Gouville
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The Colourful Beach Huts at Gouville-sur-Mer

I love the colourful beach huts at Gouville-sur-Mer; bright pops of colour nestled in the sand dunes. As you approach Gouville from the south you can see the brightly coloured roofs in the distance. They’re now symbolic of Gouville and have been a part of the landscape for around a hundred years.

Gouville
Gouville

About a century ago when tourists and the fashion for sea-bathing arrived, the only hotel in Gouville was owned by Mr and Mrs Marie. The hotelier offered his guests the opportunity to go to the beach in a horse-drawn carriage and change into a small cabin so that they could enjoy the invigorating benefits of the sea. An additional beach hut was then added where holidaymakers could take shelter and eat.

Gouville
Gouville

Gradually other cabins were established in the dunes. Prior to 1939 there were around a dozen cabins. They disappeared in 1940 during the German occupation and were rebuilt after Normandy was liberated. Now they’re privately owned and used to store beach games, toys and fishing equipment for those visiting the beach. There are now around 70 huts adding colourful accents to the dunes.

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