Deauville City Center
About Deauville City Center
Deauville's city center is an elegant Belle Époque seaside resort created from marshland in 1859 by the Duc de Morny, Napoleon III's half-brother. The heart of the town is Place Morny, a star-shaped square where eight streets converge, featuring an 1896 fountain and weekly markets. Rue Eugène Colas and Rue Gontaut-Biron offer luxury shopping in Norman half-timbered buildings, with brands like Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel - the latter opened her first boutique here. Over 550 buildings are listed as historical monuments, showcasing Anglo-Norman, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco architecture. The famous Les Planches boardwalk stretches 762 meters along the beach with 450 celebrity-named beach cabins. Les Franciscaines cultural center, opened in 2021 in a restored 19th-century convent, houses a museum and media library. The entire center is pedestrian-friendly and free to explore, making it ideal for leisurely strolls between the beach, Casino Barrière, and the charming streets.
Interesting Facts
Coco Chanel invented her signature "beige Chanel" color in Deauville, inspired by the wet sand on the beach. She opened her first fashion boutique on Rue Gontaut-Biron in 1913, selling hats and simple jersey sportswear that revolutionized women's fashion by freeing them from corsets.
Claude Lelouch's 1966 film "Un homme et une femme" (A Man and a Woman), which won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and two Academy Awards, made Deauville internationally famous. The film's romantic scenes on Les Planches boardwalk turned this small town of 4,000 residents into France's most recognizable seaside resort.
Place Morny was designed as a miniature copy of Paris's Place de l'Étoile (now Place Charles de Gaulle), with eight streets radiating from a central fountain like spokes of a wheel. The Duc de Morny wanted his new resort to feel like a Parisian arrondissement by the sea, and today Deauville is still nicknamed "Paris's 21st arrondissement."
Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
Location & Practical Info
Address
Place Morny, 14800 Deauville, France
Website
https://www.indeauville.frDay Routes
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