Before 1853...

     Cabourg came into existence thanks to its key geographical location. Situated, as it still is today, on right bank of the Dives estuary, it benefited from a calm estuary, plentiful in fish, navigable on its last few miles. The origin of the name “Cabourg”, possibly German or Scandinavian, remains uncertain to this day. The population, over the centuries, was mainly made up of a few tough, brave fishermen and their families. They lived in harmony with the tide and the river’s flow.  Fleeing the windswept shore, they built, from as early as the Middle Ages, modest huts then later low-walled houses with thatched roofs, in the area of the now-named “rue du Commerce”.

     The marshlands with their numerous channels formed a natural barrier to any movement to the west, the main concern was to be able to reach the right bank in safety, or rather more precisely, to reach the already prosperous town of Dives-au-Sauveur. The town, a fishing port, a mile or so away, entered the history books with the epic of William the Conqueror in 1066, when the departure of his vessels, for the Conquest of England, was constantly delayed due to unfavourable winds.

     In 1583, the Landlord conceded the right of way to the people of Cabourg, enabling them to cross the river Dives on a simple open-boat, in exchange for an annuity of 60 francs a year. In 1677, the boat was replaced by an inadequate wooden bridge, it had no solid central support, but thanks to continual repairs at an extortionate price, it managed, as best as it could, to serve the purpose until 1770, the year in which a new strong wooden bridge was erected.  Finally in 1869 a solid, but somewhat narrow, stone bridge was built. The free right of way, which had been granted in 1677, was nullified … thanks to the French Revolution ! It was only much later with the creation of the new town, that the toll disappeared for good.

1853 1860...      In 1853, Cabourg was but a modest fishing village, feeding its inhabitants partly on bread, that the people made from wheat grown in a few nearby fields reclaimed from the marshes, but mainly on fish that the people kept in “saline” pits near the bridge.

     It was at this time that a Parisian lawyer and businessman, Henri Durand-Morimbau, enthralled by the natural beauty of the setting, as he looked upon it from the “Pointe des Lapins” (Rabbit’s Point) – now called Cabourg Point, decided to develop the area, creating, in place of the sand dunes and some grazing pastures, between the “Old” Cabourg and the beach, a seaside resort, a new town for “sea bathing”.

     He founded a Thermal Establishment (Société Thermale), with a capital of 12 million francs divided into shares, each of a value of 500 francs. The Establishment purchased all the sand dunes along the sea edge, and in no time, plans were drawn up under his supervision, with the help of the talented young architect from Caen, Paul Leroux. The plans were entirely original and remarkable, they took the form of a fan, or perhaps it could be said more precisely  followed the design of a Greek-roman theatre, and this was how “Cabourg-les-Bains” began. The paths that were to become avenues (the stairways leading to the terraces) were drawn in, all converging to one central point, the Casino (the stage).  Behind the Casino, there was the Grand Hotel (the back cloth).

     As soon as the landscaping of the dunes was completed, the Establishment built a vast wooden Casino, the first foundation was ceremoniously laid on the 9^th May 1854 by Achille Collin, Operating Manager of the Thermal Establishment, representing Henri Durand-Morimbau, the Managing Director, and hundreds of trees were also planted along the yet undeveloped avenues.

     Funds were soon lacking and the work was only at its beginnings.  1855 saw the creation of two new Companies, the “Bains de Mer de Cabourg” company and the “Société Civile et Immobilière” company.

     Two main handicaps remained, hindering the development of this new seaside resort : no hotels and a long and tedious journey from Paris to Cabourg, it took more than 4 hours, in 1860, to reach Lisieux from Saint-Lazare then a further 3 hours in a slow 2-horsedrawn coach, via Manerbe and Annebault - where the horses were changed, before finally reaching Cabourg. A journey totalling more than 7 hours in all  …


          1861 1891...

