Just over two hours from Paris by train or car, the twin towns of Deauville and Trouville-sur-Mer on the Normandy coast have long lured Parisians with their Art Deco charm and relaxed atmosphere. While the South of France tends to steal the spotlight as far as beaches are concerned, Normandy is a much more convenient and low-key getaway from the hustle of the city. Both Deauville and Trouville-sur-Mer border the water and feel quintessentially French—cobblestone streets wind between quaint Tudor-style buildings, checkered bistro chairs spill onto sidewalks at buzzy restaurants, and candy-colored umbrellas and striped cabanes are sprinkled along the wide, sandy beach. My Parisian husband spent his childhood summers there, and now that we have our own kids, we’ve returned to Deauville several times over the years. It’s an easy weekend trip from the city, and while the towns are now fairly well-known with high-end shops, horse racing, polo events, and the Deauville American Film Festival held every September, this corner of France is still charming and not over touristed.
Our most recent escape to the area was prompted by the April vacances—a two-week school break for our five-year-old and toddler, and the perfect excuse for us to slip away from the city for a bit of fresh air. We packed up our kids and set off on the short drive to the coast, making a worthwhile detour to visit Monet’s home and gardens in Giverny. If you plan to visit his home, I highly recommend purchasing tickets in advance, as lines for entry can be quite long.
The village of Giverny is small and easily walkable, with plenty of cafés, restaurants and museums dotted throughout. The weather was on our side, so we enjoyed a relaxed lunch outdoors on the terrace at La Parenthèse—a casual restaurant where our kids could play in the garden between courses. Afterwards, we grabbed a coffee for the road from La Capucine, which also seemed popular for lunch, and took note of Restaurant Baudy—which was also recommended by friends—for another visit. If we hadn’t been on toddler nap-time countdown, I would’ve loved to linger a bit longer and visit the Musée Giverny Impressionnismes, but instead, we hopped back in the car to finish the drive.
For those heading to Normandy from Paris without a car, you can cut out the Giverny diversion and get on a direct train to the center of Deauville. With Trouville just a short walk away across a bridge, both towns are easily accessible on foot. The area has a range of Airbnbs (we’ve previously stayed at this seafront apartment in Trouville), but this time we opted to stay at Hôtel Flaubert, a Neo-Norman style boutique hotel right on the beach. It has a cozy, inn-like atmosphere and was a great home base, steps from the water and minutes from the center of town. Most rooms have sea views and a coastal color palette of blue and white that feel fitting with the scenery. After checking in, we traded our luggage for sand toys and headed towards the beach to fulfill a promise of seashell scavenging. Each time we returned to the hotel throughout our stay, our daughter took delight in asking for the heavy brass room key, while the friendly hotel attendant tucked away our stroller and other sand-filled belongings.
Normandy famously has unpredictable and often gloomy weather, so thankfully there’s plenty to do beyond the beach. We began most mornings with coffee and a slice of cake on the terrace at Villa Gypsy, a quaint café and boutique, and one of the few spots serving a quality latte in the area. (Many local businesses open later in the morning and are often closed several days a week, so plan accordingly.) After our morning coffee, we strolled the streets of Trouville before deciding on the day’s main outing: a museum visit one day, and a trip across the bridge to Deauville for lunch and a game of miniature golf the next, and we always incorporated some beach time when the weather permitted. One of the highlights of our trip was visiting Les Franciscaines, a beautifully restored cultural center near the Deauville hippodrome. Entry is free and inside there’s a multi-level library, rotating exhibitions, and a salon de thé, and we found it to be a wonderful stop for both adults and children. Another culture hit is the Musée Villa Montebello in Trouville—a museum dedicated to local history and artists, with creative workshops for all ages. If your visit coincides with the French vacances, be sure to register early for the workshops, as they tend to fill up quickly.
Deauville has some high-end boutiques, including a smaller outpost of the famous Parisian department store Printemps, located on the main Place de Morny. And design enthusiasts will appreciate Le BO Magasin, Par Hasard Maison, and La Maison, which has a casual cafe that’s perfect if you have kids in tow. In Trouville, L’Usage du Papier is a personal favorite—a charming book and paper shop with a tasteful edit of curiosities, like the embroidered pencil bag that I happily brought home as a souvenir. À La Petite Jeanette is another beloved women’s clothing store which I’ve yet to visit, but have saved for next time.
And finally, the main event in Normandy: dining. The region is known for its exceptional seafood, and both towns have lively fish markets and classic brasseries where starched white tablecloths practically overflow with trays of fresh oysters. If seafood isn’t your thing, most menus also have the typical French classics like steak frites. Some of our tried-and-true favorites are Le Drakkar, Les Vapeurs, Le Central, Le Comptoir et la Table, and Les Quatre Chats. For something more refined, L’Essentiel is a standout. And don’t miss Martine Lambert, Deauville’s beloved ice cream institution, for a sweet treat. If you’re traveling with kids, book earlier reservations to avoid the crowds, and maybe save Les Quatre Chats and L’Essentiel for another visit.
By the end of our short trip, our daughter was already asking when we could return—and I couldn’t blame her. A few days of building seashell-topped sandcastles, making trips to the glacier, and playing surprisingly competitive rounds of mini golf were such simple joys that made the getaway memorable for all of us. And beyond these towns we’ve come to love, there’s still so much of Normandy to explore—like the artistic port city of Honfleur, or the dramatic cliffs of Étretat—that we know will keep us coming back.
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