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Royan, from the beginning of sea bathing
to
the 39-45 war
and through the
time of
the "Belle Epoque"
After the end of the First Empire in
1815, came the Restoration period during the reigns of Louis
XVIII until 1824 and then Charles X until 1830.
It was in this department, called Charente-Inférieure at that
time, on the island of Aix, that Napoleon surrendered to the
English on July 15th, 1815.
Sea bathing became
fashionable during this period, following a trend which started
in England where the first sea water therapies had just begun.
This vogue swiftly arrived in France on the beaches of the North,
as can be seen on this coloured postcard of the beach at
Boulogne-sur-Mer.
This new fashion of sea
bathing was launched in Royan by the Inhabitants of Bordeaux.
The first bathing huts on wheels appeared on the beach in 1824. |
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Regular connections between Bordeaux and Royan by the Gironde
Regular connections between Bordeaux and Royan by the Gironde
were established from 1820 and the first steamer from Bordeaux
came to Royan on April 5th, 1829.
Between 1830 and 1848,
under Louis-Philippe, the resort
continued to develop with the Inhabitants of Bordeaux. The
competition with Arcachon became intensified with the start
of the railway line Bordeaux-Arcachon in 1841.
But Royan quickly became
modernised and the first
casino was built in 1845, in the district of
Foncillon, to attract the bourgeois clientele.
After the revolution of 1848 and the fall of Louis-Philippe,
Louis Bonaparte became Napoleon III in 1852. The Second Empire
lasted from 1852 till 1870. |
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The
resort extended then on the West towards Pontaillac, always at
the instigation of the rich Inhabitants of Bordeaux.
Over twenty
years, la conche de Pontaillac changed from a deserted place to
a very chic and fashionable area.
Chalets and mansions were built on the cliffs in front of the
sea.
On the left lateral cliff of the beach, an enormous villa
was built in 1856, with a large portico and with colonnades and
rounded bays facing the west, directly overlooking the sea. It
later became the l’Hôtel du Golf which remained a hotel until it
was sold in 1965 and was turned into apartments. |
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The extension of the railway network
Under
the Second Empire, a network of railways was developed in
France. In 1871, at the beginning of the 3rd Republic, all the
main lines were built and the big towns of France connected to
Paris. The railway took an increasingly important part in the
economic and tourist development of the country.
In 1875, Royan was linked to the railway line Paris-Bordeaux by
the railway company La chemins de fer de la Seudre. This was an
important development for Royan and one which made it more
accessible to the Parisian clientele.
In 1875 the same company
also opened the line from Saujon-La Tremblade to the terminus at
La Grève. This train was in still in use until the 1960s as a
goods train. During the Christmas and New Year period it because
known as the ‘oyster train’.
In 1984, the line resumed life during the summer season, as the
tourist train of La Seudre.
"La Belle Epoque", all of Paris came
to Royan
From the beginning of the 3rd Republic,
Frédéric Garnier became Mayor and remained in office from 1871
until 1905. He was responsible for the development of Royan
during this time.
A new casino, le Grand Casino de Foncillon, was inaugurated in
1885. At this time, the casino was a fundamental element of the
sea resort image.
In 1890, Frédéric Garnier established
the steam tram Decauville which was in service on the Champ de
Mars in Paris for the World Fair of 1889. At first it connected
the district of Le Parc with Pontaillac, then it was extended to
connect Saint-Georges-de-Didonne, Saint-Palais-sur-Mer and La
Grande Côte. The Mayor then decided to build a municipal casino to compete
with the casino of Foncillon. The Casino Municipal, built on the
Grande Conche and inaugurated in 1895, was at that time the
biggest in France.
A walk was also built along the beach. The district of Le Parc
was completed.
Emile Zola at Royan
The resort was very fashionable ;
Emile Zola came for the first time to Royan in September, 1886
and then became a regular visitor. He stayed in villas, which
have now disappeared, but were situated on the boulevard
currently named Frédéric Garnier.
History has recorded two things about the visits of Zola to
Royan, his love for Jeanne, his wife’s laundry maid and his
discovery of photography. From that time, photography became a
passion for Zola.
As far as the the port is concerned, the pier where the Pointe
de Grave ferry arrives was built in 1899.
The
period between 1880 and 1914, preceding the first world war, is
today known as " La Belle Epoque ".
Looking back, this period seems to us in retrospect certainly
more beautiful, more magnificent than it probably was in reality
at that time.
According to the memories, it seems that a "joie de vivre" characterised the daily life. During these years many of the new
places of entertainment, such as casinos, appeared.
The images which we have of Royan at that time illustrate this
spirit.
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In the 1900s, Royan welcomed 100 000 tourists every summer.
Everything new and progressive came to Royan. The first aviation
show was organised in 1910 and a pilot came from Bordeaux and
landed with his monoplane Blériot on the beach of Pontaillac. In
1911, another pilot landed on the Grande Conche.
Even now, every year, the Fêtes de la
Belle Epoque,organised in mid-August with parades, animations
and spectacles, brings alive again for a few days the spirit and
good times of that ‘ belle epoque’. |
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Between the wars
Between the wars, Royan was a fashionable resort. Bathing in the
sea and sun-bathing became normal and the resort was frequented
by the celebrities of that time.
The
casino of Pontaillac was built in the 1930s.
Today it is the only one in the town of Royan and because of
that, it is called the Casino de Royan. With its geometrical
architecture, it looks as though it was built in the 1950s.
It was managed to escape the bombing of 1945 and a large part of
the structure is of the original building.
Numerous chalets and villas are built
in the middle of pines, often with influences of regional styles
such as the Basque style.
The coast still keeps today an architectural heritage, very
diversified and representative of that time.
One can see a wide panorama of villas dating from the end of the
19th Century to the years 1920-1930, by following the
Boulevard Frédéric Garnier, along the beach. |
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Picasso in Royan In
1939, with the first exodus of the Parisians towards the region,
Picasso arrived in Royan in September. He was 58 years old and
he spent a whole year there. From his home, he saw the Café des
Bains which he painted.
The picture
"le café des Bains" was
painted in August, 1940 in Royan. This café was situtated on the
site where the restaurant Siesta now stands, in the angle of the
main avenue and the street leading to the port. |
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Bonne Anse Chalets
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Palmyre Loisirs
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Palmyr Oceana
Campsite between the beaches of La Palmyre and La Grande Côte, and the
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Ma Maison de Mer
Guest House, B&B,
situated in a fantastic location, 150m from the beach and 200m
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Hôtel Résidence de Rohan
Charming house,
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direct access to
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Hôtel Miramar Pontaillac
Exceptional setting
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Eldapi Vacances
Quiet and family campsite at Saint-Augustin-sur-Mer, between
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Dry dock
"Le Port sur la Rive" at Mortagne-sur-Gironde, estuary of
Gironde, between Royan and Bordeaux.
Storage and relaunching, long
term storage, equipment and
facilities. |
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