Villefranche Cruise Excursion to Cannes, Grasse & beyond

8 hours

Max 8 people

Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

About this activity

Explore the History and Culture of France's Mediterranean Coastline on this private full day shore excursion from Villefranche Sur Mer. Visit Glamorous Cannes, then the hilltop villages of Grasse, Gourdon and Saint Paul de Vence.

Highlights

A wonderful day in the French Riviera Hinterland
Discover stunning landscapes & breathtaking hilltop villages
Reach the village of Saint Paul de Vence
Visit Grasse, the French Capital of Perfumes

Full description

Meet your English speaking local tour guide :

Today, on this small group private tour, we will come and pick you up at your cruise port in Villefranche sur Mer. Meet your English speaking driver tour guide who will go over the itinerary and program of this private shore excursion with you. Then board your premium air-conditioned vehicle and begin to make your way to the French Riviera Hinterland.

Program & Itinerary :

- Pick up at your Cruise Ship in Villefranche-sur-Mer

- Panoramic tour of Cannes

- Visit the town of Grasse including a perfume factory

- Visit the village of Gourdon including a Traditional Confectionery

- End the day in Charming Saint Paul de Vence

- Return to Ship in Villefranche sur Mer

Begin the day with Cannes

Enjoy a panoramic tour in the world famous town of Cannes. Embellished by palm trees and fine sandy beaches, the town is famous for its cafés and terraces, elegant shops and deluxe hotels. Here, you will discover the Cannes film festival Palace and conference center where the red carpet unrolls for celebrities. The town is without a doubt one of the most glamorous of the Côte d'Azur with Monaco and Monte Carlo.

Visit Grasse, the French Capital of Perfumes

To the North of Cannes, we will start to climb on the lower slopes of a high limestone plateau to reach Grasse, a charming small town that has been associated with perfumery since the 16th century. Today, the town is still home to more than 30 makers and of course you will have the opportunity to visit one of the most famous perfume factories of the region.

The view from the town over the sea is stunning and can be considered as one of the highlights of your day trip. Many coin this view as being the balcony of the French Riviera. The town is also home to a number of private mansions that date back to 17th and 18th centuries. The many ochre façades of the buildings give Grasse a very Italian feel to the charming location.

Visit the hilltop village of Gourdon

Then continue your full day tour to the village of Gourdon, nicknamed the Eagle's Nest, that sits on the edge of a Rocky Spur above the River Loup. The village is dotted with tiny shops but is also home to one of the most famous Candy making Factories named Florian.

The village is also home to a 12th century Chateau that was erected on top of a Saracen fotress. After some time in the village, we will drive along the Loup River through the countryside to discover some places that are a heaven of quietness.

Reach the village of Saint Paul de Vence

After the village of Gourdon, it will be time to make our way to medieval Saint Paul de Vence, sheltered behind its ramparts and filled with art galleries, boutiques and sidewalk cafes. The village of St-Paul dates back to the 11th century and traces of its history still remain much to the delight of its visitors.

It is a village well known for its artistic heritage, the beautiful landscapes surrounding St Paul de vence having inspired many an artist and an enclave of art galleries and museums can be found around the quaint cobbled streets.

Here, you will have the opportunity to visit the Maeght Foundation. It is Saint Paul's most renowned Art museum. It features works from famous artists that settled at some point in the Côte d'Azur region. Braque, Kandinsky, Chagall or Miro are just a few of them.

Return to your cruise ship after the visit and this will be the end of our services.

Included / Excluded

Pick up and drop off at Cruise Ship in Villefranche-sur-Mer (Nice)
Visit Cannes
Visit Gourdon Village & Grasse
English speaking driver or driver/guide
Transport in Premium A/C vehicle

Entrance fees to monuments, museums
Meals and drinks
Personal insurance and expenses
Gratuities for the guide

Meeting point

Start Location

Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

Important information

Know before you book

Prices are per group from 2 to 8 persons - Larger groups, contact us
This product is on request.
Tour can be fully customized to suit your interests
This tour is not recommended for persons with reduced mobility.
Tour is not wheelchair accessible

Know before you go

Pick up at Cruise Ship in Villefranche-sur-Mer
Private tour, personalized experiences
Currency is in Euros
Tickets to Maeght foundation can be purchased during booking

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the activity starts

Up to 48 hours before the beginning of the activity: full refund Less than 48 hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: no refund

Reviews

4.8(3,342 reviews)

GetYourGuide traveler

May 2026

5.0

We had a very fun day with Matt to Mont Saint-Mitchel. Matt is an excellent tour guide & he cared for his clients very much. He's an on time person. We learned a lot about the history of Saint-Mitchel via Matt. He made sure we have enough time browsing this beautiful UNESCO. We definitely recommend friends & family this tour. Thank you Matt

GetYourGuide traveler

May 2026

5.0

Pascal was, above all, a smiling whirlwind of energy from the very start — bursting with knowledge, passion, and just the right amount of dramatic flair. He painted the horror of the Omaha Beach invasion so vividly that we could practically hear the chaos, then marched us through the bunkers at Pointe du Hoc like we were on a mission ourselves. And before we even caught our breath, he had already catapulted us back to Bayeux at invasion speed. A legend in tour‑guide form. Thanks from Croatian Team😉

Lindsay A

May 2026

5.0

Our Normandy D-Day tour was well worth it and we so enjoyed our tour guide Matt. He made the tour engaging, entertaining and informative. The tour was just the right size and a half day was perfect for us. It would have been much harder to get around to the sites and understand each without the information that Matt was constantly sharing. There was hardly a time that Matt was not telling us what/how/when of what we were looking at. Thanks Matt!

Additional information

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