This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting our small business.
Deauville packs its appeal into a walkable strip between the Touques river and the sea: a 2km sand beach, a 660m wooden boardwalk lined with star-named cabins, a 1912 casino and two racecourses. Most sights sit within 15 minutes on foot of the town centre. Here are the best things to do in Deauville, with hours, prices and practical tips, from the complete Deauville guide.
Things to Do in Deauville: The Beach and Boardwalk
Les Planches Boardwalk
The 660m wooden promenade runs along the beach and is Deauville’s defining feature. Built in 1923 from azobe hardwood, it is lined with around 450 beach cabins, each painted with the name of a Hollywood actor or director who visited the American Film Festival. Walking the full length is free, and the cabins can be hired by the day in summer. It stays open year-round and is lit at night.
Plage de Deauville
The main beach is 2km of fine sand facing the Channel, free to enter and lifeguarded daily in July and August. Beach tents and deckchair sections can be rented, and a beach club operates in season. The sand is wide at low tide, and swimming is best in August when the sea reaches 18°C (64°F). Public showers and toilets sit at regular intervals along Les Planches.
Piscine Olympique
This heated Olympic-size seawater pool sits right on the beachfront. It stays open year-round and is the reliable choice when the sea is too cold, which is most of the year outside July to September. Entry costs around 5 to 6 euros per adult, and it runs morning and afternoon sessions. Check the town website for seasonal hours before you go.
Things to Do in Deauville: Culture and Heritage
Casino Barriere de Deauville
Opened in 1912, the Casino Barriere is one of the most famous casinos in France and the social heart of the town. Entry is restricted to over-18s, costs about 15 euros, and requires photo ID. A smart-casual dress code applies in the evening. Even if you don’t gamble, the ornate facade and the adjoining Deauville Barriere hotels are worth a look; the casino also hosts concerts and the film festival screenings.
Les Franciscaines
This cultural centre opened in 2021 inside a converted 19th-century convent on Avenue de la Republique. It houses a museum, library, exhibition spaces and a cafe. Permanent displays are free to enter, and temporary exhibitions are ticketed. It is the best indoor option on a rainy day, open Tuesday to Sunday, roughly 10:30 to 18:30.
Villa Strassburger
A preserved Anglo-Norman half-timbered villa from 1907, once owned by the champagne-making Strassburger family. Guided tours run in July and August and on some weekends, costing around 8 euros. The villa shows how wealthy Parisians lived during Deauville’s Belle Epoque heyday. Book ahead in summer because tour groups are small.
Things to Do in Deauville: Sport and Outdoors
Deauville-La Touques Racecourse
The flat-racing course runs meetings from April to October, with the August fixture (including the Prix Jacques Le Marois around mid-August) the season highlight. Entry starts around 5 euros, and the grandstand overlooks the final straight. Dress smartly for the August meeting. A second track, Deauville-Clairefontaine, hosts jump racing nearby.
Golf Barriere de Deauville
Two 18-hole courses sit just outside town: Golf Barriere de Deauville at Saint-Arnoult and Golf Barriere de Saint-Julien. Green fees run roughly 60 to 90 euros depending on season and tee time. Both accept visiting players, and clubs and trolleys can be rented. Book tee times online, especially on summer weekends.
Pont des Belges and the Touques River
The Pont des Belges bridge links Deauville to Trouville-sur-Mer across the Touques river. Cross it to reach Trouville’s covered fish market (Marche aux Poissons), where the morning catch is sold from around 8:00 each day. The quayside walk along the Bassin Morny marina is free and lined with boats and restaurants.
Things to Do in Deauville: Day Trips
Honfleur
The port town of Honfleur is 13km away, about a 20-minute drive or a short bus ride. Its old harbour (Vieux Bassin), painted by the Impressionists, is lined with tall slate-fronted houses, and the wooden church of Sainte-Catherine dates to the 15th century. Allow a half day for the harbour, the Eugène Boudin museum and a seafood lunch.
Etretat and the Alabaster Coast
The white chalk cliffs and natural arches of Etretat sit about 50 minutes northeast by car. The clifftop walk between the Aval and Amont arches takes about an hour and gives the classic view. Buses run from Le Havre, but a car is the easiest option from Deauville. Check the tide before walking on the beach below the cliffs.
Mont-Saint-Michel
The island abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel is around 1 hour 45 minutes by car from Deauville and is doable as a full-day trip. The abbey entry costs about 13 euros, and the site is busiest at midday. From the parking area, a free shuttle covers the final stretch to the mount. Pair it with a stop in Caen or Bayeux if you have the time.
For the seasonal event calendar, see Deauville events and festivals, and for where to base yourself, read where to stay in Deauville.
If you are still choosing dates, the best time to visit Deauville guide sets out the best months, and Deauville weather by month has the daily climate figures.
Our Deauville neighborhoods guide helps you pick an area, and the Deauville travel tips page covers getting there.
