Ouistreham is a port, and home of the Riva Bella seaside area on the Normandy coast of Calvados in France. It has a population of a little over 9,300. It is bordered by the Canal de Caen à la Mer, which connects Caen city with the English Channel. In 2024, I focused on researching Ouistreham for literary and creative cultural connections after completing the Millbay Residency the year before. I am hoping the town will begin to reveal catalysts for a new piece of literary travel writing or a place-making meta-fiction along the lines of ‘Millbay & Mill Bay’. Residencies for Writers and Artists My first discovery was that the town, La Ville de Ouistreham Riva-Bella, had renovated a building and created La Maison des Artistes, specifically to host residencies for artists and writers. On contacting the director, I was very kindly invited to go along for a visit in November. Here was a starting point around which to build a visit and fieldwork. Research Rewarded Then the firs
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