Free Village on the Sea … Monaco is a sovereign country, all be it very small at roughly ¾ of a square mile. Take a few steps to the East and you’re in Italy. A couple of miles to the West and you’ll be in Villafranche Sur Mer. It’s a very short bus/car ride from Monaco, but the best way to travel there is by boat. The leading theory on where France got its name is from the Latin (think Romans) term for “free”. When the Roman’s conquered what was then known as Gaul or most of today’s Western Europe, a major barbarian tribe allied with the Romans and as a result were exempt from paying Roman taxes. Franc, meaning free in Latin became the label for the people and subsequently their land. Villafranche Sur Mer was given rights as a free port back in the 13th Century by its ruler at the time and so the name. The depth of the bay around which the village is built makes this a favorite port for large ships and was the home of the US 6th Fleet from the end of WWII until 1966 when Charles de Gaulle told the US military “Au revoir” in 1966. It is now the favorite French port of call for Cruise ships. The village itself has streets bounded by 12th and 13th century buildings fronted by a wonderful sandy beach. It could be an easy (relaxing) day trip; strolling, lounging, shopping, dining, swimming. For you hardy walkers out there, Old Town Nice is just a couple of beautiful kilometers away…or maybe you can save that for the next day.
Steve Johnson
President, SNMC
