Deauville and next door Trouville are two elegant towns on the Normandy coast of France. Many years ago my parents spent a year living in Deauville. At the time I was living in London but I used to visit them as often as I could. So, on a trip to Normandy in more recent years, I decided to revisit Deauville. Peter had never been before so he was happy to see this chic seaside resort known as the Parisian Riviera.
The flat sandy beaches of Deauville, and its proximity to the capital make it a popular holiday location for Parisians and visitors from all over the globe. With two race courses, it’s not unusual for early morning walkers to catch glimpses of race horses getting their sunrise exercise along the beach
Deauville, the Parisian Riviera
We visited on a beautiful warm September day but, like many seaside towns in France, most of the beachfront cafes were closed. The summer season was over. But the Bar du Soleil on the boardwalk was open. Plenty of customers were enjoying the last remnants of summer. We therefore decided to pause on our stroll along “Les Planches” for a drink and a plate of frites. It was a very relaxing and enjoyable hour or so just sitting there watching the world go by.
Peter loves Art Deco so was fascinated by this building. Le Point De Vue is an iconic building on the Deauville beachfront. Designed by architect, Georges Wybo, it was opened in 1929 as the clubhouse for the Deauville Yacht Club. It closed during World War 2 and reopened as a night club in 1960. Since then it has undergone varying uses from a gym to the headquarters of the Honda Racing Club. Now it is used as an exhibition hall and a place for meetings.
Promenade des Planches
The iconic Promenade des Planches, a 634-metre boardwalk along the beach, was built in the early 1920’s to allow women to walk without getting sand in their shoes. The beach cabins along the boardwalk bear the names of Hollywood stars. This is in homage to the film festival (Festival du Cinema Americain) that takes place in Deauville each year.
We’d just missed the Deauville Film Festival so we didn’t get to rub shoulders with any celebrities, but Deauville was just as grand as I remembered with its impressive sea front properties. I enjoyed our wander down the boardwalk. If only the authorities back home in Perth would make equally good use of our coastline.
For those wanting to visit, there are an abundance of things to do from sailing, to golf. There are two casinos, one in Deauville and another in neighbouring Trouville. Deauville is also home to many top quality restaurants and elegant designer boutiques.
Deauville is 200 kms from Paris. It takes approximately two and a half hours to drive there or a two hour train ride.
Click here for more information and the official tourism page.
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