Deauville, France, an archetype of aristocratic elegance
ed leather accents, the spacious bedroom
and en suite dressing room are complemented by an immense spa bathroom with
rainfall shower and oversize soaking tub.
As tempting as it might be to remain
happily ensconced in such a delightful
suite, L’Hotel du Golf’s dining options
include Le Lassay, which offers stunning
views of Deauville and the Seine bay. For a
taste of the region, order a Calvados cocktail at Le Green, where a panoramic terrace
overlooks the fairway and the helipad for
those guests who
choose to arrive by
chopper.
A few miles north,
the medieval town
of Honfleur became
the cradle of Impressionism when
visual artists flocked
to the Seine estuary to paint the fabled
light and, in the process, receive the benevolent hospitality offered by Mere Toutain,
who ran the 17th century inn La Ferme
Saint Simeon.
Behind the massive iron gates of this
five-star Relais & Chateaux property ex-
ists an authentic Norman manor house
of slate and timber alongside the thatch-
roofed chaumiere made famous in Mon-
et’s wintry landscape “La charrette,” now
hanging at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris.
With a total of 35 rooms and suites, the
impeccably landscaped property features a
wellness farm with indoor pool and ham-
mam housed in the erstwhile cider press.
Spa treatments utilize local ingredients
such as Normandy apples, honey, milk and
Located less than two hours’ drive from
Paris, Deauville and the surrounding Cote
Fleurie (often referred to as the “Parisian
Riviera”) remains a secondary home for
high society and luminaries. The area’s
legendary allure has inspired artists such
as Monet, Baudelaire, Flaubert, Satie and
Proust. Coco Chanel opened her first bou-
tique in Deauville in 1913, and F. Scott
Fitzgerald sent Tom and Daisy Buchanan
to Deauville on their honeymoon.
In 2014, the Deauville American Film
Festival celebrated its 40th anniversary,
and this year, Traveller Made hosted more
than 600 luxury travel professionals for its
four-day Essence of Luxury forum at Le
Palais des Congres de Deauville, C.I.D.
Originally built in 1912, Hotel Le Normandy opened as Deauville’s first grand
seaside hotel. Notable for its fanciful
Anglo-Norman architecture in green and
rose, the five-star property is located directly behind les Planches, Deauville’s famous boardwalk lined with beach closets
dedicated to cinematic icons.
Throughout its century-long history, Le
Normandy has hosted film stars and roy-
alty, swaddling them in a surfeit of toile de
marine salts.
Amid the inn’s romantic pastoral
charms exemplified by period furnishings,
Should your tasseled key grant you
access to Corot’s
chambers (No 19),
For transfers to and from such a haven
of luxury, via Mercedes-Benz E-class sedans, consider Lafayette Group, which has
been practicing “l’art de vivre” for 28 years
by offering VIP services from its offices in
Paris, Provence, the Riviera and Monaco.
Jouy interiors, recently updated by design-
er Nathalie Ryan.
Crystal chandeliers glisten in gilded
mirrors beneath a glass roof at La Belle
Epoque, the hotel’s elegant restaurant spe-
cializing in Norman cuisine. Equally allur-
ing are the hotel’s convivial cocktail loung-
es and the equestrian-themed Normandy
Bar with its grand piano and fireplace,
once a favorite of Winston Churchill.
Crowning the hilltop above Deauville’s
center, L’Hotel du Golf rises amid a verdant landscape surrounded by a 27-hole
golf course. While the building exterior
honors the hotel’s Norman pedigree, the
chic interiors by Chantal Peyrat are a playful nod to golf’s Scottish antecedents and
Deauville’s equestrian heritage. Life-size
sculptures of horses graze alongside giant
apples in the expansive lobby.
Guests are welcomed with Hotels Bar-riere’s signature homemade banana bread
into capacious deluxe suites (more than
700 square feet) outfitted in contemporary luxury. A gracious foyer with powder
room leads into a refined living area furnished in brushed oak with sleek seating
and fresh flowers. Appointed with patinat-
By Mark A. Thompson
Deauville, France, has been synonymous with luxury ever since its 1862 inception as a seaside resort for the aristocratic friends of ounder Duc de Morny, who was the half-brother of Emperor Napoleon III. All the elements are there: chateaus and private villas, polo matches and horse races, a yacht harbor and casino,
grand hotels lining the beach and illustrious guests.
LUXURY TRAVEL
The area’s legendary allure
has inspired artists such
as Monet, Baudelaire,
Flaubert, Satie and Proust.
Left: Hotel Le Normandy opened in 1912 as Deauville’s first grand seaside
hotel. Above, from top: a guestroom at L’Hotel du Golf, where decor offers
nods to golf’s Scottish antecedents and Deauville’s equestrian heritage; the
grounds of La Ferme Saint Simeon, which dates to the 17th century.
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