Dreaming of Deauville

Distinctly Deauville

With Deauville and the G8 summit in the news right now, I’ve found myself dreaming of this princely Norman town by the sea. How I loved to go there for weekend getaways from Paris, especially during spring when the bucolic scenery of Normandy—this renowned apple-and-cheese region of France—is most verdant.

Northern Riviera Splendor

A speedy two-and-a-half-hour drive from the capital, Deauville rates high on the list of favorite Parisian weekend destinations. Aside from socializing, gambling, and playing golf, the favorite thing to do in this pristine seaside resort is to walk along les planches, one of the most famous boardwalks on earth. Even on blustery days you can spot pleasure-seekers strolling along as the wind snaps at the myriad brightly colored parasols and their thick sashes of contrasting hues.

Where Horse Shopping and Other Types of Purchasing Reign Supreme

Deauville’s Beach Scene

Another activity that scores major points as a popular Deauville pastime is shopping. One look around this perfectly manicured storybook town and you can see why: Big-name boutiques abound. Set up mostly on the streets surrounding the casino, these chic showplaces look like satellite shops of their larger mother houses back in Paris. If you walk inland toward the heart of the commercial district, you’ll see further evidence that Deauville is the Norman town à la parisienne; the impeccable half-timbered houses, the irreproachable flower beds, and their Haussmann-like alignment of streets create a look far more refined than what you would expect in a quaint Norman town. There are so many traiteurs (a more upscale version of our delis) here that you’d think that you were in the 16th arrondissement in Paris. Between these pricey takeouts and the plenitude of restaurants, it’s clear that second residence dwellers don’t cook at home much. Visitors also regale in these food and wine lovers’ boutiques, since there you’ll find a wagon-full of fine comestibles such as farm-fresh cheeses, cider, Calvados and more.

Regional Gastronomy at Les Vapeurs: Cider, Calvados, Cheese, Oh My! 

My All-Time Favorite Dining Spot on the Northern Riviera

Les Vapeurs Brasserie

Obtaining a table here for Saturday lunch is like finding a quiet spot on the beach during the month of August. Here you can at least reserve in advance—just like les habitués who ritually race up the highway from Paris in time for the midday meal aux Vapeurs, THE unofficial start of the weekend. Once here, you will be greeted by effusive salutations of bonjour madame, bonjour monsieur in typical politesse française, but the hurly-burly of this popular seafood restaurant keeps the waitstaff busy enough that they won’t fawn over you—in fact, you may be left to debone your exquisitely prepared sole meunière all on your own. Their moules meunières taste just as delectable, and if you want to order like the locals, you’ll have the mussels, then the sole, followed up by fraises melba (strawberries and whipped cream)! As you languish on their lobster-red banquettes, you’ll have a fine view of the marvelous photos, advertising posters, and neon signs that plaster the yellowed walls like mementos in an old scrapbook.

160/162 quai Férnand-Moureux, Trouville; tel.: 02.31.88.15.24; Brasserie: Moderate-Expensive; Open year-round; www.lesvapeurs.fr

Les Vapeurs: An Institution

The above text was adapted and excerpted from my book, “The Riches of France: A Shopping and Touring Guide to the French Provinces.” It’s currently out of print, but still may be obtained through amazon.com and other booksellers. Although published by St. Martin’s Press over a decade ago, the information is still quite current since most of the places and establishments I included in that book are wonderful bastions of French tradition.

For more information on the Normandy region of France and more, visit us.FranceGuide.com, the official Web site of the French Government Tourist Office. For Deauville specifically, go to Deauville Tourisme.

Thank you to Atout France, CDT Calvados, Jacques Lorin, Elizabeth Parker and Jêrome Meslin for the use of the above images.