Houlgate is a seaside resort on the Côte Fleurie (Flowery Coast) created between the municipalities of Gonneville-sur-Mer to the east and south and Dives-sur-Mer to the west. It extends on the moors of Beuzeval, a former farming and fishermen village located on the banks of the Drochon. Houlgate, renowned for its seaside architecture typical of the Belle Epoque, covers an area of 1,160 acres (470 ha) and currently has 1,711 permanent inhabitants. Its name is a common toponymic type in Normandy derived from the compound of Norse (medieval Scandinavian language) origin hola gata, which means hollow path.