Le Petit Bijou (the Little Jewel)
1-Bedroom 1-Bath Apartment in
Old Town Villefranche sur Mer

• €775 – 1150/wk  (see all property prices)
• Newly remodeled apartment in historic 13th–18th century building
• Private balcony, views of the bay, beach, Corniche cliffs, Cap Ferrat
• Fully equipped modern kitchen & bathroom with washer/dryer
• Wireless DSL, satellite TV, and air conditioning
• Perfect location in a charming quiet corner of the old village
• Within walking distance to everything

  Click here to download a brochure (PDF file) of this property.

Apartment Setting

This apartment’s location is truly a jewel, hence “Le Petit Bijou.” Your eyes are constantly drawn out to sea and the scene on the bay. In the morning, you are greeted by sparkling bright light and the sounds and sights of the village waking up, playing or working on this very beautiful and special waterfront. In the evening, the dancing lights on the water and the surf’s gentle sounds sweep you into an elegant and romantic mood.

And the furnishings and design of the apartment are all done with this in mind — to relax, enjoy, recover and renew. The art featured in the apartment is from one of Villefranche’s finest painters and includes wonderful scenes of Villefranche. There are antiques from brocante markets and my secret stashes. The floor is a fabulous tile that was popular over 100 years ago — called the Spanish Tapis. Basically it is a tile rug within the tile floor — made popular in the Mediterranean by the Spanish over 100 years ago. The sofa is so comfortable it doesn’t just invite you, but pulls you into taking a nap because the view from sitting or laying on the sofa is so fabulous, and the sounds of the water and rocking boats is so peaceful. This is truly a couples’ romantic escape.

The Place Du Conseil

The street entrance to this historic Provençal building is on the Place du Conseil, an intimate village square complete with lion fountain and sitting bench at the end of one of the pedestrian streets of the old town where local villagers pause to chat or fill up their water jugs from the fountain. The front of the apartment — the balcony, living, dining areas, kitchen and bathroom, overlooks the waterfront and opens to your panoramic view of the bay, beach, Corniche cliffs, and Cap Ferrat. The back of the apartment — the bedroom — looks out onto the intimate little square with the lion fountain. At night, if you like to sleep with the windows open, you’ll enjoy the sounds of the fountain and of the sea lapping the shores, lulling you into a peaceful sleep.

A favorite Place in the old town, the Place du Conseil is quintessentially charming and French. The old folks often gather here for their morning chats and to enjoy drinking the fresh spring water from the lion fountain. The neighbors all know each other and exchange their morning greetings with lovely sing-song “bonjours,” as they open their shuttered windows to greet the day. From the Place du Conseil it’s a short walk along a pleasant lane to the beach and nearby restaurants.

Building History

This building, like all of the old town, has a long and fascinating history. The bottom level dates back 700 years and was one of the olive mills for the old town. One of the gates of this formerly fortified town was right at the corner of this building. For hundreds of years, the town defended itself against attacks here. That gate is gone now, and in its place is the little walking lane that leads to the beach, a wonderful place for a morning walk with a stop at one of the beach cafés.

Over time additional levels were added, all constructed with very thick stone walls. Now the majority of the building is over 300 years old. Close to conveniences — restaurants, shops, boulangeries, pharmacies, boucheries, traitteurs, grocery stores, the train station, bus stop and beach – it is nestled in a very quiet and private spot in the village.

Living, Dining, & Modern Kitchen

The main room offers living dining and kitchen areas that are expanded by the two sets of French doors, one on each end of the room, that open onto the balcony. The living room seats six comfortably and includes a sofa that opens to provide a bed for your visitors. There is also a comfortable reading chair and ottoman. The lighting is exquisite — very artistic and all on dimmers. It is complimented by good reading light. There is a small built-in office where you can set up your laptop and use the wireless DSL plus the phone line. In addition there is satellite SKY TV, a DVD player and stereo. The dining table, which can seat four, has two comfortable, cushioned arm chairs. Two additional arm chairs and cushions can be added from the balcony to accommodate 4 people. The cozy kitchen is fully equipped and designed for someone who loves to cook. It has a gas stove, oven, dishwasher, deep sink, and equipped with excellent pots, pans and acoutrements for cooking. Dishware is for 6, plus a nice variety of serving dishes, champagne bucket, wine and champagne glasses. We have tried to think of everything you could want to enjoy cooking and entertaining while “at home on the Riviera.” And if we forgot anything, just let us know and we will do our best to provide it.

Bedroom & Bathroom

Comfortably furnished with a very high quality, new queen-sized bed, bedside tables with halogen reading lights on both sides of the bed, and a large built-in closet. The lovely French window with an ornate grill and beautiful wooden shutters opens onto the charming Place du Conseil. The bathroom has a lovely soaking bathtub with shower, a sink, large mirrored vanity with lots of storage, a lovely large marble counter top, a “loo with a view” (a toilet with probably one of the best views in the world), overlooking the sea, beach and pedestrian scene along the quai. A clothes washer/dryer is also in the bathroom.

Balcony

There is a dining table with two comfortable arm chairs and cushions that invite you to enjoy the balcony. There are two folding stools you can rest your feet on or use to accommodate additional guests.

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