     In 1861, Mr Deschange had the Grand Hotel built alongside the wooden Casino, on the very edge of the shore.  From then on the Casino was no longer the only building to stand out on the coastline. In 1867, Mr Isouard, the new owner of the Grand Hotel decided to build a new Casino, this time a well-designed stone construction, including a vast ballroom serving also as a theatre, the room was framed by the boxes of the dress circle and the upper circle. The hall was some 30 metres long, it measured 12 metres wide and 12 metres high.  It could hold balls, concerts, meetings, plays, … for as many as 2 500 people at any one time.

     Over the next twenty-five years, Cabourg steadily developed. Charming, comfortable villas were built, hidden amongst the greenery in the shade of the avenues. The sand dunes along the shore were covered with villas and chalets.

     In the years 1860 to 1890, the means of communication by rail were greatly improved with the construction of :
- The Paris line – Paris to Lisieux in 1855, continued to Trouville in 1863 and finally to Dives – Cabourg in 1884 ;
- The Mézion – Dives line, inaugurated in 1878 ;
- And the Decauville tramway (a train on a narrow 0,60 metres gauge track), operational in 1893, it served, to the west, the seaside towns of Le Home, Franceville Plage, and Sallenelles and by changing at Bénouville, it was possible to reach Caen (Courtonne – Saint Pierre) on a picturesque track that ran along the edge of the west bank of the canal.

     1883 saw the construction, at the site of the insalubrious pond “Mare Saint Michel”, of an imposing but elegant building, regrouping the Town Hall, the all-boys school to the right, and the small, inadequate Post Office to the left.  After the First World War this very basic Post Office was replaced by a vast Post Office, built opposite the existing one.

     In 1887, the Sea Wall Promenade was edified by the Association of Property Owners, worried by the unremitting and threatening sea erosion, the Sea Wall was almost 1800 metres long.  In 1912 the town agreed to meet its maintenance costs.

          1892 1918...

     In 1892 Charles Bertrand became owner of the Cabourg Grand Hotel and Casino, after becoming a member of local council in 1894, he went on to be elected Mayor in 1896. Whilst Mayor he created the Garden Tennis Courts, near the Church, then the Golf Course, near the Race Course (at that time in Le Home). The town began to take form. With the help of the Architects Mauclerc and Virault, Charles Bertrand rebuilt the present Grand hotel, it was inaugurated on 7th July 1907. Later in 1909 they rebuilt the Casino. The same architects, principally the former, contributed to the creation, between 1880 and 1914, of the superb, opulent-looking villas, especially around the Jardins du Casino. These villas were purchased by wealthy people looking upon Cabourg as the “Queen of the Beaches”. The healthy, invigorating salty air, already renowned and sought after for its  beneficial powers, enabled Cabourg to be graded as an official " Seaside Health Resort ". Every summer, operetta and light opera theatrical companies, composed of artists from the most famous Parisian theatres, and circus came and played in front of the tourists.

     From 1907 to 1914, Marcel Proust, one of Cabourg’s most renowned visitors, came to Cabourg’s Grand Hotel every summer, to treat his chronic asthma problem, he said he “felt good” there. Whilst at the palace, he carefully observed, the tormented lives of the upper middle classes and the aristocracy and later described them in detail in his books : “A la recherché du temps perdu”, and especially in the second volume, “A l’ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs” where Cabourg is referred to mainly under the name of Balbec.

    The First World War broke out in the summer of 1914, when Cabourg, the Queen of the Beaches, was leading a carefree life of concerts, plays and parties. However, even Cabourg, far from the front, became rapidly involved. The transformation of the Grand Hotel into a war convalescent hospital, saw Cabourg’s inhabitants abruptly faced with the harsh realities of the conflict.


          1919 1926...

