Welcome to the magnificent beach of Deauville! It’s an emblematic destination on the Normandy coast, immortalized many times in film. Charm, elegance and glamour can all be found on the English Channel.
Here are some useful tips for planning your visit to Deauville beach.
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Is Deauville beach worth the effort?
Yes, it’s a beautiful beach and well worth a visit. It is considered one of the most beautiful on the Normandy coast, and also one of the town’s main attractions. Deauville is also a seaside resort renowned for its elegant architecture, luxury boutiques, restaurants and film events. If you’re looking for a beach where you can relax and soak up the sun and sea, while enjoying a refined atmosphere, then Deauville beach is well worth a visit.
Type of beach
Sand or no sand?
The beach floor is made of fine sand, but the waves leave a trail of shells (including razor clams) for the children to enjoy. When broken, however, they can become sharp. You need to be careful if you’re barefoot. In cold weather, the shells crack under the soles of walkers’ shoes.
Swimming conditions and supervision
The bathing area is 550m long and 300m wide. In July and August, 8 lifeguards and 3 CRS patrol the bathing area and beach:
- May 1 to 31, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and long weekends
- June 1 to 30 and September 1 to 30, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and Monday to Friday
- July 1 to August 31 daily, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Find out more here.
Note: large masts topped with a boat, house, train or balloon are planted on the beach in season to help children find their way around.
Installations
450 Art Deco bathing cabins in 9 courtyards can be rented by the day, week, month or season. Inspired by Roman thermal baths, the sea baths and cabins were built in 1923 by architect Charles Adda. The same man who created the Promenade des Planches, a unique 643-meter-long promenade along the shoreline. Don’t miss our article dedicated to Les Planches de Deauville. You can also rent one of Deauville’s famous parasols. Full rental details here.
Deauville beach: access
Where’s the beach?
- In the town of Deauville
- Access from downtown: 15 to 20min walk
- Access from station: 20 to 25min walk
Access by car and parking
Access is easy, but very busy in summer and on fine weekends in spring and autumn. Pay parking spaces are available all along the beach, on the Lais de mer, behind the bathing establishments. Find out more here.
OUR ADVICE FOR RENTING A CAR IN Normandy
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is comfortable enough (distances can be long) but compact (some parking lots and villages are narrow).
- Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
Public transport access
Deauville has no urban transit system. However, the town is served by the Nomad regional bus network. Find out more here.
DISCOVER Deauville
- Best things to do in Deauville
- Where to stay in Deauville: our best hotels
- Where to eat in Deauville: our best restaurants (coming soon)
- How to spend a weekend in Deauville(coming soon)
- Les Planches de Deauville
- Deauville beach (coming soon)
- Visiting Deauville in winter
- Village of Beaumont-en-Auge
- Honfleur or Deauville or Cabourg: where to go?
Special features
Dog
Dogs are not allowed on the beach from 10am to 7pm.
Reduced mobility access
A Tiralo and a Hippocampe are available at the lifeguard’s station for people with motor disabilities, on presentation of their identity card.
With children
The Centre de Loisirs Deauville Plein Air, Espace Jeunes and Happy Deauville Club offer children aged 2 to 17 physical activities on the beach, as well as artistic and manual expression workshops. You can also take your child for a ride on the merry-go-round or the 18-hole, 18-shot mini-golf course!
Naturism
It is not possible to practice naturism on this beach.
Eating out
Between the cabins, you’ll find several bars and restaurants. The most famous is Restaurant Le Ciro’s. For a more relaxed atmosphere, we recommend the Bar du Soleil and the Bar de la Mer.
Hotels
Deauville is packed with small, charming hotels and luxury establishments, including the famous Hotel Le Normandy, which plays host to the stars during the Deauville American Film Festival. Find out more about Deauville’s finest 5-star hotels in our dedicated article.
WHERE TO STAY IN Deauville
Option 1: downtown
For easy access to the beach, beautiful downtown and restaurants… We recommend..:
- Hotel Villa Augeval with its charming manor houses – see prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel Le Patio for good value – see prices, photos and availability
- And for luxury, Hôtel Le Normandy is a must – see prices, photos and availability
Option 2: in the countryside
Less than 15 minutes from Deauville, you can enjoy a peaceful stay surrounded by greenery. We recommend..:
- Hotel Les Manoirs de Tourgeville – prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel Les Manoirs des Portes de Deauville – prices, pictures and availability
Option 2: Trouville
On the other side of the harbor is the twin town of Trouville, also with beautiful villas but a more relaxed atmosphere. We recommend..:
- Hotel Le Flaubert, les pieds dans le sable – see prices, pictures and availability
SHE MADE THE TRIP Claire
