Monument préféré des Français 2025: spotlight on the diversity of Granville Terre et Mer's architectural heritage

Monument préféré des français 2025: spotlight on the diversity of Granville Terre et Mer’s architectural heritage

On the occasion of the participation of Villa Les Rhumbs, Christian Dior’s childhood home, in the programme Le Monument préféré des Français presented by Stéphane Bern on France 3, Granville Terre et Mer is highlighting its original architectural heritage. Perched atop a cliff facing the Chausey Islands, Villa Les Rhumbs, with its powder pink hues, embodies the local seaside heritage. Alongside it, dozens of other villas, from Donville-les-Bains to Jullouville, via Granville and Saint-Pair-sur-Mer, bear witness to the creative freedom of the Belle Époque and the advent of tourism. Bow-windows, half-timbering, turrets, colours and exotic fantasies tell the story of the inspired and daring heritage at the heart of the Destination’s identity.

Published on 28 January 2026

France's Favourite Monuments 2025: Spotlight on the diversity of Granville Terre et Mer's architectural heritage4MB

Villa Rhumbs, the cradle of Christian Dior's inspiration

Nestling in the hills opposite the Chausey Islands, Villa Les Rhumbs, built at the end of the 19th century, owes its name and shape to the nautical term for the thirty-two divisions of the compass rose. Christian Dior’s childhood home, this Anglo-Norman residence with its powder pink walls and iconic seaside architecture was a source of inspiration for the couturier’s creative universe. In his autobiography, Christian Dior et moi, he wrote: “The house of my childhood… I have the fondest and most wonderful memories of it. An emblematic place for the Destination and its built heritage, now under the spotlight of France 3, where architecture blends with the art of living of the people of Granville Terre et Mer.

Belle Époque architecture in the open air

In the 1900s, so-called “pleasure” train lines appeared, linking the major cities to the coast. It was at this time that the Normandy coast saw the emergence of magnificent seaside resorts. In Granville, Saint-Pair-sur-Mer, Donville-les-Bains, Jullouville and Carolles, the seaside villas bear witness to the eclectic, anti-conventional movement in architecture. Sculpted facades, bow-windows, turrets, half-timbering: each villa tells a story through its originality, whimsy and colour, reflecting the free and inventive spirit of the period. Villa Tarasque, on the Promenade de Jullouville, built in 1883 and later acquired by Christian Dior’s aunt, is a perfect example of the mix of styles that gives the Destination its distinctive and inspiring character.

In Donville-les-Bains, the villa Mon Rêve, built at the beginning of the 19th century in the rue du Souvenir, is one of the first villas built near the cliffs of Donville. Now known as Villa Nid des Mouettes, it is a perfect example of the style of houses with asymmetrical shapes and contrasting volumes, combining historical references and exotic influences. The play of materials and colours reflects the creative desires of the owners at the time. It was from this formal richness that the Neo-Norman style emerged , typical of Norman seaside regionalism. In the same street, the Villa Ouistitis is part of the exotic architectural trend, with an appearance reminiscent of African pillboxes.

Further south of the Destination, in Saint-Pair-sur-Mer, the coastline also reveals a range of villas, each more original than the last. At number 40 rue Mathurin, a house with Chinese-inspired architecture, influenced by the colonial imagination conveyed by the Universal Exhibitions and the discovery of faraway cultures, catches the eye with its atypical style reminiscent of a pagoda. In rue de Scissy, Chalet des Pins illustrates the creative freedom offered by brick, a material emblematic of the industrial era. This colourful villa, with its red and white stripes, opens onto a vast English-style garden, where the vegetation is left free to sublimate the residence.

Green Destinations – A committed region:

You can travel the length and breadth of Destination Granville Terre et Mer on the free Néva bus network. And if you’re travelling by bus or by bike, you can take advantage of the “low-carbon rate” on the Tourist Office’s guided tours, on presentation of your helmet or a photo.

Guided tours of the Tourist Office

The Upper Town and its ramparts
Discovering Donville-les-Bains
A walk in the Havre de la Vanlée
The fishing port of Granville