Page 526 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

36 of the harbour. The vaulted Within the ramparts of the
Old Town, which retains its
14th­century rue Obscure has
Villefranche-sur-Mer always provided shelter from 13th­ to 14th­century town
bombardment, right up to gates, is place du Peyra, once
! G6 ⌂ Alpes-Maritimes World War II. a Roman forum. Its fountain,
£ @ n Jardin François
Binon; www.tourisme- Chapelle de St-Pierre built in 1822, still provides
villefranche-sur-mer.com fresh water.
" ⌂ 1 ave Sadi Carnot § 04 Found on the edge of town,
and worth seeking out, the
One of the most perfectly
93 76 90 70 # 9:30am–6pm
EXPERIENCE Provence and the Côte d’Azur natural sheltered amphi­ 37 in gratitude to the nuns who
Chapelle du Rosaire was built
situated towns on the coast,
Wed–Sun ¢ mid-Nov–mid-
Villefranche lies at the foot
between 1947 and 1951. It was
Dec, 25 Dec
decorated by Henri Matisse,
of a group of hills forming a
nursed him during an illness.
theatre. The town overlooks
On its white walls, biblical
a beautiful natural har bour,
Vence
scenes are reduced to simple
which is deep enough to be
black lines tinted by splashes
a naval port of call.
! G6 ⌂ Alpes-Maritimes
of coloured light filtering
The bright and animated
@ n Place du Grand Jardin;
through the blue and yellow
waterfront is lined by Italian­
www.vence-tourisme.fr
ate façades, with cafés and
stained­glass windows.
bars that are perfect places to
The gentle climate enjoyed by
Chapelle du Rosaire
this historic market town has
sit and watch the fishermen.
Here, too, is the Chapelle de
Matisse # Hours vary,
tion and today it is surrounded
St-Pierre, which, after years
by holiday villas. It was an
check website ∑ chapelle
of service storing fishing nets,
matisse.com
was restored in 1957 and
important religious centre
decora ted by Jean Cocteau. always been its main attrac­ "= ⌂ 466 ave Henri
during the Middle Ages. The
His fres coes here depict non­ Cathédral was restored by Within the ramparts
religious images and the life the most famous of Vence’s
of St Peter. bishops, Antoine Godeau. A of the Old Town,
The 16th­century Citadelle 5th­century Roman sarcoph­ which still retains its
St­Elme is also worth a visit. It agus serves as its altar and 13th- to 14th-century
incorporates three museums, there are Carolingian wall town gates, is place
a congress room, an exhibition carvings. Note, too, the fine
room and a garden. 15th­century carved choir du Peyra, once a
Behind the harbour, the stalls and Godeau’s tomb. Roman forum.
streets are narrow, winding
and frequently stepped, and
walking through them you will
be treated to the odd glimpse

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