La Villa du Temps Retrouvé - Cabourg

Eugène Boudin

The old port, Deauville

Eugène Boudin

Boats at low tide, Trouville

Eugène Boudin

Evening effect, Etretat

During the Belle Époque, Western Europe’s fascination with the Middle East gave rise to a major artistic and literary movement: Orientalism. Painters and writers conjured up an idealised Orient, both mysterious and dazzling, which captured the collective imagination and sparked a desire to escape.

As the prestigious terminus of the Orient Express’s maiden voyage, Constantinople became the iconic destination for this Western longing for travel. A cultural, economic and diplomatic crossroads, the city captivated visitors with its millennia-old history and architecture. Tourist guides of the time offered itineraries for travellers in search of the exotic and the picturesque. Many had their photographs taken dressed in Turkish attire, seeking to embody this fantasised Orient, whilst ignoring the signs of modernity in a society undergoing rapid change. Their stay, often rushed, lasted only a few days before their return.

Aware of the need to provide a welcoming place for these new travellers, the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits opened the Pera Palace in 1892: a modern and prestigious establishment that quickly became legendary. Among its most famous guests were Sarah Bernhardt, Mata Hari, Greta Garbo and Agatha Christie, all passengers on the Orient Express.