Marcel Proust Promenade (Promenade Marcel Proust)
About Marcel Proust Promenade (Promenade Marcel Proust)
The Promenade Marcel Proust stretches 3.6 kilometers along Cabourg's beachfront, making it the longest pedestrian promenade in Europe. Named in 1971 after the French writer who spent summers at the adjacent Grand Hôtel between 1907-1914, the walkway offers views of Belle Époque villas on one side and the English Channel on the other. The promenade runs from Cap Cabourg dunes to Home-Varaville beach, passing the 300-meter facade of the Grand Hôtel where Proust wrote portions of his novel 'In Search of Lost Time.' Walking along, visitors can spot the Méridien de l'Amour, a 2016 art installation featuring 104 brass medallions with the word 'love' in different languages embedded in the pavement. The flat, paved surface is accessible year-round and free to visit at any hour.
Interesting Facts
Marcel Proust stayed approximately 500 nights in Room 414 on the fourth floor of the Grand Hôtel, always requesting the same room for its views of the beach and promenade. The room has been recreated with period furnishings and can be visited today. From this window, Proust observed the scenes that would become the fictional seaside resort 'Balbec' in his seven-volume novel.
Every late August, the promenade hosts 'Dîner sur la Digue' (Dinner on the Seawall), when approximately 6,000 people gather along the walkway for a communal outdoor dinner. Each participant brings their own table, chairs, and food, creating a continuous dining scene stretching along the seafront. The evening concludes with fireworks over the beach.
The streets of Cabourg radiate outward from the Grand Hôtel in a fan pattern, designed by architect Paul Leroux who was inspired by Baron Haussmann's transformation of Paris. This unusual urban layout means that from many streets in town, you can see directly to the promenade and the sea beyond, creating dramatic sightlines across the Norman coast.
Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
Location & Practical Info
Address
Promenade Marcel Proust, 14390 Cabourg, France
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