Port de la Darse, Historic dock in Villefranche-sur-Mer, France.

Port de la Darse is the historic harbour of Villefranche-sur-Mer, built from 1539 by Duke Charles II of Savoy as an artificial port against Barbary piracy. A first mole of large La Turbie stones ended in a small square tower. The basin is enclosed by a long, low stone quay of light grey masonry with a flat walkable top; small boats with tall masts moor in rows along floating piers, and open water beyond holds a few anchored vessels.

Charles II of Anjou, Count of Provence, founded Villefranche on 8 August 1295 and had a small jetty built at the foot of the medieval town so ships could unload goods. In November 1539 Duke Charles II of Savoy ordered work on an artificial port to counter Barbary piracy; a first mole of large La Turbie stones ended in a small square tower. The port became the arsenal of the Duchy of Savoy, later the Kingdom of Sardinia, and its main buildings have been protected as monuments historiques since 1991.

The name Darse comes from the Italian darsena, a sheltered inner basin. The port was the arsenal of the Duchy of Savoy, later the Kingdom of Sardinia, and its main buildings have been protected as monuments historiques since 1991. The 1528 bull of Clement VII established the droit de Villefranche, a levy of 2% on cargo passing through the roadstead.

The area is walkable year-round, though certain sections have limited access due to ongoing harbor operations and occasional maintenance work. Wear sturdy shoes since pathways along the waterfront can be uneven, and weather near the coast can change quickly.

A former galley shed has housed a zoological research station run by the University of Paris since 1931 and remains active today. This unusual combination brings marine science into a building originally designed for shipbuilding.