A workers’ town among seaside resorts. Dives-sur-Mer and its factory (1890-1940)

As an introduction to a visit to the Villa du Temps retrouvé, the Architecture Pavilion offers insights into the architectural, social and economic history of the Côte Fleurie region and Cabourg through its exhibitions.

At the end of the 19th century, the Côte Fleurie entered the era of seaside tourism, while Dives-sur-Mer took a unique path with the establishment of an electrometallurgy company in 1891. This industrial turning point profoundly transformed the town: new urbanisation, demographic growth and social movements punctuated the daily lives of the inhabitants and the life of the factory.

The exhibition at the Villa du Temps retrouvé, in partnership with the town of Dives-sur-Mer and the association ‘Un fleuve pour la liberté, la Dives’, traces this rich working-class past up to the beginning of the Second World War.