The Saint-Elme citadel has closed the bay of Villefranche since the sixteenth century. Listed as a historic monument, it now houses the town's museums and art centre, along with a set of spaces the municipality makes available: the auditorium, the Foyer hall, the place d'Armes, the open-air theatre, the courtyards and the gardens.
The interest of the site lies in its position. The ramparts drop straight to the water, and the view runs across the whole bay and the Cap-Ferrat peninsula. A restoration programme run with the Fondation du Patrimoine is strengthening the structures and reshaping the museum and landscape route, which may affect access to parts of the site. The old port of Villefranche lies at the foot of the walls, a few minutes on foot.