And the Azure Coast. It is interesting that the Parisians treat the Mediterranean Sea in much the same way as we treat the Black Sea. Of course, every person should visit Sochi at least once in their life, but it is quite expensive, hot and vain. From Paris, you can get to the Atlantic Ocean much faster, or rather, to the English Channel. Just a couple of hours on the train from the Gare Saint-Lazare, or in a car on the A13 - and our lungs fill with salty sea air. We are in Normandy, in front of us is Deauville, France.
Deauville is a haven for the aristocracy and bohemia. An incredibly well-groomed green town, almost completely built in the middle of the 19th century by Duke Charles de Morny with one specific goal - to provide Parisian high society with the opportunity to spend time by the sea, without moving far from Paris at the same time. There is a legend that he was inspired by his wife, nee Princess Trubetskaya, who so lacked the St. Petersburg salty winds.
We must not forget that the climate in Normandy is much cooler than in Provence. This is a country of sailors, fishermen and pirates, from here exactly a thousand years ago the ships of Duke William the Conqueror set off for Britain. Beaches with fine light sand are always beautiful, but swimming in the sea is possible only from May to August, in other months the water is too cold. But the exhausting southern heat does not happen here either, the air is always cool and clean.
Along the entire beach there is a boardwalk, a promenade, where in the evenings 
walking guests Deauville. Here you can meet famous movie stars, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Gerard Depardieu, Isabelle Adjani expressed their love for Deauville many times. Both the city itself and its famous beach have served as a filming location more than once. The heroes of Claude Lelouch's brilliant film Man and Woman find each other here. A film with an unusually French spirit, Jean Louis Trintignant and Anouk Aime managed to reveal the love theme so well that even a very sensual intimate scene did not prevent the Catholic Church from awarding him a prize for chastity. A significant role in creating this atmosphere was played by the landscapes of the Deauville beach.
Here in Deauville began a great revolution in women's fashion. Coco Chanel, still unknown to anyone, opened her first fashion store on one of its streets, and then went to the beach in a skimpy bathing suit. Nowadays, people go to discos in such clothes, but then this action made a splash.
Prices in hotels and other establishments in Deauville are simply off the charts. Therefore, ordinary Parisians come here for a day, get some air, lie on the beach, maybe swim, and in the evening they prefer to return home. The exception is horse racing enthusiasts. In Deauville, the beautiful hippodrome hosts the annual horse race from August 1st to 31st, which attracts fans and players from all over France. There is a casino in Deauville, jazz and film festivals are held. But the main lures of this city - the sea, sea air, shining chalk cliffs - are completely free, and Parisians tired of the bustle of the city come here for them on Sundays.
