Things to see and do in Deauville

A popular seaside resort for locals and tourists alike, Deauville oozes style. Hosting glamorous events such as horse races and polo matches and the prestigious annual Deauville American Film Festival, Deauville also boasts two world-class golf courses, a thalassotherapy spa, and high-end hotels, boutiques and restaurants, not to mention its magnificent beach and famous boardwalk.

Don’t miss

Beach, boardwalk and beach huts: Deauville boasts 2km of sandy beach complete with 450 colourful parasols, 22 beach-front shops and bars, a seawater Olympic swimming pool, riding school and tennis club, making it a perfect place for day-trippers, holiday-makers and sport lovers of all ages, all year round. Deauville’s famous wooden boardwalk (Les Planches) dates back to 1923, stretches the entirety of the beach and features 450 Art Deco beach huts adorned with the names or the many actors and directors to have frequented the Deauville American Film Festival over the years. Don’t miss the stunning Pompeian bathing area behind the beach huts, with its fountains, mosaics, pillars and pools. Here, you can hire one of Deauville’s legendary parasols or relax on deckchairs and in beach huts.

Hippodrome Deauville-la-Touques: The older of Deauville’s two famous racecourses, Deauville-la-Touques was built in 1864 near the centre of town, and stages races throughout the year. Three playing fields in the centre of the racecourse also regularly welcome some of the best polo players in the world.

Elie de Brignac horse auction house: Although also used as a theatre, this covered amphitheatre is run by major thoroughbred horse auctioneers Arqana and hosts around ten sales throughout the year in two race disciplines (flat and trotting), including the prestigious August Yearling Sale dedicated to English thoroughbreds, which attracts professionals from all over the world.

Les Franciscaines (opening Spring 2021): As its name suggests, this beautiful building was once home to the Franciscan order. It was sold to Deauville in 2012 and has since been entirely restored to house a museum, auditorium and media library, arranged across five zones, including one for children, all thematically linked to Deauville and its history. The museum will also exhibit works by André Hambourg, who donated over 500 paintings to the town, and other contemporary pieces.

Villa Strassburger: This remarkable house, which was classed a national historic monument in 1975, was built in 1907 by Baron Henri de Rothschild and purchased by the American millionaire Ralph-Beaver Strassburger in 1924. Its architecture is typical of a late 19th century Belle Epoque villa in the surrounding Pays d’Auge area, its ground floor built with a mix of chequered bricks, its upper floor half-timbered. Inside, original furniture, décor and paintings give a fascinating insight into life during this time.

Casino Barrière: This Belle Epoque casino, among the leading establishments of its kind in Europe, stands on the site of the first casino, opened in 1864. Its lights have illuminated the sea front since 1912, and are a reminder of the splendour of this time. One particular highlight is the casino’s proscenium theatre built in 1910, whose horseshoe shape and Toile de Jouy decorations were inspired by the Petit Trianon theatre in Versailles. 

Centre International de Deauville: Opened in 1992, this state-of-the-art seafront complex hosts major events and conferences, including screenings and awards ceremonies for the Deauville American Film Festival. Quite the technological feat, the whole complex is buried several metres underground to preserve the surrounding seaside environment.

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