French returned to re-occupy Villefranche and the county of Nice remained part of the Napoleonic Empire until 1814. It was returned to the Kingdom of Sardinia by the Congress of Vienna.
In 1860, as a consequence of the Risorgimento, it was given to France by treaty following a plebiscite.
By the late 19th century it had become an important Russian Navy base and the Russians established an oceanographic laboratory in the old lazaret.
The site was also the winter residence for royalties and wealthy visitors.
Villefranche's bay is notable for reaching a significant depth only a short distance from shore. As a result it has become an important port over the years. Since World War I, the United States Navy has called on a regular basis, making Villefranche the home port of the U.S. 6th Fleet from 1948 to 1966. Since the 1980s Villefranche has been used by cruise ships. It is the most visited cruise ship port of call in France
