"Great roads the Romans built that men might meet And walls to keep strong men apart, secure. New centuries are gone, and in defeat. The walls are fallen but the roads endure" -Evelyn Hartwich.
As you depart Nice, travelling east, towards Italy, the landscape begins to change quite dramatically. The mountains infringe on the coast to a much greater degree, sweeping closer and creating a towering rocky skyline as the Alps tail off into the sea. The wide, flat coastal plains, like those that Nice and Cannes are built on, recede and all but disappear.
A ribbon of towns cling to this part of the French Riviera coastline, squeezed by the mountains and overlooked by the precarious perched villages that are indicative of this area. Sharing a common topography these towns have collectively come to be known as The Corniches and stretch from the rising outskirts of eastern Nice to skirt the edges of the Principality of Monaco.
The Corniches includes the seaside towns of Villefranche-sur-Mer, Eze Bord-de-Mer, St Jean-Cap Ferrat, Beaulieu and Cap d'Ail while also claiming the hill-topped villages of Eze and La Turbie. It is an area that is also sometimes known as the 'Corne d'Or (Golden Horn) or the 'Golden Triangle' and is facilitated by three famous Corniche roads.
Please use the interactive map of The Corniches to zoom in or out to see more of the coastline or more detail of The Corniches to help you choose a location for your holiday rental apartment or villa. You can also pan by dragging the map to your chosen location. This map displays all properties for rent in The Corniches and its environs.
The Corniches in numbers
Population
35,500
Villages
8
Number restaurants
170
Number bars
20
Distance airport
12-30km
There are 3 main roads that service the Corniches. The Grande Corniche, The Moyenne Corniche and the lowly Basse Corniche or 'Corniche Inferiéur'. Each road runs parallel to the next, linking the same destinations together along the coast.
Like three strings, tying this ribbon of towns to an invisible mainland. Each road was built in a different era and each one offers it's own unique drive, views and perspective on the Riviera.
The Corniches in summary
Neighbour east
Monaco
Neighbour west
Nice
Nearest city
Nice
Nearest airport
Nice Cote d'Azur
Situation
Coastal
Stretching over a distance of nearly 20km the Corniches take in the mountain top perched village, synonymous with this part of France, and also the seaside coastal villages that cling to their narrow fringes of beaches and were once fishing .
villages or Ports for their mountaintop counterparts. The perched villages provided the lookout and the security in times of raids while the coastal settlements fished and farmed wherever possible.
Renting vacation property in the Corniches
Along the Corniches you have many villages to choose from, browse the other areas under the Corniches section to find out more about them or if you'd like to start looking through our holiday apartments and vacation villas that are available in the Corniches then simply use the search facility below and it will take you to all our listings, from luxury apartments to vacation villas and five star holiday homes.
This charming 4 bedroom house is the perfect home from home for your holiday in Villefranche Sur Mer. Ideally located with everything on your doorstep, 500m from the town beach, the old town port and all the romantic quayside restaurants.
Stunning villa in the hills above Eze with stylish, modern design and panoramic sea views.The villa sleeps up to 8 guests, features an infinity pool, bathing and dining terraces, outdoor kitchen, double garage, security system, air-conditioning & WiFi.
A peaceful, modern, ground floor two bedroom apartment set in a private and secure residence with manicured gardens and a breathtaking view over the Rade de Villefranche and St Jean Cap Ferrat. Tranquil, convenient, relaxed and spacious with free parking.
"Villefranche Sur Mer is SO beautiful, the view we saw over the bay was the same view as we had on the cover of our guide book, nothing prepared me for how utterly beautiful it was in reality.
We spent the day exploring the old town and meeting many neighborhood cats and dogs, visiting churches and dropping in here and there for cool drinks and glasses of Rosé. Superb."
"Villefranche is a coastal village and the old town sits right on the edge of the water. One of the things that makes Villefranche so special and so popular as a holiday destination is it's gradient. The mountains rise sharply up away from the sea front which affords most of the villas, houses and apartments in Villefranche fantastic sea views but it does mean that it is spread over quite a distance.
The commune of Villefranche spans all the way up to the Col de Villefranche and drops all the way down to the waters edge, so you have to make sure that you have got your bearings when you are booking a holiday rental or driving there on the correct road.
Villefranche village is on the Basse Corniche, or the coast road but even then the Old town is a further drop again down to the waters edge. The access road is narrow and twisty but there is parking along the beach and opposite the Port.
The Moyenne Corniche is the middle road and it cuts through the centre of the mountain. It is the fastest route from Nice to Villefranche and onwards to Eze village and Monaco. It's a busy main route for locals keen to stay out of the way of day trippers and sight-seers but that doesn't mean it is by any means a disagreeable or ugly route. It still has some of the best views on the Riviera and just means easier access to your holiday rental in Villefranche.
The Grand Corniche is by far the quietest route. It runs along the top and behind the summit of the mountains tha surround Villefranche. It is a wonderful route to take in the stunning views and to get an idea of the geography of the French Riviera coastline. It is the next best thing to being in the air and the photos you can take are next to aerial in aspect.
So when you are booking your holiday rental check which part of Villefranche it is in. Wherever it is you can be certain of stunning views. "
"We arrived in Villefranche from a Cruise and were so taken by it we jumped ship! Thanks for the great waterfront apartment and the lovely time we spent on the Rivera! You guys rock!"
"Driving in the South of France is one of my favourite things to do. Actually anywhere in France, from the point of view of how easy it is to get around but the views along the Riviera! They are just stunning. It's almost dangerous because you can hardly keep your eyes on the road.
The Basse Corniche out of Nice, towards Italy is one of the most beautiful drives. It's right by the sea and follows the shape of the coast and slices right through the mountains, through tunnels hacked out of the sheer rock face. Wow!
You hit Villefranche first, out of Nice. It runs along the top of the town so it's worth taking a little detour and dropping down into the port/seafront/beach/Citadel area. Amazing. There are two other roads that follow the same route but they are higher up the mountains, equally stunning. Just bring a chauffeur or keep your eyes on the road."
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Bedrooms: 5
