Cabourg

Cabourg is a popular seaside resort on the estuary of the river Dives, renowned for its 2½ mile long beach of fine sand and its Belle Epoque atmosphere, made famous by Marcel Proust. The early 20th century villas of the Parisian upper classes add to the charm of this small town centred on its Casino and unmissable Grand Hotel with its vast bay windows, described so well by Proust in A la recherche du temps perdu. Despite the inter-war recession, great artistic performers continued to come to Cabourg to perform. In 1956, Bruno Coquatrix, the manager of the Olympia, the famous Parisian music-hall, took over the management of the Casino in Cabourg. Piaf, Bécaud, Aznavour and many others all contributed a page to the history of the resort. Cabourg, given a "4 Flowers" rating in the "France in bloom" competition, is a wonderful place to have a taste of Norman romanticism.

Activities and Sightseeing

• Grand Hotel : Marcel Proust was a frequent visitor between 1907 et 1914, and apart from savouring the madeleines at breakfast, he also liked to contemplate the rise and fall of the tide a short distance in front of the hotel windows. You will certainly be charmed by the atmosphere in the grand dining room and its panoramic view of the Channel.
• Race Course : Ultra-modern facilities welcome tourists and visitors throughout the year. In summer, trotting races have a special magic, taking place only at night, which adds to the punters' excitement.
• Casino : The charm of the 1900s decor adds to the magic of gambling, while the musical evenings at the Casino are also very popular.

Events

• Spring : Festival of university theatre
• June : Cabourg Film Festival "Romantic and European Days"
• June : Cabourg Show Jumping : since 2004 the profits from this show jumping competition are given to research on multiple sclerosis
• August : Cabourg Book Fair
• Autumn : Epona Festival (international competition for equestrian news films)
• November : European Creative Encounters