     Then came the period between the two world wars, a era that honoured its heroes (with the inauguration, on 17^th July 1921, of the Monument to those who died for their Country, and the naming of roads, and avenues in memory of the heroes) and yet at the same time it was “les année folles” (the Gay Twenties). Shows were numerous, fashion changed, and sport was developed. The Normandy Hotel and the Tourist Information office, a small structure with a novel bench (on the northern side) were built.  The Grand Hotel dining room, Proust’s “Aquarium”, was enlarged on the northern terrace, …

     Cabourg became, once again, the tourist attraction it had been in the past, with major events being held at the Golf Course and the Tennis Courts. In 1926, the central court of the Garden Tennis Club, one of the first to be built in concrete in the whole of France, was the home to the European Sector’s Final of the Davis Cup (24^th to 26^th July). The renowned, likeable Four Musketeers came to “fight” on the Garden Tennis hard court, which was tastefully encircled by the terraces. Henri Cochet, Jacques Brugnon, René Lacoste and Jean Borotra had a easy victory over the English C. Crole Rees, J.C Gregory, C.H. Kingsley and the mighty O.G. Turnbull.  In 1929 the new Race Course was inaugurated in the “Old Cabourg” district.

     Cabourg is home to many a renowned guest : Raymond Poincaré, ex-President of the Republique of France (Villa Green Cottage), Louis Renault, the well-known car constructor (Sweet Home), Jacques de Lacretelle, from the French Academy, Charles Lévadé, a composer, …

     The number of Hotels was on the increase, festivals and parties became legendary.


          1927 1939...

     The sudden death of Charles Bertrand on the 30^th January 1927, he had been Mayor of Cabourg for 31 years, brought about a period of local dissensions and divisions. The major economic crisis led to a difficult period when few tourists were attracted to Cabourg, in spite of the introduction of paid holidays in 1936. The paid holidays made "sea bathing" popular, but in 1937, in Cabourg the question of closing down the Grand Hotel was even raised. The Flower Festival alone was the only remaining successful event.


          1940 1946...

     

With the outbreak of the Second World War, all tourist activity was brought to an abrupt halt.  Concern was elsewhere.  Le Havre was bombed, mainly in the dock area, and the refugees that flooded in were housed in the requisitioned large summer villas. Cabourg bridge had a near escape from German bombs. No sooner was the defeat proclaimed, than the first conquerors arrived. The first members of the occupying forces were two German officers, first seen on the terrace of the Central Café.  The Town Hall was forced to requisition all the cars belonging to the Cabourg inhabitants, notably the renowned front-wheel drive cars, … The Grand Hotel, the Casino and many of the large villas along the sea front were occupied, the Kommandantur first made his home in “avenue de la Mer” and then in “avenue de Bavent”.  Cabourg found a new vocation as a town for relaxation and entertainment, for the Germans from the surrounding areas, with 3 brothels, (one of which, an “Officers” brothel, in avenue Berteaux Levillain, became on Liberation, an all-girls denominational School !!!)  A football goal post was installed in front of the Normandy Home.  The beach was still open to all, and travel was permitted.

However from 1943 the atmosphere changed. The methods used by the Occupying Forces too.  The Todt Company constructed bunkers (along the Sea Wall, and on the east castle of the Grand Hotel) and laid out a impenetrable system of spikes known as the “asperges de Rommel”. Anti-tank devises were also installed on the beach. The Sea Wall Promenade remained accessible in certain areas but all the hotels were occupied. The only remaining activity was dealing with everyday needs in food. Rations were sparse, controlled by a restrictive ticket system, for example the “J3” ration token authorised 350 grams of bread per day for a young person.  The Cabourg people found the solution, they turned their gardens and any green space (even the Race Course) into vegetable plots.  Chicken and Rabbit breeding became commonplace, and of course, the black market prospered, particularly in its dealings with the nearby country areas.  Potatoes became the mainstay of the people’s diet. Schools handed out vitamins and organized outings to teach the children how to work the land and how to catch beetles by hand, …  The “Kommandantur” began to act ruthlessly, people were arrested, particularly Jews and foreigners. Cabourg people were sent off to do compulsory labour service.

