A Late Afternoon Solo Session in Villefranche-sur-Mer

A One-Day Visit from the Sea

In mid-August, T visited the French Riviera on a cruise with her grandfather. With only one day in port, she decided to make the most of her time ashore by booking a solo photo session in Villefranche-sur-Mer.

Because of the cruise schedule, the only available window was from 17:00 to 18:00. This late afternoon timing worked beautifully. It was not yet sunset, but the light had softened enough to avoid the harshness of midday. Late afternoon in August offers a warm glow without being overpowering, which is ideal for portraits.

T was an absolute joy to photograph. She was relaxed, expressive and full of energy, which made the session feel effortless from beginning to end.

Starting with the Iconic Chapel View

We began at the elevated street where you can see the chapel and rooftops framed perfectly by the curve of the bay. From this angle, Chapelle Saint-Pierre and the surrounding buildings create one of the most recognisable views in town. The late afternoon light added warmth to the pastel façades and the sea beyond.

From there, we wandered down into the Old Town, capturing portraits against the orange and yellow walls that give Villefranche-sur-Mer its distinctive Mediterranean character. The narrow streets provided texture and depth, offering a different feel from the open viewpoints above.

Woman in a colorful dress sitting on a stone wall with Villefranche-sur-Mer's historic clock tower and hillside behind her Smiling woman in a colorful floral dress poses on a narrow street in Villefranche-sur-Mer with the sea in background Woman in a vibrant dress walks down old town stone stairs in Villefranche-sur-Mer past a yellow building and lamp Smiling woman in a colorful dress walking down stone stairs in Villefranche-sur-Mer's old town during her solo session Happy woman in a colorful floral dress sits on stone steps in Villefranche-sur-Mer during her afternoon solo session

Along the Town Waterfront

Next, we walked along Quai de l’Amiral Courbet, the main waterfront promenade.

A woman in a brown polka dot dress walks on the cobbled promenade in Villefranche-sur-Mer with colorful buildings Woman in a brown polka dot dress smiling over her shoulder on the Villefranche-sur-Mer waterfront promenade Smiling woman in a brown polka dot dress walks happily on the Villefranche-sur-Mer waterfront promenade Close-up of a smiling woman in a stylish brown polka dot dress on the picturesque Villefranche-sur-Mer promenade Woman joyfully twirling in a brown polka dot dress on the picturesque Villefranche-sur-Mer waterfront promenade

We made our way towards the train station end of the bay, where there is a particularly lovely perspective back towards the town. From this spot, flowers in the foreground help frame the colourful buildings and hillside behind. It is a subtle detail, but it adds softness and dimension to the images.

A woman in a brown polka dot dress sits on a stone wall overlooking the picturesque Villefranche-sur-Mer harbor and old town

Finishing at the Panoramic Viewpoint

To close the session, we headed up to the panoramic viewpoint along Boulevard Napoléon III, and we stopped at a spot with beautiful bougainvillea on the way.

A smiling woman walks a charming Villefranche-sur-Mer street, framed by beautiful purple bougainvillea flowers A beautiful woman in a polka dot dress smiles over her shoulder on a sunlit Villefranche-sur-Mer street A happy woman in a polka dot dress smiles broadly on a charming Villefranche-sur-Mer street with flowers

This viewpoint remains one of our favourite locations for its unobstructed views over the entire bay. From here, you can see the curve of the coastline, the clustered pastel houses and the open Mediterranean stretching beyond.

A joyful woman in a polka dot dress relaxes on a stone wall with a stunning Villefranche-sur-Mer bay view A woman in a polka dot dress smiles, leaning back on a stone wall overlooking Villefranche-sur-Mer bay A woman in a polka dot dress sits on a stone wall, enjoying the panoramic view of Villefranche-sur-Mer bay

It was a relaxed and joyful shoot, made even more special by the fact that T had only a single afternoon to experience the town. The soft Riviera light and sweeping views provided the perfect setting to capture her visit.

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