Friday 19 November 2010

Malo les Bains, France

I found this card recently and could not resist it, there is so much going on in the picture. People coming onto the beach with their deckchairs, a horse drawn refreshment stall, wheeled bathing machines drawn up to the water. I have no idea of the date but everybody looks to be having a good time. The card is by Lucien Pollet, a regional publisher operating in the first half of the 20th century from 1918 onwards.

 Malo-les-Bains is a 19th Century seaside town and was described as having "fin de siecle charm".  Like my own local beach this vast sandy beach also has a New Years Day swim, I have never been tempted into the water at that time of year, brrr.

Malo-les-Bains is by Dunkirk so the scene in 1940 when the little ships came to rescue British and French troops from this very beach in World War II was very different
as they scuttled their vehicles behind them.
I have never been to this part of northern France but always associate it more with the port, like this card

I discovered on the web. I don't know why because there are some fabulous stretches of sand on this coast.

Beth at  The Best Hearts Are Crunchy  is our hostess for Postcard Friendship Friday

8 comments:

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

It looks so odd, now, to see people on the beach in what seems to be their Sunday best, men in suits and hats. I'd never heard of Malo le Bains until today and yet I live in the area from which many of the little ships went out to Dunkirk.

Joy said...

Just like me, despite this year being Dunkirk anniversary. Discover the card before the place. You could plan a whole holiday itinerary round that concept.

Funoldhag said...

What a contrast between the first two postcards. The beachgoers in the first one are certainly having a great day on the beach. How times have changed. And thank you for the comment on Hannah - she is an amazing young lady. Carol

Snap said...

Fun to look at clothing of previous eras. Happy PFF

MrCachet said...

Great card! Do you know how old it is?

Joy said...

No indication of date I tried to find something on the wheeled cabins to see when they were last used there, no luck. If I had to make a guess I would say the 1920s.

Beth Niquette said...

These are absolutely wonderful! I loved looking closely at what al the people were doing. I imagine they had NO idea how our world would change since then. Wow...

Happy PFF!

Paul van Yperen said...

The first one is a beautiful card. You give it an interesting context in your post by adding the pictures and the information about Dunkerque. Happy PFF.