Shore Excursions · Villefranche-sur-Mer
Private Excursions from
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Three routes into the Riviera. A private Mercedes V-Class waiting at the tender pier. Back before the ship departs.
Three routes into the Riviera. A private Mercedes V-Class waiting at the tender pier. Back before the ship departs.
Villefranche-sur-Mer is one of the most frequently called ports on the Western Mediterranean cruise circuit. Ships anchor in the bay; tenders ferry guests ashore to the lower harbour. From there, the entire Riviera is within reach — if you have the right vehicle and someone who knows where to go.
We offer three private shore excursion routes from Villefranche, each designed around the specific geography of a ship day: meet time, tender schedule, shore time, and the precise moment you need to be back at the pier. Every route is a suggestion. Adjusted to your interests, your pace, and whether you'd rather spend an hour in Eze than twenty minutes.
The tender drops you in the lower harbour. We are waiting at the top of the ramp — name board, no fuss. Your day begins there.
Most Popular
The classic Riviera arc. Nice's Vieux-Port and Cours Saleya, the medieval village of Eze suspended at 427 metres, and the Principality of Monaco — all in a single day. One of the more efficient routes on the coast, which is why everyone takes it. We time Eze for mid-morning, before the cruise buses arrive. Works well if the ship departs early — we trim Monaco accordingly.
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Art & Villages
We head west from Villefranche. First stop: Cannes — the Croisette, Le Suquet, and the old harbour. Then Antibes, whose old town and Picasso Museum reward an unhurried hour. The day ends in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, a walled village that quietly accumulated serious art over the last century. Works well if the ship departs early — Saint-Paul alone is worth a shorter day.
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Inland Provence
Into the arrière-pays rather than along the coast. Grasse, the world capital of perfume, sits 330 metres above the sea — a different Riviera entirely. Gourdon is a village perché above the Gorges du Loup with a view that stops conversation. Tourrettes-sur-Loup for the descent. Recommended for those who've already done Monaco.
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Italian Border
East along the coast to Menton — the lemon capital of France, with its baroque old town and the Jardin Serre de la Madone — then across the Italian border into Liguria. Dolceacqua is a medieval village above the river Nervia, famous for its Doria castle and the painting Monet made of its bridge. Apricale sits higher still: no traffic, stone alleys, and the kind of quiet that is increasingly difficult to find. The route that most cruise excursions never reach.
View itinerary€800 per vehicle is the full price. No per-person supplements, no fuel surcharges, no waiting-time fees. We have never charged extra for a delayed tender.
We maintain a full 2026 cruise schedule for Villefranche-sur-Mer — every ship, every date, anchor times, and tender information. Useful for planning, or for confirming that your ship does indeed stop here rather than at Nice Harbour.
Per vehicle. The number of guests in your party does not change the price.
| Route | Duration | Group size | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nice · Eze · Monaco | From 5 hrs | Up to 7 | €800 |
| Cannes · Antibes · Saint-Paul | From 5 hrs | Up to 7 | €800 |
| Grasse · Gourdon · Tourrettes | From 5 hrs | Up to 7 | €800 |
| Menton · Dolceacqua · Apricale | From 5 hrs | Up to 7 | €800 |
| Custom route | Your itinerary | Up to 7 | from €800 |
Per person examples: 2 guests = €400 each · 4 guests = €200 each · 7 guests = €114 each. Entrance fees, lunch and gratuities are separate. Payment accepted by bank transfer or cash (EUR). No credit card fees.
At the top of the tender ramp on the lower harbour — Quai de l'Amiral Courbet. We are there with a name board before your tender docks. For ships that dock directly at the Nouveau Port (which occasionally happens), we agree the exact meeting point in advance.
We wait. There is no additional charge for tender delays or late arrivals — this is simply part of operating from an anchorage port. We stay in WhatsApp contact throughout and adjust the itinerary accordingly if shore time is reduced. We have never left a client on the pier.
Yes. We build return time into the itinerary from the start and plan for you to be back at the tender point at least 30–45 minutes before the last tender. If there is any doubt during the day, we trim a stop rather than cut it fine.
Nice is 6 kilometres from Villefranche — about 15 minutes by road. For a first visit, absolutely worth it: the Vieux-Port, Cours Saleya market, and the light on the Promenade des Anglais are genuinely distinctive. If you have already visited Nice, we would suggest skipping it and spending more time in Eze or Monaco. We will tell you honestly.
For a first visit to the Riviera: Nice, Eze, and Monaco covers the essential geography in one day. For those who have already done that circuit: Grasse, Gourdon, and Tourrettes is a completely different experience — inland Provence, perfumeries, and one of the most dramatic village views on the coast.
Yes. For parties of 8–14 we arrange two Mercedes V-Class vehicles following the same route. The price per vehicle works out identically. Both vehicles stay together throughout the day.
Entirely. The three routes are starting points. Tell us what interests you — and what does not — and we build from there. More time in Eze, skip Nice, add Menton on the Italian border, go directly to the Grande Corniche: all straightforward to arrange.
Three things worth reading before your ship anchors.
Three roads connect Nice to Monaco. The Grande Corniche is the one at the top. Here is what each one offers, and why the choice matters.
ReadWhy everyone goes, when to arrive, what to see, and where the view is actually from. A practical guide to one of the most-visited villages on the Riviera.
ReadThe casino, Le Rocher, and Port Hercule are the obvious stops. Here is how to see them in order, and what most cruise excursions miss entirely.
ReadSend us your ship name, date, and approximate shore time. We confirm availability, suggest the right route, and agree the meeting point. Most enquiries answered within a few hours.
