Villefranche-sur-Mer is a small town in France with big surprises!
The water is so clear and beautiful and the train station is right on the water! It is a short walk through town and the heart of town is almost all pedestrian-only.
We were there during the Combat Naval Fleuri – a part of the Carnaval celebrations. Carnaval is France’s version of Mardi Gras and events leading up to Lent and then Easter.
The start of the Combat Naval Fleuri is a parade down to the water and then a naval battle ensues. What is the battle? It is a battle of flowers! Boats for each neighborhood are decorated in flowers and they throw flowers to the crowd and then the crowd throws them back. It is a flower battle! In the end, everyone collects flowers and takes them home tucked into backpacks, jacket pockets, hats and more. The most common flowers are the mimosa flower. I was told that when the mimosa flowers start to bloom, that means Spring is right around the corner!
Check out the airplane made of flowers and the large vase made of oranges!