In 1943, people began listening illicitly to the French patriotic radio programme “Les français parlent au français”, news from the “voice from London” spread and people began to be conscious of a forthcoming major event – the landing of the Allied Forces. The question remained “Where ?”, the Germans sought to be ready for any attack and consequently opened the floodgates of the river Divette.  The immediate consequence of this, for the people of Cabourg, was the invasion en masse of every Cabourg house or villa, by the mosquitoes.  The Resistance began to get organised, and planned various series of sabotage attacks.  The adult population of Cabourg was requisitioned to guard the telephone lines. A civil body, known as “Passive Defence”, made their headquarters in avenue de la Mer, their mission was to ensure that a complete blackout was maintained during the evening and at night, and to intervene in case of bombing raids.  In fact bombing raids had become more numerous, louder and closer.

At about 11pm, on the evening of the 5^th June 1944, , the siren rang out for the last time, it was never to sound the all clear … The remaining Cabourg population, (many had already fled inland), heard the more or less non-stop rumbling of the distant, and sometimes not so distant, battle. The Jardins du Casino were mined, the Sea Wall Promenade (then called “la Promenade des anglais”) as well, and it was strictly forbidden to go onto the Sea Wall Promenade, or to enter any of the roads to the north of the line formed by the avenue Clémenceau to the west and the avenue Albert 1^st to the east. The inhabitants rallied on the top floor of the Chantereine Villa, to watch the Armada. Shells flew over Cabourg, fired from the Sarlabot and Vaches Noires bunkers.

The population was evacuated and sent to the Mayenne and Orne regions.  The Cabourg garrison took little part in the battle. When the Belgian Piron Brigade came to free Cabourg on the 21^st August, they found Cabourg deserted.

The refugees returned throughout September, finding Cabourg had suffered only minor destruction.  The main damage was to the interior of the larger villas, they had been transformed into bunkers.  However no changes had been made to the exterior. Guns were found pointing out to sea, through the windows of the Grand Hotel dining room …

After victory, the German prisoners came back too, but their job was to clear the mines, that had been placed on the beach and along the Sea Wall Promenade.

           1947 1970...

     In 1947, André Thiers, counsellor for the Conseil d’Etat (Council of State), was elected Mayor, a post that he filled until 1965. France, and more precisely  Normandy, set itself about the task of rebuilding. Cabourg Villas were requisitioned once again, this time to make homes for the many homeless Caen people, some of whom were never to leave Cabourg. The Thiers team built a water tower with the help of the reconstruction service.
In May 1951, the east wing, or the “older part” of the Grand Hotel was sold off in co-ownership, this was the first of many co-ownership transactions in Cabourg, the Normandy-Home was to follow suite shortly after. It was at this time that the Town purchased, from the heirs of Bertrand,  the present Grand Hotel (with the exception of the afore-mentioned east wing), together with the Casino and the Golf Course in Le Home.


          Cabourg began to revive …

     In 1956, André Thiers decided to call in Bruno Coquatrix, Manager of Olympia, the famous Parisian Music Hall, to become Manager of the Casino.  Success was immediate, with a host of famous stars (Edith Piaf, Les Frères Jacques, Jean Richard, Gilbert Bécaud, …) filling the billboards. 1957 saw Europe 1 and Moustache run an exceptional season.  But all too quickly the duo Thiers and Coquatrix broke up, and Cabourg lay dormant once again. There was even talk of changing the sign of the Casino.

     In July of 1964, Cabourg experienced short-lived national and international fame – A young woman was seen walking on the Sea Wall Promenade, wearing a topless swimsuit  !!!  For the first time in France … It would not be the last … Most of the locals, however, saw nothing !!!

The Merlin Company came to Cabourg in 1965, buying up hotels in difficulty and transforming them into co-ownership properties. The first hotel to undergo such a transformation, was the Casino Hotel.

     Marie-Paul Manalt, President of the Hotelliers Association, owner of the Hotel du Chat Botté (Puss in Boots Hotel), was elected Mayor in 1965.  He concentrated his energy on providing housing for the needy. Council flats were built in avenue Pasteur, to rehouse the inhabitants of the “cité des pêcheurs” (the fisherman’s estate). Laying on running water, creating a sewerage system and public lighting were priorities.


          1971 1989...

