I noticed that the Deauville American Film Festival starts this Friday, and I was reminded of a trip we made to Deauville a bit ago. A pretty seaside town just about 125 miles northwest of Paris, it is known not only for its annual film festival celebrating American films, but its horse track, casino, five start hotel (the Normandy Barrière) and its picturesque beaches. Deauville has been the backdrop for many famous movies and books as well as a destination for celebrities. In fact, Coco Chanel opened her first clothing boutique in Deauville.
Today, the town draws French families looking for a short get away from Paris. It was a bit of a fluke that we ended up staying in Deauville. We were looking for a place to stay that was centrally located in Normandy and somewhat randomly chose the town. Lucky for us, we found a resort town with sandy beaches, a quaint horse track and a city center with charming Anglo-Norman architecture.
