The 10 addresses that make up Cabourg

Do you like Marcel Proust? You'll love Cabourg. Immortalized by the writer in " A la recherche du temps perdu ", the seaside resort has retained its very XIXᵉ century charm.cle, but it's also a lively, ultra-dynamic town with terraces, markets and cultural events all year round. Our favorites? The Romantic Film Festival with its open-air screenings, the "Cabourg mon amour" musical evenings in June and above all the extraordinary Diner sur la digue, a huge banquet set up over three kilometers along the promenade with concerts and fireworks over the sea. It takes place on the third Saturday in August and is not to be missed...

Where to stay?

Grand Hôtel Cabourg

Facing the Grand Plage, one of the most famous addresses on the Normandy coast. Between 1907 and 1914, it was the refuge of Marcel Proust, who wrote seven volumes of his "Recherche" here. Extensively restored, and now under the MGallery group, the Grand Hôtel has nevertheless retained its Belle Époque atmosphere and a hushed elegance that infuses the 71 rooms and suites (including the mythical "Chambre 414 - Marcel Proust"). On the first floor, the Le Balbec restaurant is one of the highlights of a stay in Cabourg, where connoisseurs tirelessly order the "sole tradition Grand Hôtel", which the author chose for his dinner. Also worthy of mention are the spa by Kos and Dr. Hauschka and the charm of the sea-facing bars La Belle Époque and La Promenade.

• From 301 euros, breakfast included
• Les Jardins du Casino 14390 Cabourg
• Tel: 02 31 91 01 79
• Further information on Le Grand Hôtel Cabourg

La Villa L'Argentine

The kind of guesthouse we love, with bunches of roses on the tables, a sunny veranda for breakfast, and five large rooms and suites that look like chic cocoons with floral tapestries and antique furniture, all extended by a small terrace (for the Balbec). Nestled in the heart of a Belle Epoque villa, just a stone's throw from the casino and beach, this is a charming address from which to discover Cabourg.

• Double room from 187 euros
• 3 Jardin du Casino, 14390 Cabourg, France
• Tel: 02 31 91 14 25

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Where to have lunch, dinner or a drink?

Le Balbec

Here's the review of this 1-toque Gault&Millau restaurant: "It's impossible to pass through Cabourg without feeling the intoxication of Proustian memories, he who so often stayed at the Grand Hôtel." Read more

• Score : 12/20
• Les Jardins du Casino 14390 Cabourg

Serge Detalle

Le Bouche à Oreille

Here's the review of this 1 toque Gault&Millau restaurant: "Above all, it's a very elegant room opposite the market halls, with its paper like an etching, its Louis XVI chairs and its very refined decoration, where white dominates in a delicate and reassuring atmosphere. "Read more

• Rating : 11/20
• 10 avenue des Dunettes 14390 Cabourg

Chez Guillou

Created in 1957 by schoolteacher Jean Guillou, this cocktail bar is now owned by Jean-Marc Pelicier, who has made it one of Cabourg's coolest and warmest spots. In a perfectly preserved 50s décor (flowery wallpaper, beautiful woodwork, tables made from barrel planks), you can sit back and enjoyexcellent cocktails such as the Ramses or the Cabourg (also available to take away), all served in a friendly atmosphere that brings travelers and locals together every evening for an aperitif.

• 4 avenue de la mer, 14390 Cabourg
• Tel: 02 31 91 31 31
• www.chez-guillou.com

Things to see and do

The beach

It's a discovery that's worth a visit in itself. The 4km Marcel Proust Promenade (Europe's longest for walkers) runs alongside the sea, and offers a magical spectacle - the clouds racing across the sky, the tide receding as you discover the immense sandy beach.tide recedes, revealing the immense beach of golden sand... Called the "Queen of Beaches" and so dear to Marcel Proust Marcel Proust who described it in À l'ombre des jeunes filles en Fleurs, today it's a paradise for everyone: families who come for picnics and children who run around with their kites; walkers, joggers, horseback riders and lovers of architecture who never tire of admiring the Belle Epoque villas that line it.

The Belle Epoque Villas

It's not widely known, but Cabourg is home to some of the finest 1900s villas on the coast. There are around thirty of them, and they invite you to take a delightful stroll and admire the somewhat madcap works of these architects, who vied with each other in audacity and imagination to blend all styles - from the traditional to the modern.Gothic, Neo-Norman, medieval or Italian inspiration, enriching the facades with frescoes and mosaics. The result may seem whimsical, but it's stunningly harmonious. Our favorites? La Petite Abbaye and its neo-Gothic style, Villas Jérôme, Mamika, Argentine and Villa Bon Abri. Now the Villa du Temps Retrouvé, it houses an incredible collection of photographs, costumes and sets. A plunge into the joyful, refined era of the Belle Epoque.

• 15 Avenue du Président Raymond Poincaré,14390 Cabourg
• Tel: 02 31 47 44 44
• villadutempsretrouve.com

Dominique Vernier

Le Marché en plein air.

A gourmet's paradise. On Wednesday and Sunday mornings, you'll come here to stock up on exclusively local seafood - shrimps, langoustines, crab and, of course, Channel fish such as sole, dab and turbot.

Also not to be missed are the cheeses of the hinterland - Livarot, Pont-l'Évêque or Camembert - and, last but not least, the sweet delicacies such as teurgy.sweet delicacies such as teurgoule (rice pudding with cinnamon), little brioches called falues and, of course, the famous madeleines. Also not to be missed, the market on Friday and Saturday mornings, this time in the town's Halles.

• In and around Les Halles de Cabourg
• Avenue du Marché 14390 Cabourg

The town and its good addresses.

A romantic town, Cabourg is also a lively place, with cafés, fine restaurants, concept stores and delicatessens offering a selection of local produce. Our favorites? Maison Marcel and its artisanal charcuterie, honeys and arranged rums; Coques de Cabourg and its delicious shell-shaped chocolates; and Fils du Pôvre, one of the resort's oldest delicatessens, where you can stock up on Camembert, Livarot and Norman ciders. On the fashion and decor front, don't miss À la recherche du Temps perdu with its selection of marinières, Cabourg mugs and coral-print tablecloths. And finally, our favorite address, just a few kilometers from town... La Poterie de Bavent, a Living Heritage company and magnificent workshop that has been producing ceramics, vases and the traditional finials that decorate the region's roofs for over 180 years.

• Maison Marcel 2 avenue du Général Castelnau
• Les Coques de Cabourg 23 avenue de la Mer
• Le Fils du Pôvre, 31 avenue de la Mer
• À la Recherche du temps perdu, 3 avenue du Commandant Touchard
• La Poterie de Bavent. Route de Caen 14860 Bavent

The Pays d'Auge as far as Beuvron-en-Auge

It's impossible to leave Cabourg without a foray into the nearby Pays d'Auge, a dreamy countryside of soft-green meadows and apple trees, stud farms and timber-framed manor houses. There's no need to draw up a precise itinerary for this discovery, just follow the back roads and let yourself be surprised... A few kilometers away, Domaine Dupont invites you to discover the secrets of cider making; Domaine Cœur de Lion invites you to discover the secrets of Calvados making, and you're on your way to Beuville.Then it's on to Beuvron-en Auge, one of France's most beautiful villages, with its ancient houses and moving church, half of which has disappeared, time having preserved only the splendid vaulted ceiling and sculpted capitals. Not to be missed.