Along the Côte Fleurie (Flower Coast) you will find the elegant resort of Cabourg.  This popular seaside town lies on the estuary of the River Dives and is famous for its unspoilt 2½ miles of fine sandy beach which is a great place both for watersports and quiet relaxation.  The charm of Cabourg is emphasised by its beautiful early 20th century villas giving it a feel of romantic chic and a flavour of the ‘Belle Epoque’.

An enjoyable stroll along the seafront brings you to the Grand Hotel which was the favourite haunt of Marcel Proust during the early 1900s.  He was a frequent visitor, enjoying the splendid views of the sea through the hotel’s vast bay windows which he described so vividly in his seminal book À la Recherche du Temps Perdu.  In his honour, the promenade is called the Marcel-Proust Walk.

The modern age of Cabourg was defined by the introduction of the railway which led holiday-makers to this area of sand dunes and picturesque vistas of the Channel.  This development era saw villas and hotels built in a semicircle with the Grand Hotel in the middle and a fan-shaped network of shaded tree-lined avenues beyond the shoreline.  Today there is a thriving race-course which attracts tourists and visitors all year round with trotting races held in the evening under spotlights during the summer months.

Cabourg has an artistic feel to it and several events including a film festival, theatre productions, a book fair and musical evenings are held throughout the year.  The Casino, an extravagantly decorated building with a ‘beaux arts’ charm of the 1900s, adds to the gambling excitement and a welcome visit to the terrace restaurant looking out over the sea.