206km (128 miles) NW of Paris; 47km (29 miles) NE of Caen
Deauville has been associated with the rich and famous since the Duc de Morny, Napoleon III’s half-brother, founded it as an upscale resort in 1859. In 1913, it entered sartorial history when Coco Chanel launched her career here, opening a boutique selling tiny hats that challenged the fashion of huge-brimmed hats loaded with flowers and fruit. Chanel cultivated a tradition of elegance that dominates Deauville. It’s classy, restrained, and understated—precisely the qualities that have been attracting well-heeled Parisians in overwhelming numbers since the early 20th century. They’re the ones who unselfconsciously call Deauville the 21st arrondissement of Paris.
