A getaway to Cabourg? Don’t miss a visit to the Villa du Temps Retrouvé! This villa-museum dedicated to Marcel Proust and the Belle Époque offers a unique immersion in the sensitive world of the writer and the heritage of the Côte Fleurie. An experience that combines art and technology to recreate the atmosphere of the early 20th century.
In this article, you’ll find some useful tips to help you prepare for your visit and have a great time!
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Why visit Villa du Temps Retrouvé?
Is the Villa du Temps Retrouvé worth it? Our opinion:
Yes, the Villa du Temps Retrouvé is definitely worth a visit. The scenography offered us an immersive plunge into the Belle Époque. We were particularly taken with the salons that recreate the world of Marcel Proust. You’ll also discover a collection of artworks from the period, all housed in an emblematic neo-Renaissance villa, restored to its original state.
In our opinion, it’s one of Cabourg’s best activities.
Why is the Villa du Temps Retrouvé famous?
The Villa du Temps Retrouvé is renowned for being entirely dedicated to Marcel Proust and the Belle Époque. Located in the historic Bon Abri villa, the museum offers an exceptional immersive experience. Works of art, films, photographs, furniture and objects recreate the atmosphere of the early 20th century.
This restored villa dates back to the 1860s. It is a perfect illustration ofNorman seaside architecture, and regularly hosts temporary exhibitions on themes related to this fascinating period. Inspired by the Proustian world, she revives the golden age of Cabourg and the seaside resorts of Normandy.
Our favorite moments
As we walked through the Villa du Temps Retrouvé, we particularly appreciated..:
- The immersive auditorium, a veritable time machine, transported us back a century thanks to technology as discreet as it is effective.
- Belle Époque salons, where works by painters of the time rub shoulders with those inspired by Proust.
- Proust’s manuscripts, reflecting the complexity of his thought and creative process.
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- Bayeux – our hotels selection
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For more ideas, take a look at our article on the best places to stay in Normandy.
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History in brief
The Villa du Temps Retrouvé has a rich history, intertwined with that of Cabourg and Marcel Proust:
- 1860s: Construction of Villa Bon Abri by architect Clément Parent, in neo-Renaissance style
- 1853: Paul Leroux designs the fan-shaped center of Cabourg, into which the villa is integrated.
- 1907-1914: Marcel Proust visits Cabourg regularly and draws inspiration for his work from the area.
- May 2021: Inauguration of the Villa du Temps Retrouvé, transformed into a museum dedicated to the Belle Époque, Côte Fleurie architecture and the world of Marcel Proust.
How to find us: Villa du Temps Retrouvé, Cabourg
Where is the Villa du Temps Retrouvé?
- In downtown Cabourg
- 15 Avenue du Président Raymond Poincaré
- Close to the Grand Hotel and Casino Gardens
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- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is comfortable enough (distances can be long) but compact (some parking lots and villages are narrow).
- Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
How to get there?
The Villa du Temps Retrouvé is easily accessible from several points:
- By car, take the A13, then follow the D513 – there are several parking lots nearby on Avenue de la Libération, Place Marcel Proust or Avenue Alfred Piat.
- If you prefer public transport, you can arrive at Caen or Trouville-Deauville SNCF stations, then continue by bus (lines 111 and 1105) to the “Hôtel de Ville” stop in Cabourg.
- We found access very convenient, with clear signage to guide you to the museum entrance.
Parking
- Parking spaces are available in the surrounding streets, so you can park easily before your visit. In summer, they’re packed.
- During our visit, we left our car at the Parking de la Poste, a 10-minute walk from the museum.
- A parking space for people with reduced mobility and a drop-off area are located opposite the Villa on rue du Président Raymond Poincaré.
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Useful tips: duration, schedules, eating…
Best time to visit
- The Villa du Temps Retrouvé is an ideal destination for a spring or summer visit.
- If you want to take full advantage of the site and avoid the crowds, it’s best to visit during the week or outside school vacations.
- The months of July and August offer the advantage of extended opening hours, allowing you to savor the unique atmosphere of the gardens under the golden light of late afternoon.
