Cabourg, Beach resort in Calvados, France.
Cabourg is a seaside resort on the Calvados coast in Normandy, about 15 miles (25 kilometers) southwest of Deauville, with a 2.5 mile (4 kilometer) sandy beach. The streets radiate in a fan shape from a central square on the seafront, creating a distinctive geometric layout.
Parisian financiers selected this coastal location in 1853 to build a new seaside resort after searching for a suitable site for a planned development. The construction followed an ambitious urban design with wide avenues and a grand hotel facing the sea.
The writer Marcel Proust spent many summers here and stayed at the Grand Hôtel, which became the model for the fictional Hôtel de Balbec in his novel. Visitors today can walk the same promenade and see the same building that shaped his literary imagination.
The beach is wide and easy to reach at low tide, while the promenade is suitable for walking and cycling. The Villa du Temps Retrouvé features changing exhibitions about the Belle Époque and offers a good starting point for exploring the town.
Every June, the International Festival of Romantic Movies takes place here, bringing together filmmakers and audiences. The event uses several cinemas and venues around town and attracts visitors from across Europe.
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