Deauville

Deauville has been the seaside escape of Parisian high society since the 1860s, when the Duc de Morny — half-brother of Napoleon III — transformed a stretch of Norman coastline into the most fashionable beach resort in France. Its famous boardwalk, Les Planches, lined with cabanas bearing Hollywood stars' names from the annual American Film Festival, evokes an era of timeless elegance. Coco Chanel opened her first boutique here in 1913, and the town's influence on French fashion — the casual chic of sailor stripes, linen, and espadrilles — endures to this day. The Casino Barriere de Deauville, a magnificent 1912 building facing the sea, anchors the town's social life alongside the Bar du Soleil, where the jet set gathers for sunset cocktails. The racecourse, home to the prestigious Prix du Jockey Club and Prix de Diane, draws an elegant crowd in summer, and the polo grounds at nearby Tourgeville host international tournaments through August. Across the river Touques, Trouville offers a more authentic, working-class counterpoint — the fish market on the quay is legendary, and the restaurants along the boardwalk serve platters of fruits de mer that rival any on the French coast. The Normandy Barriere hotel, a mock-Tudor masterpiece built in 1912, remains Deauville's most iconic address, while the Royal Barriere offers a more contemporary alternative. For dining, L'Essentiel holds a Michelin star for creative cuisine using Norman ingredients, and the seafood at Augusto on the Trouville quay is outstanding. The surrounding Pays d'Auge countryside — green hills, apple orchards, half-timbered farmhouses — produces some of France's finest Camembert, calvados, and cidre, making a gastronomic driving tour through the inland villages a perfect complement to the coastal elegance. Deauville is just two hours from Paris by car or the direct train, making it the most accessible luxury weekend escape from the capital.

Highlights