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onjour!
this month let's head out to Normandy to visit a seaside resort that left its mark on its time,
due probably as much to its elegance as to its extravagance. From the end of the 19th century on,
Deauville, located less than 125 miles from Paris, was indeed the meeting place of Parisian high
society. Today, it remains a splendid Norman city that continues to captivate visitors from Paris
and elsewhere with its charm and refinement.
But before continuing, please remember that you can access and read all the newsletters already
published at http://www.francemonthly.com/
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Sea Bathing
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In the early 19th century, the ocean was far from arousing any passion, much to
the contrary. It was just one of those natural elements considered totally hostile
and even scary. Working the English Channel was limited to fishing and collecting
kelp used to fertilize arable land.
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Deauville: The Famous Beach
(Click photo to enlarge)
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Houses, incidentally, were always built on the heights and at the very least at a reasonable safe
distance from the coast. This perception changed, however, when doctors, inspired by an English-born
phenomenon, started to attribute therapeutic virtues to the ocean and praise the merits of sea bathing
to their wealthy Parisian patients, as long as it was cool and invigorating for the body. Beginning in
1824, the famous Duchess du Barry was one of the very first enthusiasts of this extravagant activity.
Indeed, every year she went to Dieppe to “jump in the water”. By then, Parisian high society was
frequently visiting this very trendy seaside resort with its long pebble beaches. This attraction to
the ocean side was intensified when the wealthy Parisian middle-class and aristocrats discovered the
fine sand beaches of the Norman coastline, those of Trouville-sur-Mer in particular. The trend was
definitely underway and the character of the seaside was about to be completely transformed.
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The Kingdom of Elegance
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In 1850, Doctor Oliffe was one of the privileged members of society. As the doctor
appointed to the British Embassy in Paris, he owned a beautiful villa in Trouville-sur-Mer
where he spent all his summers. The Touques River formed a natural separation between this
very fashionable resort town and a little insignificant village with a population of 80,
which featured small houses nestled around the church and huge marshes where animals would
come graze in peace. There was only a ferry to cross the river, further isolating this modest
village of Deauville. Beyond the marshes there was an enormous beach of fine sand that
stretched as far as the eye could see. Doctor Oliffe was most enamored with this feature,
it made him dream. Once back in Paris, he shared this heavenly vision with his friend, the
Duke de Morny, and invited him on his next trip out there. This is how, a few weeks later,
strolling through Trouville, this visitor was himself taken with the unexploited natural
beauty of the area that stretched before his eyes. The Duke de Morny was none other than
the half-brother of Emperor Napoleon III, and the President of the Legislative Body of
the Second Empire. He was therefore a very influential man, but he was also a savvy
businessman. From that visit on, there were two men dreaming about a prestigious future
for this beach that had been previously ignored by all. With a contribution from a banker
friend, Armand Donon, the outlines for a bold---not to say completely crazy---project were
traced. The three visionaries were about to build a kingdom of elegance on this site.
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Recipe for November 2009
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Spinach and salmon roll
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A City Born From the Sand
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In 1860, the three friends bought the 395 acres of untapped or even downright inhospitable
marshes of the village of Deauville. The cost of the transaction was 800,000 Francs (about
$160,000). Work began and very quickly problems emerged. The ground was uneven and there
were numerous dunes. Foundations were difficult to build because of the soil's friability,
and the work necessary to drain this enormous marsh was extremely complex.
Ultimately, none of these obstacles discouraged the builders who had a very specific
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La Place du Casino
(Click photo to enlarge)
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development plan in mind. Much like the formal results Baron Haussmann was achieving
in Paris, the new seaside “Deauville” was to be built in a grid pattern with streets
parallel and perpendicular to the shore. The swamp was still nothing more than a huge
construction site when the very first villas surfaced from the sands. Indeed, the
founders built themselves sumptuous, castle-like residences, adorned with ostentatious
luxury and graced with views and direct access to the ocean. These manors served a
promotional purpose, as they were essentially model estates for this mad project.
Their objective was to stimulate the wealthiest to invest in this emerging city that
would become the future meeting place of Parisian high society.
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True Monuments of Eclectic Style
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The bet paid off! It didn't take long for investors to rush and buy up the best exposed
plots of land. The inauguration of the train station connecting Deauville to Paris largely
fueled this general craze.
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Villa on Bld Eugene Cornuche
(Click photo to enlarge)
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It allowed one to travel that distance in only 4 hours, a real record for the time.
Building a villa in Deauville soon became the tasteful thing to do, even though the
streets didn't have any names yet. One only referred to the quay running alongside
the beach or to the first or second street parallel to the quay or to the first or
second street perpendicular to the quay, but that made no difference. Sales of building
plots just kept increasing far beyond the expectations of the Duke de Morny and his
friends. Several dozen villas were built within barely 3 years. They reflected the
tastes of their financial backers. There were references to 17th century castles for
some, or English Gothic style architecture and Italian or Flemish Renaissance styles
for others. Some, perhaps more eccentric, had fun choosing the rustic style of mountain
chalets for their sumptuous manors. These were true monuments coming out of the ground.
