Villefranche Cruise Excursion to Cannes, Grasse & beyond

From€550

8 hours

Commentary: Audio · en

Private tour

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

Villefranche-sur-Mer, 06230 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

Requirements

Information required at booking

Ship departure information
Ship arrival information
Shore excursion details

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

4.9(7,182 reviews)

Melinda Mandrik-Brown

Oct 2026

5.0

We were lucky enough to be part of Lea’s Chateau Bellevue wine tour. Her personality was delightful and the knowledge she shared elevated what we already knew to another level. The wine was wonderful, the chateau was stunning - a perfect day! Merci beaucoup Lea!

John Carty

Oct 2026

5.0

We are a group of six and availed of a full day tour of the D Day American Sector with this company. The Drivers name was Pascal an ex Police Officer who had served also in Kosovo and Afghanistan which helped us bond really well with him as we were also Veterans who had also served Military Tours in these areas and one of our Guys is a serving Police Officer. Pascal had execellent English and an immense knowledge of the 6--6-44 the events leading up to it and the aftermath of the operation, mix into this his excellent personality and wit and you get the perfect combination for a day to remember. I highly recommend this company and if all their guides are as good as Pascal you will not be disappointed.

BONNIE PEFFER

Oct 2026

5.0

Not a real history buff but our guide Pascal made it very interesting! He went the extra step to provide a very enjoyable tour. He communicated his knowledge in such a way as to educate yet entertain his audience. He provided extra visuals which made it easier to understand what took place on the D-Day beaches. The American Cemetery had an aura of reverence about it. To be there in person was very emotional. May we never forget the sacrifices that were made there!!

Additional information

If you want to share your tour with others, you can put it on Cruise Critic. Most of the time this gives good results. You must do this yourself as we are not accepted on their site as a professional business. We accept split payment transactions by credit card.