Length of visit and main difficulties
- Allow around 1h30 for your visit to the Villa du Temps Retrouvé, to take full advantage of your immersion in the Belle Époque and the world of Marcel Proust.
- The course is on 3 levels with staircases. An elevator provides access for people with reduced mobility.
Advice on how to visit
- We began our visit with the immersive room, which took us back in time a century.
- In the Belle Époque salons, we admired works by Vuillard and other references to Proust’s world.
- We finished our tour with a visit to the temporary exhibition dedicated to Jules Verne, followed by a moment of relaxation in the garden.
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Visiting with children
- We noticed that there were workshops for children aged 4 to 12, allowing them to discover the collections and the atmosphere of the Belle Époque in an interactive way.
- Then there are the digital tools available to captivate the attention of the little ones, such as interactive devices and immersive animations that turn learning into fun.
- Finally, themed guided tours for families offer the perfect balance between historical discovery and fun.
Schedules and rates
- The Villa du Temps Retrouvé is open from March 1 to November 10, 2025, from 11am to 1pm and from 2pm to 6pm.
- In July and August, continuous opening hours from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- The museum is closed on Tuesdays and May 1st.
Plain tarif: 9€. More info here.
Guided tours
Guided tours are available to explore the secrets of the Belle Époque and the world of Marcel Proust.
Supplement of 4€ per person
Catering
The Villa du Temps Retrouvé tea room offers a gourmet break in elegant surroundings. In fine weather, the tables set up in the garden ensure a relaxing moment after the visit. The tea room is open throughout the season, on the same days as the museum, and closes 30 minutes before the villa closes.
Enter the sensitive world of Marcel Proust
A symbolic and immersive opening
We began our visit with a memorable encounter. A statue of Marcel Proust stands at the entrance, as if inviting visitors to follow in his footsteps.
Once inside, projections of works of art and film extracts plunged us into the Belle Époque setting, between mundane life and hazy memories.
Belle Époque objects, settings and sensations
In the rooms that followed, we first looked up at the light-filled glass ceiling of the winter garden.
Then we lingered in the drawing rooms, where a whole series of objects and paintings are carefully displayed. A folding screen, a piano, games tables and paintings (notably by Vuillard) create a lively interior, evocative of a bygone art of living.
Exploring the intimacy and imaginaries of a century
Letters, manuscripts and digital works
Climbing a spiral staircase, we reached the first floor, where drawings, letters and texts by Proust are on display.
Further on, the digital works of artist Davide Quayola caught our eye: in his Storms series, he revisits Impressionism through the prism of artificial intelligence, creating an unexpected dialogue between past and present.
Personal objects and crossed views of the world
Continuing our tour, we discovered a typewriter in the library that would have been used to type part of Proust’s manuscript. There are also other intimate objects linked to his work as a writer.
Around these elements, several paintings evoke his conception of art as a reflection of reality: sensitive, fragmented “mirrors of the world”, in the image of his search for lost time.
An incursion into the world of Jules Verne
Our visit ended with the current temporary exhibition. It was dedicated to Jules Verne. The scenography allowed us to explore the dreamlike universe of this other great explorer of the imaginary.
There were models of fantastic machines, old maps and visionary manuscripts. A stimulating echo of the era’s dreams of modernity and travel.
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Frequently asked questions
What’s the link between Proust and Cabourg?
Marcel Proust spent many summers in Cabourg between 1907 and 1914, notably at the Grand Hôtel. There, he immersed himself in the worldly atmosphere, the rhythm of the resort, and the Normandy seascapes. These experiences fed deeply into his famous novel À la recherche du temps perdu.
Cabourg is the direct inspiration for the fictional town of Balbec, which appears in several volumes of the novel. La Villa du Temps Retrouvé invites you to plunge into this recomposed memory, between geographical reality and literary fiction.
Do you need to have read Proust to enjoy the tour?
The scenography has been designed to appeal to a wide audience, curious about history, art and culture, even without prior knowledge of Proust’s work. Excerpts from texts, audiovisual features and a wealth of objects provide an insight into his world. For those already familiar with the author, certain details and winks will offer a finer reading, but the whole remains accessible to all visitors.
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SHE MADE THE TRIP Claire
