Sea view apartment with garage & pool in Villefranche – Cactus Roc

Description

A well-proportioned, one bedroom apartment (44,94m2) boasting stunning sea views, with own garage and cave, within the secure residence Cactus Roc with large swimming pool, situated on quiet street with no through traffic. Requires refurbishment.

The ancient fishing village of Villefranche sur Mer is considered to be a jewel in the crown of the French Riviera, with its famous horseshoe-shaped bay, the 16th century old town by the sea and its clean, pretty beaches. Situated between Nice and Monaco, Villefranche has a more reserved, classy feel than the seasonal party towns of the Riviera such as St Tropez, and is a living community all year-round. The official commune of Villefranche is spread over three levels; the main village situated between the Basse Corniche and the sea, Col de Villefranche, set back on the Moyenne Corniche with its views across the bay, and St Michel, a small community set high up on the Grand Corniche.

This fabulous apartment faces out across the bay, with uninterrupted views across the azur blue waters to the famous peninsular of Cap Ferrat and out to sea. The huge private terrace (nearly 50m2) has direct sunlight all day – as does the apartment’s main living space – and the view can be enjoyed from every part. The Cactus Roc building is a quiet, popular, gated complex, with secure access from the quiet dead-end street. Set back from the town but within easy walking distance of the beaches and shops, the apartment is undisturbed by the noise of the busy village below, with only the sound of birdsong to accompany an evening’s relaxation watching the sun set over the sea.
The full width French doors allow light to flood the apartment all day, with the usual extendable blind to keep things cooler in high season. The main living space of 22m2 faces the full, uninterrupted view out to sea, and has plenty of space for dining and relaxing, with good, high ceilings and a spacious, open feel. From the main room a door leads to the kitchen, which is of good size, and has a floor to ceiling double width sliding window (from which you can also see the sea) making the room feel light and airy despite its size. The kitchen is of good enough size for the preparation of family meals and full-time living.

A corridor at the rear of the main room leads to the master bedroom and bathroom (effectively making an en-suite but also allowing guest access without compromising privacy). The double bedroom benefits from a floor to ceiling French window, giving a little view of the sea from the bed, and has a built-in wardrobe.

The bathroom is of very good size, with a full size bath/shower, WC and with space for a washing machine/drying room. There is also good storage space in the corridor.

It should be possible to combine the kitchen and living room to make a larger area, as the walls are not apparently weight bearing. The apartment in general lends itself well to many different configurations in terms of remodelling, including the possible addition of a second bedroom (by reducing the bathroom size and relocating the kitchen). Whilst we agree that these alterations would improve the accommodation, we would advise taking the advice of an architect or similar specialist.

The apartment boasts its own secure, private garage, and a ‘cave’ or cellar for storage. The pool is very close to the apartment (you can see it from the kitchen and bedroom windows) and is large, well-kept and secure, with a beautiful view out to sea.

There is a second, smaller (31m2) 1 bedroom apartment available for sale in the adjacent residence (2 minutes walk) either together with this apartment or purchasable separately, for use as a guest apartment or separate dwelling. Please click here for the full listing.

Villefranche is perfectly situated less than 15 minutes from the centre of Nice, with Nice airport around a 30 minute drive, with direct flights to all major international airports. The journey to Monaco takes less than 30 minutes, and both Nice and Monaco can easily be reached by bus, with regular services running all day and plenty of bus stops nearby. There is a train station in Villefranche, with trains to Monaco/Italy in one direction, and Nice-Cannes and onwards in the other. The Italian border is reachable in less than 45 minutes.

Villefranche itself has many restaurants, close to the apartment, in the main village, as well as a host of excellent eateries at the water’s edge – both around 15 minutes by foot. There are fabulous walks in the area, either high up on the top of the hill or down at the water’s edge, and for those who like nothing better than a day at the beach, Villefranche has two – the sandy Plage des Marnieres with its beautiful swimming and charming beach cafes, and the pebbled – but less busy – Plage de la Darse, with its view across the water to Cap Ferrat.