The harbour and the Port de la Santé

The Quai de l'Amiral Courbet is the frame Villefranche is known for: a row of tall, narrow houses in ochre and rose above a working quay, with the Port de la Santé and its wooden boats in front of them. Shoot along the quay for the receding facades, or step back onto the breakwater for the whole waterfront in one line with the citadel above it.

The bay faces east and it matters. First light comes flat across the water onto the fronts of the houses and holds soft until about ten, which is the whole reason to book an early call. By midday the sun is over the roofs, the facades go into their own shade and the frame loses most of its colour.

The Chapelle Saint-Pierre sits at the end of the quay — a small fishermen's chapel painted inside by Jean Cocteau in 1957. The interior is ticketed and has its own rules, but the exterior, with the boats in front, is a useful anchor for a wide shot.

What goes wrong: cruise-ship tenders. In season they land right here, and the quay goes from empty to full in ten minutes. Restaurant terraces are set up from late morning and cover the base of the buildings, which is another argument for shooting before nine.