de la Darse has a wonderful balance between form and function, with enough locals to feel authentic, and enough amusement to appeal to visitors too. If you tire of the Riviera’s tourists, and you’re looking for somewhere more down to earth, where the pace is slower and the beauty less forced, this is the perfect place.

Port de la Darse Villefranche-sur-Mer

Once filled with galleons and fighting ships, life is a little more peaceful nowadays

Port de la Darse Villefranche-sur-Mer

Pre-Napoleonic semi-frescoed vaulted brick ceilings

Port de la Darse Villefranche-sur-Mer

The little ateliers and ship repair artisans give the port an authentic, living feel

Port de la Darse Villefranche-sur-Mer

A stroll along the môle with views across the port and the bay

Port de la Darse Villefranche-sur-Mer

One of the prettiest pleasure ports on the Riviera – Le Port de la Darse

La Corderie Port de la Darse Villefranche-sur-Mer

La Corderie – relax with good food and a perfect ambiance…

Restaurant Ancora Port de la Darse Villefranche-sur-Mer

Ancora has the best views

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