Despite such a range of eclectic styles, they all nonetheless had to abide by very strict
design standards. One such regulation required a 33 ft setback between the villa and the
ocean front promenade, to preserve a certain harmony. However, nature had something else
in mind 15 years later...
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Deauville, City of Pleasures
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From that time on, all of Parisian high society poured into Deauville. They came
looking for an escape in the right environment and a change of scenery, but they
also came to see, and most importantly, to be seen. They went to horse races at
the beautiful racetrack inaugurated by the Duke de Morny, a horse enthusiast. They
also went on walks along the ocean front to admire all the magnificent residences,
and spent their evenings at the theater.
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Le Casino
(Click photo to enlarge)
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As for the casino, it was surely never empty. The beach was furnished with the necessary
chairs for relaxation and changing cabins for the ladies so that they would be sheltered
from any indiscreet gazes. The ladies would then be brought to the water in a horse-drawn
cart, for the sake of propriety, but also for safety reasons. Bathing was limited to 15
minutes since, despite the growing passion for this activity, there was still some distrust
regarding the effects of water on the body. Besides, by the end of this 19th century there
were plenty of other leisure activities to pursue in Deauville so that a “bather” worthy of
the name rarely set foot on the beach. It was even said at the time that if the ocean were
to move away from Deauville, nobody would notice it.
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The Most Beautiful Hotel in the World |
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The fall of the Second Empire in September 1870 and the terrible economic crisis that
followed, as well as the closing of the casino in 1895 all combined to deal a severe
blow to the development of the seaside resort. It lost its aristocrats little by little.
The Mayor of Deauville knew that only the opening of a new casino would allow the city
to catch a second wind. This required involving Eugène Cornuché, then current director
of the casino of Trouville, in the neighboring competitor city. This man was for his
part well aware of the stakes and bought part of the land where both a casino and a
luxury hotel were in the planning. The huge casino was greatly inspired by the
architecture of the Petit Trianon of Versailles and would face the ocean, while
the hotel would be built at the same time right next to it and would reflect the
most pure Norman tradition. This luxury hotel was designed for the wealthiest to
visit undisturbed and included 300 rooms, each one equipped with a novelty design
feature: a bathroom! The two structures would be connected by a tunnel. Named the
Hotel Normandie, it was inaugurated on July 1, 1912. The event was attended by Parisian
high society because Eugène Cornuché was very well known as the creative force behind
“Maxim's”, the very chic Parisian restaurant where his customers met when they are not
in Deauville. That day, the newspapers wrote of the inauguration of the “most beautiful
hotel in the world”.
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Deauville's Boardwalk
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The winter of 1875 was marked by a violent storm that hauled a huge bed of pebbles
all the way up to the villas of the Terrasse, virtually driving those small rocks
hundreds of feet away from the shore
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Deauville's Boardwalk and Beach
(Click photo to enlarge)
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After that event, a boardwalk was built facing the casino for easy access to the
ocean. The changing cabins which up until then lined up in front of la Terrasse
were moved to the very end of the pier. After WWI, thanks to the discovery of sun
therapy, ocean bathing became known as a pleasurable pastime. This new behavior
caused a drop in bathhouse attendance in Deauville. A competition was launched
in 1921 to restart this lucrative activity and replace the small ocean front
chalet-style houses that were in disrepair. It was Charles Adda's project that
won. The young architect captivated the jury with a most original proposal inspired
by the thermal baths of Pompeii. His plans called for modern facilities including
250 comfortable cabins with what was then the height of luxury, running hot and cold
water! In 1923, planks of azobe wood, an African wood renowned for its strength and
resistance, were laid alongside these cabins to make it easier to walk on the beach.
Thus, the famous Deauville boardwalk was born.
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An Invitation to Travel... |
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It is impossible to describe this kingdom of elegance without mentioning the queen of
elegance, Coco Chanel. She was a brilliant avant-gardist, who freed womens' bodies
with sophistication by creating clothes that would finally allow them to move. When
she opened her store in Deauville, right next to the sparkling new Hotel Normandie,
she was already a recognized talent. Nonetheless, Deauville marked a turning point
in her career. Her success was such that her small boutique on Rue Gontaut-Biron was
always full of people. Today, another boutique has replaced the one once owned by the
famous fashion designer, while paid vacation has allowed a much greater number of people
to walk along the boardwalk and discover the pleasure of being seized by the ocean air.
Deauville has lost none of its past refinement and elegance. It is still as pleasant as
ever to stroll along the boardwalk and admire the ocean front residences with facades as
eclectic as they are surprising, or in contrast, to enjoy the harmony of those built in
the purest and most charming Norman style. The sumptuous Villa Strassburger in particular
makes for an interesting visit. Baron de Rothschild almost didn't buy this villa in 1924 as
his wife complained that her bedroom windows didn't open to an ocean view. In 1980, it was
given to the city by its last owner, the son of the American multimillionaire Ralph Beaver
Strassburger. Also, amateurs can always try their hand at the horse races or at the casino.
Finally, all is always possible in Deauville!
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