Côte Fleurie in Pays d’Auge
The Côte Fleurie is the name of a coastline in the eastern part of the department of Calvados, in Lower Normandy.
It stretches for approximately 40 kilometres, from Honfleur, at the mouth of the Seine, to Merville-Franceville-Plage, at the mouth of the Orne, opposite Ouistreham.
This picturesque coastline is emblematic of the Pays d’Auge, a historic region renowned for its typical Norman landscapes.
Here, black and white cows grazing peacefully in the lush meadows and on the rolling hills, while apple orchards produce the famous cider and Calvados spirit.
Renowned for its long, fine sandy beaches nestled at the foot of low cliffs, the Côte Fleurie is traversed by two vast river valleys: the Dives Valley and the Touques Valley.
The old, often modest fishing villages were transformed during the Belle Epoque at the end of the 19th century into prestigious seaside resorts.
Elegant villas and luxury hotels, and lush gardens and parks thus appeared in Merville-Franceville-Plage, Cabourg, Dives-sur-Mer, Houlgate, Villers-sur-Mer, Deauville, Trouville, and Honfleur.
Raymond Coustant de Yanville’s Flowery Coast
The name “Côte Fleurie” was coined in 1903 by Raymond Coustant de Yanville.
At the time, Coustant was president of the region’s Horticultural Society and aspired to elevate his beloved coastline to the status of the French Riviera.
Inspired by the abundance of flowering meadows, rolling hills, orchards, gardens, and parks, he aptly named the region Côte Fleurie – Flowery Coast. Since then, the seaside resorts of the Côte Fleurie have continued the tradition of adorning parks and public spaces with vibrant flowers, much to the delight of both residents and visitors.
However, the small section of the Côte Fleurie, located at the foot of the Plateau de Grâce near Honfleur, is known as the Côte de Grâce.
Department of Calvados
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Villers sur mer by René Hourdry CC BY-SA 4.0 – Varaville by Gregory Deryckère CC BY 2.5 – Norman cows grazing by ERNOUF Guillaume CC BY-SA 3.0
