Seaside Normandy: influences, innovations, practices, architecture and town planning

In the history of the French seaside resort, the Normandy coast is known for its precocity, having benefited from the influence of its close English neighbor, a pioneer in the field. Throughout the 19th century, the novel practices of seaside bathing, first therapeutic and then recreational, gave rise to a seaside architecture and urbanism that radically transformed the Normandy coastline.

In this talk, we'll look at the innovative facilities and new forms of yachting habitat, landscapes and urban organization that sprang up and flourished around summer leisure activities. The notion of the picturesque, as well as major architectural and cultural movements such as eclecticism, historicism and orientalism, add further lustre to a seaside world that still delights visitors and residents alike.