Today we are in Villefranche, France, our final and most beautiful port before docking in Barcelona on Saturday for the trip home.
Ville franche has an abousolutely beautiful coastline, we just loved it. It’s the gateway to Monaco, Monte Carlo and Nice. It’s also our second tender port as you will see in the pictures below, and it was beautiful to see the Magic at anchor in the bay from shore.
Legend says that Hercules opened his arms and Villefranche was born. This lovely seaside village is much more laid-back that other Cote d’Azur resort towns, sitting on a big lue bay that looks like a gigantic bowl. Villefranche-sur-mer is an old town that dates back to the 14 century, voking a romantic, historic feel.
Once popular with such writers as Katherine Mansfield and Aldous Huxley, its still heaven for artists, many of whom take over the little houses, reached b narrow alleyways, which climb the hillide.
This port puts you at the very doorstep of Monaco, Cannes and Nice, where you can savor the elegance and opulent lifestyle of those who call the French Riviera home.
From the traditional “pointu” fishing boats that ply the waters off this Mediterranean coast, to countless treasures of antiquity, to the electric pace and vibrations of the grand casino, here you’ll discover why this idyllic port is so popular. Enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of this extraordinary resort, and create your own fame.
Perfume has always been a big part of the French culture. That’s why my mom and I took an excursion to the Fragonard perfume factory. There, we got to create our own perfume. It was really cool because we learned about how the “noses” create their own formula so they know how many milliliters of rose oil and how much base perfume to put in. Noses are the people why create the perfume. They have to go to school for about 7-10 years. There are only two schools in the world; one in Paris, France, and the other in Grasse, France. They have to be able to name 500 different smells every day. Noses live a very strict life, but they do get paid very well. For example, they are not allowed to smoke or consume alcohol. Once my perfume was done, I smelt it and let’s just say that it smelt like Pinsol. I will probably use it on my curtains or my pillow cases in my room. When everyone was done with their perfumes, we went over to their laboratory to see where they make the soaps, lotions, and perfumes. After, we went to the store where we had an opportunity to smell the different perfumes they make and purchase them. They all smelt so amazing! Finally, we took the bus over to small village to go shopping and try some of the local food. I know you’re asking: How do they determine what’s a village, town, or city? Well, since you asked, a village is a population of 3,000 people or less. This was sadly the last port of the cruise. We are now on our way back to Barcelona, Spain to make our way back home. Home sweet home! It was definitely an amazing cruise and we had an amazing time. Until my next trip, thanks for sightseeing with Sarah!
