Poirot's Merlinville-sur-Mer

by Kimmarie McCrann

The year is 1923. Belgian detective Hercule Poirot is bored out of his mind in London. When he receives a mysterious letter pleading with him to sail across the English Channel to France, he’s all too thrilled to become wrapped up in a dense murder case. And thus begins the plot of Agatha Christie’s The Murder on the Links.

Poirot travels to the fictional town of Merlinville-sur-Mer, which is located about halfway between the real French towns of Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer. This stretch of land between Boulogne and Calais is along the northwestern coast of France, making it the nearest point of connection between France and the United Kingdom. Today, tourists can easily traverse between the two port cities in 40 minutes by car, or by taking a 30-minute direct train for only 2.10 euros (2.16 USD). Curious minds can get an idea of what Merlinville-Sur-Mer might look like by researching French towns like Marquise, Wissant, and Saint-Inglevert, which are all located on Côte d’Opal, or, the Opal Coast. All of these towns are characterized by their quaint ambiance, stony cathedrals and villas, and lush green landscapes. Although “Merlinville” has no direct translation to English, the French phrase “sur-mer” means “on sea,” which is a direct reference to its coastal atmosphere.

In the novel The Murder on the Links, Hercule Poirot describes Merlinville-sur-Mer as being “a quiet little place—but chic!” Poirot then goes on to describe Merlinville’s rapid ascension into the world of popularity and tourism, saying, “Rich English people who wish to be quiet are taking it up." Indeed, France in the early 1920s was becoming more and more culturally and socially ambitious. This French renaissance is known as the “Années Folles,” which literally translates to “crazy years.”

Across the pond in the United States, the same time period is often referred to as the “Roaring Twenties.” Despite the northwest of France recovering from economic and political instability only five years after the end of World War I (Calais was the target of multiple bombings during WWI), this era was still distinguished by a flourishing of art, music, and literary collaborations.

The Art Deco movement, derived from the French term Arts Décoratifs, flourished in the United States and Europe in the 1920s to early 1930s. Featuring new materials like ebony and ivory, Art Deco stylist choices represented luxury, glamour, and progress. People rejected pre-war values and ideologies, and embraced a new wave. Women wore long-hemmed dresses that did not accentuate their frames like the tightly-wound corsets of the past. Some women were beginning to wear trousers in public for physical activities, but this would not reach mainstream popularity for another fifty years or so. Men often wore tailored suits and shortcropped hair with hats. Jewel tones, pastels, and colors that had not been commonly donned in previous decades were now being embraced. There was an air of elegance, but also fun, in the way they dressed.

In Christie’s Merlinville-sur-Mer, one can imagine that its characters ate food typical of the northwestern region of France at the time. Historically, cuisine in this region relied on locally-farmed butter or lard, with little use of oil. Popular foods included herring and mussels from the nearby sea, which became the Belgian-French dish moules-frites, or, mussels with french fries. Heartier foods like meat, poultry, herring, and cheese were also commonly consumed, with maroilles being an iconic cow’s milk cheese from the region. Carbonnade flamande is a famous dish found in Northern France with Belgian origins (thanks Poirot!) made of beef marinated in beer. Chicory root was used as a coffee substitute, which was a leftover idea from wartime in France. It was cheaper and more readily available than coffee, and did not have to be imported. Calvados was, and still is, a popular brandy made from apples and pears, which originated in the Normandy region. The wealthy Renauld and Van Hoven families seen in The Murder on the Links, were likely consuming these kinds of extravagant and rich foods, saying “bon appétit!” all the while.

However, it wasn’t all parties and folly in the early 1920s. Tensions were heating up between France and Germany, as a result of Germany’s repeated refusal to provide wartime reparations as agreed upon in the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. This resulted in the “Occupation of the Ruhr” from January 1923 to August 1925. French and Belgian troops together invaded the Ruhr business district of western Germany, with the intention of staying there until Germany supplied the predetermined coal and other raw materials required by the Treaty. Amongst acts of sabotage and retaliation, an estimated 137 civilians were killed and 600 were injured during the Ruhr’s occupation. Eventually, France and Belgium accepted the Dawes Plan of 1924, which restructured and lowered the cost of Germany’s reparations, and eventually led to the Franco-Belgian forces withdrawing their occupied troops. This cross-borders conflict greatly impacted the nearby northwestern region of France in 1923. In Christie's fictional Merlinville-sur-Mer, political pressures and a general feeling of suspicion would have been felt regarding any foreigners visiting the region, and even the most affluent of families likely suffered some form of economic instability with the nearby wartime rivalry.

Looking to plan your next “Euro Summer”? Consider picking up a copy of The Murder on the Links and heading to the north of Francesans the murder! Although tourists can’t travel to Agatha Christie’s Merlinville-sur-Mer, they can enjoy its surrounding region today and all the rich food, culture, and scenery it has to offer. This Upper Normandy locality is only about two hours away from Paris by train, and offers a wide variety of outdoor activities, like horseback riding, hiking, sailing, and of course, golfing. Boasting a whopping 36 golf courses in the region, “golfing holidays” are a popular attraction for visitors. Luxurious hotels and villas provide easy access to the links. Gentle rolling hills amongst forests, lakes, and valleys offer a peaceful, green sporting atmosphere. Some of the more well-known courses in the area include Golf D’Evreux, Golf du Havre, and Golf D’Etretat for a seaside view. So, what are you waiting for? Come see the Portland Stage production of Murder on the Links, and then see the real thing!