Hôtel Barrière Le Normandy

Le Normandy opened in 1912 as the centrepiece of Deauville's transformation into Paris's seaside salon, and its Anglo-Norman fantasy of timbered gables, checkered façades and flowered courtyards remains the town's defining image. Two hours from the capital, the hotel anchors a resort quarter of casino, racecourses, polo fields and the famous Les Planches boardwalk where the American Film Festival unfurls each September.

A thorough renovation in the mid-2010s refreshed the interiors in cheerful Norman style—striped fabrics, apple-blossom motifs, polished parquet—while keeping the rambling, slightly storybook character that families have loved for generations. Rooms overlook the courtyard gardens, the town's timbered streets or the sea beyond the boardwalk.

Dining centres on a grand Norman brasserie where seafood platters and camembert-laced dishes honour the region, and guests have privileged access to the neighbouring casino, golf and racing calendar that structure Deauville's year. A Diane Barrière spa and indoor pool cover wellness. It is proudly old-fashioned in the best sense—a resort hotel built for long family summers by the Channel.