Hello, I am a member of the association for the protection of the maritime heritage of Villefranche and it is my pleasure to help you to discover its royal harbor called La Darse. This area, slightly away from the old town, is a historical one. Although it has been frequented since Greco-Latin antiquity, the port has mainly been developed since the 16th century. It was Emmanuel-Philibert, Duke of Savoy, who decided to build a military basin to shelter a few naval ships called galleys. Since the 18th century, La Darse became a Royal harbor. Why royal?  Because in 1720, Victor Amédée II, already Duke of Savoy, also became King of Sardinia. This new overseas territory gave him the opportunity to renovate and expand a port worthy of his new status.The port complex still includes many constructions and buildings of this period. You will discover: a former rope factory, a naval hospital, an old arsenal and its forge. The heart of this complex, still in operation, is a refitting basin, originally built for the construction of galleys specifically. Among the buildings that have disappeared was an important barracks, destructed in 1942 for safety reasons. You will walk along eight vaults, five of them extended by underground galleries, which were then used as shops and workshops. In the late 1950s, a modernist garden-terrace, known as the Beaudouin Garden, was built on the barrack’s emplacement by a well-known architect Eugene Beaudouin and his wife.It is the succession of these various installations, progressively carried out between the 16th and 20th century, that provide the current appearance of the royal harbor. La Darse, which has recently been managed directly by the Department, and remains a «hive» of activity. You will discover that it has preserved its historical character while continuing with its artisanal, nautical and scientific activities. Your tour will be marked by a dozen of explanatory panels, developed by the Department’s Heritage Service, in association with the ASPMV. Please take the time to read them. By activating the QR Code you can discover additional details about each building. At each step, don’t forget to look at the illustrations on your screenTo complete the Tour there are two possibilities. (1) Park your car near the Citadel and walk behind the rear of it until the starting point: the public garden of the D’arse at the entrance of the harbour.  (2) Park in Parking Wilson and follow the path at the foot of the Citadel which runs directly along the sea until you reach the public gardens. Before you start, we need to inform you that this tour includes stairs and restricted access areas. Business activities around the dry dock are a priority and may require a detour. The tour lasts about an hour and a half. Do not hesitate to pause if you need time to go from one stage to another. The story continues on our website. Enjoy your Tour!