Take me there: Deauville, France
Why go?
With its Belle Epoque hotels, bathing huts and air of faded grandeur, the seaside town of Deauville is the French answer to Brighton. But instead of beach volleyball you’ll find boules, and instead of fish and chip shops, chic brasseries serving oysters and langoustines. Fashionable Deauville was once a favourite haunt of Napoleon and Coco Chanel, and a busy calendar of horseracing events, polo matches and the annual Deauville American Film Festival ensure that it’s still on the circuit for high society. New flights being launched this year by Ryanair (from 3 April) and Flybe (from 22 June) will make it easier than ever for us to join them.
What to do
Take in the sea air on the Promenade des Planches – the famous boardwalk – or go window-shopping in the ritzy boutiques around Place Morny. Catch a ferry across the River Touques to the jolly resort of Trouville, which has a daily fish market, beachfront casino and regular exhibitions at the Villa Montebello, former summer residence of Napoleon. The D-Day beaches and attractive port of Honfleur are within easy striking distance.
Where to eat
No visit to this stretch of coast is complete without a bowl of moules marinière in the quintessentially French Les Vapeurs, a seafood brasserie in Trouville (lesvapeurs.fr).
Where to stay
La Cerisée is a charming little B&B in the centre of town with just two guest rooms, including a self-contained cottage with its own kitchen (from €130, chambre-hotes-deauville.com). Les Manoirs de Tourgeville is a cosseting hotel set in beautiful parkland a few miles inland (from €170, lesmanoirstourgeville.com).
Insider tip
The best place to pick up specialities, such as camembert and cider, is at the food market on Place du Marché, says Yves-Marie Guguen of Les Manoirs de Tourgeville: “Traditional markets are held on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday and they sell local produce as well as arts and crafts.”
Give me a break
HOME Peak District adventure weekend: Lost Earth Adventures is holding two activity weekends in the Peak District in May, which will give families the chance to try their hand at rock climbing, gorge scrambling and mountain biking. The weekends, on 2-4 May and 22-24 May, cost £249pp and include all activities, some meals, plus three nights’ accommodation (lostearthadventures.co.uk).
AWAY Living history in Brussels: Celebrate the bicentenary of Wellington’s victory at the Battle of Waterloo this year with a stay at Hougoumont in Belgium – the site of Napoleon’s final defeat. The Landmark Trust has restored a former gardener’s house situated on this historic estate near Brussels and is offering stays in a two-bedroom apartment from £482 for four nights (landmarktrust.org.uk).
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