Do you really know Trouville-sur-Mer?

Whether it's your first time, whether you're a local or a regular at the resort, Trouville-sur-Mer is full of secrets just waiting to be known and shared!

TROUVILLE-SUR-MER… LAND OF INSPIRATION

Trouville was discovered by artists and, more specifically, by a landscape painter, a XNUMXth century marine painter, Charles Mozin.

He arrived in Trouville in 1825, at the age of 19, and discovered a small fishing port populated by around 1 inhabitants living in the midst of marvelous landscapes. He hastens to paint these landscapes. He then exhibited his paintings in Parisian salons. Thanks to his exhibitions, he introduced Trouville to other artists, who in turn came to discover this little paradise. Charles Mozin himself did not hesitate to leave his budding Parisian notoriety to come and settle permanently in Trouville.

In 1838, he had his first chalet built, a remarkable dwelling in the form of an old manor. In 1842, he had a second one built, to the right of the Municipal Library, which still exists. It was on the first floor that his studio was located, he painted there on a day when the weather was bad.

Thanks to Charles Mozin and his Parisian exhibitions, Trouville-sur-Mer enjoyed growing notoriety among many artists and friends of the painter.

Alexandre DUMAS (father) arrived in Trouville in 1831 where he stayed for 2 months in the Auberge de la mère OZERAIS. It was in this inn that Alexandre DUMAS, Eugène ISABEY, Paul HUET, Charles MOZIN… came to enjoy a meal that they often paid for with a poem, a drawing or a painting. It is also in this inn that Alexandre DUMAS wrote his book “Charles VII”.

Gustave Flaubert also used to come to Trouville. Indeed, every summer, the Flaubert family came to spend their holidays in Trouville. Flaubert adored the beach and the sea, places that were still deserted and wild. 

It was in August 1836 that he met the great love of his life in the person of Élisa Schlésinger. Gustave was walking on the beach and saw a superb black-striped red fur coat that the rising tide was soaking. He seized it and returned it to its charming owner: Élisa Schlésinger. Following this meeting, Elisa will remain Gustave's sole passion throughout his life and inspired him with “Les Mémoires d'un Fou” and was also one of the heroines of “Sentimental Education”.

Today the statue of Flaubert located in the square, still looks in the direction of the Hôtel Bellevue and, more precisely, it is said, in the direction of Élisa's room where she stayed during her stays at Trouville.

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