Deauville, also called the pearl on the Côte Fleurie or the “bathtub of Paris” is located 2 hours by car from Paris in the French department of Calvados on the English Channel. During summer months, Deauville’s population of 4,500 grows many times over as young and old and especially the haute volee flock to this fine seaside resort on the “Breton Sea”. Come with us on our trip to Deauville!
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Heringsdorf, Binz, Ahrenshoop – wonderful! Yet, sometimes it is not enough. Sometimes one merely wants a little more than just the ocean, blue skies, and puffy white clouds, something exceptional and exclusive. I would advise: DEAUVILLE in France, the chic seaside resort in the French Département Calvados on the English Channel. So, off to Normandy! It is a two-hour drive by car from Paris. Although Deauville has had its own airport since 1931, it is somewhat cumbersome to reach.
Deauville – A paradise for high society
It was not by chance that Coco Chanel opened her first boutique in this place of elegance and aristocracy. This paradise of the rich and beautiful quickly garnered the name »the bathtub of Paris.« It earned this name because when the summer months become unbearably hot in Paris, high society, both young and old, descend upon this fine seaside resort on the Côte Fleurie. Between June and September of any given year, Deauville’s population of 4,500 grows many times over. This coast along the »Breton Sea« has always been a sought-after place for relaxation and vacationing. Alexandre Dumas, Flaubert, and later also Marcel Proust, spent many summers here.
Deauville’s history
No wonder Napoléon the III’s half-brother, Charles de Morny, came up with the idea of creating this noble gem in the 1850s, from the small farming village of Deauville, with a total of 100 inhabitants and surrounded by swamps, old dunes, and bogs. He was guaranteed success with this development. Increasingly more celebrities such as Baron Henri de Rothschild or movie stars such as Liz Taylor, Cary Grant, Omar Sharif, and Maurice Chevalier, or dancers such as Josephine Baker made the streets of Deauville a place of summer pilgrimage. Magnificent and lavish Belle Époque inspired hotels, restaurants, and villas emerged, and soon the boutiques were full of customers. This town is full of life and charm! A visit is always worthwhile.
Celebrities have become the attraction
Gabrielle Chanel opened her first boutique in Deauville in 1912. She started with wide-brimmed hats, but then offered comfortable sportswear made of jersey material in the now-famous nautical theme. That totally contradicted the prevailing fashion sense of figure-hugging, corset-supported clothing, but her business flourished. It graces the sun on the most elegant street in town, on the Rue Gontaut-Biron, adorned with a large, white awning with »CHANEL« inscribed in large black letters.
Les Planches de Deauville and much more
Even today, Deauville thrives on the glitz and glamour of high society. The Boulevard de la Mer, the 643-meter (2109-foot) long boardwalk »Les Planches«, a promenade along the beach made of tropical hardwood planks or the »La Potiniere« square, are becoming a favorite meeting place and runway for models and millionaires alike.
The beach promanade. A “Walk of Fame”
Every September since 1975, stars and starlets of Hollywood have accepted the invitation to the »Deauville American Film Festival« on the flower coast. And so, celebrities: Harrison Ford, Gloria Swanson, Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, George Clooney, as well as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Michael Douglas, Johnny Depp, Pierce Brosnan, and many others were all present. The festival features independent films, works created on small budgets, although often a part of the production cost is covered by foreign pre-sale. Walking along the famous wooden boardwalk, one is delighted to see these celebrity names adorning the beach huts. These »Pompeian bath-inspired« cabins were erected in 1923, according to the plans of thearchitect Charles Adda.Featuring columns and atria, they are reminiscent of ancient models. Of course, one does not know whether George Clooney, for example, actually changed into his swimming trunks in this particular cabin adorned with his name; even so, this maritime »Walk of Fame« has no equal. What is striking on the beach are the five-colored umbrellas, which are a subject for photographers time and again.
Deauville – A city that lives by and for the horse
A second major highlight are the year-round horse races, which take place in Deauville. The racetrack was also built by Charles de Morny, the city founder, in 1864. The racetrack measures approximately 2,000 m (1.24 miles) in length. In addition, the complex also has three polo fields ready for international tournaments. A second racetrack lies outside Deauville, which is reachable on a day trip. The many races throughout the year are also associated with auctions, where valuable racehorses change hands. Deauville lives by and for the horse. Riding on the beach at low tide is a unique thrill for many.
The Casino – one of Deauville’s attractions
A casino has been a part of the Deauville seaside resort since 1864. In 1912, it was rebuilt in the same place. It is situated directly on the beach and is famous for its magnificent lighting, making nights at the beach particularly exceptional. One could easily imagine how they indulged themselves here in the abundant pre-war era before World War I. If you want to try your luck at roulette, poker, or blackjack, you should not miss the opportunity of reserving a table in advance at this grand house.
Attractions in abundance
With that, the array of attractions worth seeing in Deauville is far from being exhausted. The yacht marina alone, Port Deauville, with its modern residential area erected in the 1970s, is well worth seeing; famous villas denote important owners, a convention center, the Centre International de Deauville, whose main area, was built underground, so as not to deny an ocean view, has been impressing guests and attendees since 1992. Those who have the time and feel inspired should visit the Les Franciscaines de Deauville; a media center, an event hall, and a museum offering pure culture. It is situated only five minutes from the ocean. An exhibition of American photographer»Irving Penn« is running until May 28, 2023, and you can enjoy the »Esprit POP, es-tu là?« exhibition until June 25, 2023. In addition to the sights in Deauville, there is an array of possible activities along the entire »flower coast«. There are many recommended seaside resorts – there is something suitable for every taste. One should not miss going to Trouville-sur-Mer in the immediate vicinity, with its impressive old city center on the »Touques« river mouth. Here, it is more leisurely, more provincial. A little further, but also worth seeing, is Honfleur. This is a region that boasts marvelous sandy beaches far and wide –the perfect place to relax along your journey.
Eugène Boudin – he painted the Côte Fleurie
Here, on the French Channel coast, the first painters left their studios in the 19th century and immediately started painting freely in nature. They were later named the Impressionists. Before the impressionists, one of the first to pursue open air painting was Eugène Boudin (1824 – 1898). Born in Honfleur, he later ran a business selling picture frames and stationery in Le Havre. And so, he got to know painters, who encouraged him to paint, and he refined his skills by studying art in Paris. He got to know Gustave Courbet, Eugène Isabey, Johan Barthold Jongkind, Claude Monet, as well as Constant Troyon, who were enthused by the »plein-air« (outdoor) paintings he had already done. All the interesting places along the coast offered him motifs, especially Trouville and Deauville, which he continually captured time and again in his colorful paintings. From 1861, he regularly stayed in Deauville and purchased the »La Breloque« villa, where he died in 1898.
Deauville, Deauville – no, we will not forget you
There are so many sights to admire in the posh seaside resort of Deauville that one could almost overlook the primary element of a beach vacation: the ocean! With its gentle, sometimes churning, then wild waves, the broad, inviting beach with its colorful umbrellas, and the light breeze, visitors may almost forget, while lost in a daydream, that they are lying in one of the most famous seaside resorts of the past 150 years in Europe.
