Coden is a small unincorporated fishing village near Bayou la Batre, Alabama, United States, approximately 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Mobile. The name of the town is derived from the French "Coq d'Inde," meaning "Turkey. " At the beginning of the Twentieth Century, the area was known as a resort, with the Rolston Hotel drawing guests from around the region. The hotel was destroyed by a hurricane in the early Twentieth Century, and the community fell on hard times. Today, it is again attracting those from other areas seeking the cool ocean breezes and tranquility that lured so many visitors nearly a century ago. Today, Coden's lure is the gentle sound of the waters of Portersville Bay, fishing, and relaxation. Fresh seafood is available daily on Shell Belt Road from fishing boats returning to Bayou Coden. Coden lies on the southern shore of the mainland, just across the Mississippi Sound from Dauphin Island and is one stop along Alabama's Coastal Birding Trail.