A gem in Villefranche
Review Submitted: May 27, 2011
Date of Stay: March 2011
My wife and I and our 8 month old little man stayed in Mattie's apartment for 8 days in March this year. After a wretched winter in London where first the snow ruined our Xmas travel plans and then the sun didn't come out for three months, we were rewarded with the most spectacular Spring weather in what has to be one of the most beautiful spots in Europe. The apartment was everything we hoped for and previous reviews had promised. Mattie's friend Sue met us on our arrival, let us in, arranged a travel cot and gave us all the tips that only a local can give. The apartment is sunny, spacious (could easily accommodate six adults in the three bedrooms and two bathrooms), equipped with everything you could possibly want (e.g. fully kitted out kitchen, reliable and fast broadband, hair dryer, ironing board, washer/dryer) and blessed with a balcony which has an uninterrupted view of the bay. We knew that it was up three flights of stairs with no elevator, but we wanted to take it because it looked so good, and honestly this proved to be a non-issue: one of us carrying the baby and the other the pram.
If you want to take advantage of the self-catering facilities, there is a well-stocked Spar supermarket about a 5 minute walk away, up the hill, together with a bakery selling croissants and fresh bread every morning. For dinners, we followed Sue's advice and enjoyed a succession of fantastic and inexpensive meals at Cosmo and the place next door. The staff were extremely friendly and we were delighted to discover that it is perfectly normal to take a baby into restaurants: he had his bottle and promptly fell asleep each time.
Five minutes from the apartment is a beach which looked good by Mediterranean standards, although we didn't venture on to it.
Because there was another family arriving, we had to move out on our final night and stayed at the Wellcome hotel. This was the same price as Mattie's place for the night but there was no contest in terms of value and convenience.
Villefranche is stunning in its own right but also a great base for exploring the surrounding areas and the Cote d'Azur more generally. We did some beautiful morning and afternoon walks to Beaulieu and Cap Ferrat, while for day trips we took the bus to Monaco (30 mins) and Nice (10 mins) for 1 Euro (seriously!) and caught the train down to Cannes one Sunday.
Thanks again, Mattie and Sue. We will definitely be back!
Recommended for:
Age 55+,
Girls Getaway,
Tourists without a Car,
Sightseeing,
Families with Teenagers,
Families with Young Children,
Romantic Getaway
Owner's Response: I still get such pleasure from feedback like this and knowing that my guests have enjoyed their holiday and my apartment. So come and see for yourselves and don't forget that 'out of season' can be also special! See you in 2012!
Mattie x
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