10 Best Things to Do in Deauville

Deauville's beaches, known for their long stretches of soft sands and calm pristine waters, are among the best attractions in this renowned beach town. The main and most iconic beach is Plage de Deauville, also known as Les Planches, easily recognisable by its brightly coloured umbrellas.

Weekends can get quite busy as people come in from the city, so be prepared to navigate modest crowds if you hit the beach on a Saturday or Sunday. If you have a weekday available though, you can enjoy the still, calm waters with a little more privacy.

Whether or not you like to gamble, it’s worth taking the opportunity to catch a glimpse of Casino Barrière de Deauville, the world-famous Deauville casino. The immaculate façade, with its majestic high windows and entrance hall, will have you feeling like you’re entering a royal palace instead of a gaming hall. And the inside is just as stunning. Crystal chandeliers, high ceilings, and lavish red and gold decorations surround card tables and lots of slot machines.

You can also enjoy delicious local cuisine at the casino’s wide variety of restaurants or check out the latest entertainment offerings in their Renaissance theatre.

Sailing in Deauville, a town with 2 ports and a reliable sailing school, offers a unique experience as it regularly hosts regattas and events that attract sailors worldwide. You can relax at the Deauville Yacht Club and watch the sailors and their boats at sea, or even indulge in some seabird watching while sailing the Seine Estuary.

The Deauville Yacht Club offers 2-hour sails for travellers over the age of 3. You can relax on deck while an expert skipper takes you for a spin on the English Channel. If you really want to make the most of the experience, remember to pack a picnic or bring a bottle of champagne.

Deauville's iconic grand hotels, Hôtel Barrière Le Normandy Deauville and Hôtel Barrière Le Royal Deauville, were opened in 1912 to attract chic Parisian travellers and British high society. Along with Casino Barrière de Deauville, nestled between them, these establishments have become a hotspot for discerning travellers, socialites and movie stars attending the city's renowned film and music festivals.

While visiting, you can take a sightseeing stroll around the properties to marvel at the hotels’ massive entrance halls, high ceilings and delightful parlours and lounges where you can stop to enjoy a delicious afternoon cocktail.

Polo and horse racing is a popular activity in Deauville, and dates back as far as 1863 when horses and riders raced on the beach. In 1864, the famous Deauville La Touques Racecourse was built and opened to the public and it has since become a famous tourist spot. Here, you can enjoy regular annual races that attract many international trainers, jockeys and horses. You can even place a bet here if you’re feeling lucky.

If racing isn’t for you, regular polo matches between some of the world’s best teams are also played here. Matches are typically held in August and open to the public for free during weekdays, while an admission fee is charged for weekend matches.

Between the casino, sailing and horse racing, visit the Deauville Market to enjoy the quieter side of this quaint seaside town. This covered market at the Place du Marché is full of delightful local vendors selling fresh vegetables, food, fish, flowers, homemade crafts and some of the best wine and cheese in the region.

Enjoy your purchases while strolling through the stalls, or take a breather at one of the sidewalk cafés nearby where you can people watch before you continue with your day.

Architect Georges Pichereau built the Villa Strassburger in 1907 for Baron Henri de Rothschild. As he was a fan of the horse races, the Baron wanted a site closer to the racecourse than the sea. The villa overlooks the racetracks and has beautiful interiors and flower gardens.

In 1924, American billionaire Ralph Beaver Strassburger bought the villa. It was subsequently donated to the town of Deauville by his son in 1980. Villa Strassburger has since been listed as a historical French monument. A living museum of the past century, the villa can be rented out for seminars, cocktail parties and wedding receptions.

Golfing in Normandy is a popular pastime and Deauville serves as a popular getaway for players who want to get in some games during their holidays and mini-breaks.

There are several golf courses within easy reach of the town, but if you want to stay close, then opt for the Amirauté golf course. This course near Deauville is just 5 minutes away from the Amirauté Hotel. There is a championship course, a 9-hole course lit at night, 2 putting greens, a driving range, shop, sauna and restaurant. What’s more, you can also enjoy the various artistic sculptures found throughout the club while here.

Eglise Saint Augustin is a lovely church located right in the centre of Deauville. It’s open daily with signs posted whenever there’s a service being held. The church, with its fusion of neo-Gothic and Roman architecture, looks imposing yet reverent. Inside the church, you can enjoy detailed paintings and a large stained glass window that serves as a memorial to World War II.

You can visit the Eglise Saint Augustin to marvel at the architecture, to take a quick breather, or to light a candle and pause for reflection inside the main chapel.

For a historic and unique way to explore Deauville, Trouville and Honfleur, you can tour Normandy by vintage sidecar motorcycle. The tour takes about a couple of hours, and you’ll see several enchanting landmarks along the coast, while an experienced 'gentlemen sider' shares all the best anecdotes, legends and stories about the region. You can even customise your tour based on the sites you specifically want to see.

The motorcycle tour guides all dress the part in authentic vintage biker garb, so dress to match if you want some fun, one-of-a-kind photographic mementos of your trip.