Villerville, the village where Gabin and Belmondo toasted for eternity
In 1962, Henri Verneuil was scouting for a film set to adapt an Antoine Blondin novel. He landed on this small seaside town tucked between Trouville and Honfleur, renaming it Tigreville for the duration of the shoot. Jean Gabin played a hotelier there, while Jean-Paul Belmondo famously acted as a drunken bullfighter in the middle of traffic.
Sixty years later, locals still celebrate the film every autumn. The Cabaret Normand hasn't changed its decor, and markers scattered throughout the streets invite you to retrace the steps of these two icons of French cinema.
Villerville: an antidote to the crowded beaches of the Côte Fleurie
This village of 700 residents appeals to those seeking quiet who want to escape the intensity of Deauville and Trouville. Forget casinos or luxury boutiques. Instead, expect cobblestone alleys lined with colorful, half-timbered houses, a 19th-century public laundry, and a Romanesque church topped with a flat stone roof, which is an architectural rarity in Normandy.
Hikers will appreciate the 4 kilometers of the falaises des Roches Noires (Black Rocks cliffs), which reveal geological layers dating back 160 million years. Literature lovers can spend time browsing the rue du Général Leclerc, which has become a small village of books thanks to its various secondhand booksellers.
However, those looking for a fine sand beach will be disappointed. At high tide, the pebble beach almost entirely disappears. Nightlife is nonexistent and shops close early. Plan for a half-day to visit the village, but consider spending the night to catch the evening light hitting the cliffs.
A reasonable budget for the Côte Fleurie
Expect to spend 100 to 150 euros per day (about $108 to $162) for a couple, including lodging and meals. Village restaurants offer menus between 20 and 35 euros (about $22 to $38). Hotels range from 90 to 180 euros (about $97 to $195) per night depending on the season, which is lower than comparable rates in Deauville.
Tracing the cult film
The "Un Singe en Hiver" circuit starts on rue de la Cabine, in front of the Cabaret Normand where Belmondo orders his famous Picon-bière. Signs mark the filming locations with vintage photos and anecdotes. The legendary car-corrida scene was filmed on rue du Général Leclerc, the very spot where "Bébel" performed his first cinema stunt. A caricature mural of the two actors faces the sea, near the old police station.
Inside the Cabaret Normand, the wood-paneled walls and red-and-white checkered curtains remain identical. A "monkey in winter brotherhood" meets there regularly to recite lines from the film. Every year at the end of October, Villerville becomes Tigreville for a weekend of tributes, including screenings, exhibitions, and fireworks launched from the beach, just like in the film's final scene.
Pro tip: The Place du Guettoir, where sailors' wives once waited for their husbands to return, offers the best vantage point for photographing rue de la Cabine with its flowered Norman balconies.
The Roches Noires cliffs, 160 million years facing the sea
These clay cliffs, reaching 60 meters, form a 135-hectare Sensitive Natural Area protected by the Calvados department. Their name comes from the dark limestone blocks scattered on the beach, covered in algae and lichen. Amateur geologists can find Upper Jurassic fossils here. Birdwatchers can spot oystercatchers, curlews, and sandpipers on the rocky flats. A rare orchid, the Fuchs' spotted orchid, grows on the dry lawns at the top of the cliffs.
The Parc des Graves offers accessible trails, a viewpoint, and picnic areas. A 3.6 km coastal path connects Villerville to Trouville along the ridge. To descend to the foot of the cliffs, you must check the tide tables, as rising water can trap unsuspecting walkers.
Pro tip: Head down to the plage des Graves at low tide to see the two waterfalls cascading from the clay walls. Access is from the parking lot at the top of the park; wear sturdy shoes.
The village of painters and books
Eugène Boudin and Raoul Dufy set up their easels here long before the film crews arrived. The église Notre-Dame de l'Assomption, with its massive 12th-century bell tower, has preserved its Romanesque choir and stone-slab roof, a regional rarity. The lavoir (wash house), built at the end of the 19th century, reflects the arrival of the first Parisian summer visitors and the sanitation efforts that accompanied the rise of tourism.
The rue du Général Leclerc is now home to several bookstores and secondhand dealers, earning the village its reputation as a "village of books." A small market selling Norman products sets up in Place du Lavoir on Tuesday and Saturday mornings from Easter through All Saints' Day.
A theater festival in barns and gardens
Since 2014, the Festival à Villerville has taken over unlikely venues on the last weekend of August, including a garage facing the cemetery, a school classroom, the castle farm, and private apartments. Young troupes from major drama schools present original work created during three-week residencies. Tickets are 10 euros (about $11) per show or 60 euros (about $65) for a full pass. The atmosphere remains intimate, unlike major festivals, with artist-audience meetups after each performance.
Where to eat and drink in Villerville?
La Cabane Bleue on the plage des Graves is a local favorite. It offers a casual vibe with your feet in the sand, lounge chairs, and affordable seafood platters, oysters, and glasses of Muscadet while looking out at the cliffs. The spot is closed on Tuesdays and does not take reservations.
For a more formal meal, the restaurant at Hôtel Le Bellevue serves Norman cuisine centered on local catches like lobster, scallops, and coastal fish. The veranda overlooks a garden sloping toward the sea. Le Paquebot, a former casino turned hotel-restaurant, offers a menu focused on seafood in a room with nautical decor. The Crêperie du Coin, on rue du Maréchal Foch, provides a classic Norman bistro setting with a sunny terrace.
Where to stay in Villerville and the surrounding area?
The village has two notable boutique options. Hôtel Le Bellevue, a century-old villa categorized as a Demeures & Châteaux property, features rooms with sea and garden views. Le Paquebot, located in the former casino facing the jetty, is the only hotel directly on the water between Cabourg and Honfleur. Expect to pay 120 to 200 euros (about $130 to $216) per night in high season.
For a more modest budget, several bed-and-breakfasts and vacation rentals are available in the village and surrounding hamlets. Trouville and Honfleur offer more choices less than twenty minutes away by car.
How to get to and around Villerville?
From Paris, the trip takes 2 hours and 15 minutes by train to the Deauville-Trouville station, followed by a 15-minute taxi or shuttle ride. By car, it is a 2-hour drive via the A13 and then the D513 along the coast. The Deauville-Normandie airport is 7 km away. The ports of Le Havre and Caen offer ferry connections with England for British visitors.
Once you arrive, everything is walkable. The Place du Lavoir parking lot charges a fee during the season but is free outside of school holidays. Another parking lot is located at the top of the Parc des Graves for direct access to the cliffs. The Nomad bus network connects Villerville to Trouville and Honfleur, though service is limited.
When to go?
Visit between May and September to enjoy coastal hikes and the terrace at La Cabane Bleue. The Festival de théâtre at the end of August attracts fans of contemporary performance. The Fête des marins, celebrated since 1896 around August 15, decorates the streets with fishing nets and gathers children in traditional striped shirts for a folkloric parade. Avoid the July and August weekends if you are looking to escape the crowds, as the village remains quiet but parking lots fill up quickly.
Even though this village is famous for the movie "Un singe en Hiver" filmed here in the 60s, wandering along its narrow streets is very pleasant out of season for its quietness, and in season for its summer coastal vibe. Many informative signs refer to the movie. Even though the waterfront faces Le Havre and its port, the walk along the cliff is a must. On the road between Honfleur and Trouville-sur-mer, take the time to stop there for a while.