When the last miller of the Moulin Landry hung up his flour sacks, he didn’t have retirement in mind.  The clear waters of the Drochon river that had powered the Landry mill for centuries went down to sea and a pretty sandy beach becoming popular with visitors from bustling Caen.

The visitors yearned for wide open spaces, fresh air and healthy sea baths.  What the fishermen living along the coast thought of this is not recorded. They knew the beach when the sun wasn’t shining and considered it a windy, inhospitable place where strong tides constantly shifted dunes and winter rains chipped away at the unstable cliffs.

Jacques Landry loved his valley, protected from the wind by low wooded hills, but he was also a shrewd businessman. He could see the world was changing and was determined his municipality would prosper.  The local people believed in him and Jacques was voted mayor of Beuzeval and the surrounding area in 1831.  In 1834 a royal decree authorised the first railway company.  France would never be the same again.

Living on the land

The rural world of Jacques and his neighbours is quietly revealed in the 1826 census.  Half of the 301 adults listed within Beuzeval’s community worked in agriculture, a number were fishermen, others lived from their craft skills.  The census recorded a self-sufficient district with carpenters, masons, a shoemaker, tile makers, a dressmaker, weavers, spinners, laundresses and lace makers.  Food shops were not necessary as farms and gardens provided what was needed.  Homes and farms were timber framed and built or patched up in the same style as their medieval forebears.

When a few years later in 1851 Jacques Landry had the mill renovated and mildly redesigned for domestic living, he naturally kept it to the old style. A combination of tradition and an unwillingness to spend unnecessarily resulted in a charming old Norman building admired by all who saw it.  Including the new summer visitors.

The summer visitors

At first, the summer visitors were intrepid travellers from Norman towns seeking a simple country life.  Mme and M. Pilter opened the first guesthouse in 1851 and welcomes modest protestant families from Caen to their home on rue Sébastien-de-Neufville.

But as the railway lines crept into Normandy affluent holiday makers from Paris started to arrive and ambitious investors were close behind.

Progress

In 1859 the first block of land, a strip by the sea, was purchased for development and plans for new villas and a Grand Hotel approved.  By 1861 the hotel is full and every villa occupied.  The casino was completed in 1864 assuring the town’s elegance and appeal.  Up on the hill the original hamlet of Beuzeval remained unchanged as the new town is given the name ‘Beuzeval-Houlgate’ then simply ‘Houlgate’.

The new villas stood tall, grand interpretations of rustic styles with romantic many-pitched roofs, long windows overlooking the sea and ornate wood or brick frames.   Moulin Landry is not left behind as smart Bavent finials are added to announce the owners taste and prosperity.

Shock and horror in Houlgate!

But by 1862 things were getting a bit out of hand. Every spare room was hired out to visitors and the town was packed which was good for business, but no-one seem to know who half the visitors were and their behaviour often left a lot to be desired.

The beach, once a quiet landscape for reflection and gentle health giving walks, was becoming distinctly unseemly.  Swimmers were seen cavorting across it in a variety of very inappropriate clothing.  Sadly no images remain to confirm just how inappropriate but this travel poster for Cabourg next door gives a clear idea of what M.Landry and his associates found so unsettling.

Houlgate not Cabourg!!

Mayor Landry called a council meeting, something needed to be done. This was Houlgate not Cabourg!!

Before the town completely lost its fine reputation a law was needed. They had an old one that could be buffed up and would suit nicely.

First approved on 24 August 1790, amended a bit on 19 and 22 July 1791, then again on 18 July 1837, the Sea Bathing, Health and Public Safety bylaw was unearthed from the town files and Jacques set to work.

Landry’s law

Houlgate municipal law to “ensure decency and good order on the beach during the bathing“
(With some allowances for our translation and simplification of French law…)

Article 1 – It is expressly forbidden for any person to swim in the sea in the area between the inn called ‘Our Lady of the Sea’ to the south, and the house of Miss Dupont Eure, to the north, if only wearing a bathing suit that reaches from neck to knees.

Article 2 – It is also forbidden to dress or undress for sea bathing on the dune or beach; swimmers can change in huts on the shore, or private houses.

In high seas no person can swim without being accompanied by an approved swimmer of high morals who has been approved by the officially recognised sea bathing contractor, and by the local authority.

Article 3 – If someone bathes without being fully dressed, or is indecently dressed and disturbs the good order of beach, it will be recorded and they will be prosecuted under the law.

Article 4 – The decree of March 2, 1859, concerning Public Safety is also mandatory on beach. [What could Decree of March 2 be?!]

Article  5 – Innkeepers and hotel owners are required to have a register signed by the Mayor, on which they list the names and profession of everyone received at their inn or hotel.  Dates of arrival and departure will be recorded and shown to the Authority whenever it shall be demanded.  Every fortnight a copy of each register will be presented to the City Hall.

It is forbidden for café owners, innkeepers and butlers to provide drink before daylight, and after ten o’clock in summer, and 9 o’clock in winter.

Article 6 – All persons accommodating families or renting apartments will also hold a register of guests which will be subject to the same formalities as inns and hotels.

Article 7 – Anyone who contravenes the articles above will be taken to court.

Article 8 – M .M. the Deputy, the Commissioner of Police and gendarmerie are responsible for the implementation of this law and will publicly post details of those contravening the law.

The town council was delighted.  Mayor Jacques Landry’s amendments were given full approval 12 July 1862.  The good people of Houlgate breathed a sigh of relief.

Jacques retires

When Jacques stood down as mayor in 1868 the reputation of Houlgate was impeccable and so it has remained.  He lived on in the old mill, not far from the new Mairie building, part of the new town but away from the bustle of the sea front.

We hope he lived to see his son Georges Landry became president of the local General Council, mayor of Houlgate.  Georges held this esteemed position from 1880 until 1911. During his tenure in 1882 the railway line finally arrived in Houlgate, the town’s future was assured.

Moulin Landry today

Still in private hands Moulin Landry on Boulevard Jacques Landry is not open to the public. However generous new owners (from 2003) carefully restored this wonderful building and cleared the very overgrown garden.  They have opened up an old viewpoint from a bridge over the Drochon river and walkers are welcome to stay a while to enjoy this charming view of a unique Normandy home.

Read about one of Houlgate’s celebrity visitors here ‘Moonlight in Houlgate’.