     In March 1971, Bruno Coquatrix easily won the local elections and became Mayor of Cabourg.  His first project was to entirely renovate the Grand Hotel and to keep it open all year round, (at that time it was only open from 14^th July to the 30^th August !!!).  The work was swiftly carried out, subsidised in part by the Regional Council, the remainder was paid for by a loan. It was decided that the Hotel should be managed directly by the Local Council.  The Casino was entrusted to the Palace de Paris’ staff (managed by Roland Hubert de Clausade), under the agreement that the Casino too should open all year round. Bruno Coquatrix mapped out one of the first “Plans d’Occupation des sols” (land zoning regulations) in Normandy, he created urban zones for blocks of flats with an attractive “coefficient d’occupation des sols” (land zoning regulation rate).

France then enjoyed a period of economic affluence, and leisure activities developed. Second homes too experienced a boom, with the closure of some of Cabourg’s older hotels (Coq Hardi, Deux Mondes, Casino, Cabourg-Hotel, Grand Balcon, Cour Normande, Ducs de Normandy …), and the consumer’s never ending search for “something new”.  Various real estate projects began to take shape, initiated by property developers such as Mrs Boulaut, Ribourel, Merlin, Le Sidaner … Apartment blocks such as Les Clochetons, Miramar, Le Galion, Le Port, La Bizontine, Bel Cabourg, Cap Cabourg, Cabourg 2000, Plein Sud, Le Sporting, Saint-Michel, Prince Albert, Les Caravelles … sprang up out of the sand or the marshland in just a few years. The Mayor obtained, from the Authorities, the construction of a inland bypass, with a new bridge crossing the River Dives, and a direct access road to the A 13 motorway, which significantly improved access to the resort. A new secondary school was opened in avenue de la Divette and alongside it, a Gymnasium was built.  Amongst other constructions, the “Maison des Cités Unies” (the house of the united cities) should be mentioned, it was used for meetings held by the twinning town committees, for the Marcel Proust Literature Prize… The town also invested in land, purchasing various plots, some such as the Garden Tennis Club, that had previously been privately owned, were purchased to become assets of public interest, others (avenue de la Divette, avenue de l’Hippodrome, …) were purchased as an investment to be held in reserve.  The Sea Wall Promenade that had become Marcel Proust Promenade, was lengthened to the west and to the east. Bruno Coquatrix was re-elected in March 1977, and he pursued his policy to develop the town until his death on the 1^st April 1979.

     Michel Moles, his deputy mayor, took over from him and, after having been re-elected in 1981, continued the development projects. The Swimming Pool, and the Jean Guillou Primary School were built.  Avenue de la Mer was restructured, the Gymnasium was enlarged, the Sylvestres, the Cabourgeaises, and the Front de Mer housing estates, along with the Aquilon Industrial Estate were created … Cabourg Point (la Pointe de Cabourg) was landscaped ...

     All this brings us up to 1989, …

     History needs time, it needs to step back, to be able to look objectively on events that, at the time were, perhaps, passionate conflicts. It, therefore seems fitting to delay the writing of the sequel to this fascinating epic for a few years.

     In all, Cabourg, thanks to its geographical location, its architectural wealth, its infrastructure, its quality of life, and its past, has met the destiny that H. Durand Morimbau had hoped and intended for it.  H. Durant Morimbau had a manuscript sealed and placed under the first Casino stone laid in 1854, it was read to the inhabitants of Cabourg and included this passage : “by laying this stone on Cabourg’s now deserted sand dunes, I do not think that I am merely laying the first stone of a major establishment. Seeing, lying before me, on the one side, the most beautiful beach in France, and on the other this magnificent Auge Valley, one of the richest in the Calvados region and possibly even in the whole of Normandy, I proudly and openly proclaim my firm belief is, that I am laying the foundation for a new Town that will shortly link Cabourg to Dives, and will become one of the most prosperous towns of the region”.

     This is but the first page in the saga of the “Modern Town”, there will be many volumes to add in order to complete the “Tale of Cabourg”…

©2002 Dr. Jean-Paul Henriet. Tous droits réservés.