In a nutshell
The two towns of Deauville and Trouville provide the main hub for the region of Normandy. Between the two of them, there is the perfect juxtaposition of upmarket, chic and glamorous in Deauville, contrasted by the informal and relaxed atmosphere of Trouville.
There is a good choice of golf courses including the Tom Simpson parkland layout at Golf Barrière de Deauville and the Florida style Golf de l’Amirauté with its large greens and abundance of water.
A mere 3 hours’ drive from Calais or 45 minutes from the ferry port of Caen-Ouistreham, Deauville and Trouville is a top-class destination perfect for groups and couples.
Deauville & Trouville Location
Deauville & Trouville are two towns located on the Norman coast, just down from the large port of Le Havre and close to the city of Caen. They are separated by the estuary of the river Touques.
For those driving from the U.K., there are a couple of options to get here. Taking a ferry is arguably one of the most convenient options and the destination is just a mere 45 minutes’ drive from both the ferry ports of Caen-Ouistreham, where the Brittany Ferries dock, and Le Havre.
The other self-drive option involves a little more driving and this is by taking the Eurotunnel crossing. Once you arrive in France, you are left with a 3 hour drive taking the A16 and then cutting onto the A29 straight into the heart of Normandy.
Deauville does have an airport and you can fly here from London City with an outbound flight every Friday and a return on the Sunday.*
Golf courses near Deauville & Trouville
Within an hour and a half’s drive, there are approximately 14 potential golf courses to play. But if you want to keep it closer, there are 5 courses within 20 minutes, the pick of these being the Tom Simpson designed Golf Barrière de Deauville, the closest to Deauville town centre.
Within 5 minutes’ drive is the Golf de l’Amirauté, a demanding course littered with water hazards. Right next to the Deauville airport is the Golf de Deauville Saint-Gatien with its lovely Norman clubhouse.
Golf Barrière de Saint-Julien is a pleasant undulating parkland course which is improving every year under the Groupe Lucien Barrière ownership and lastly, Golf d’Houlgate is a small, relatively open parkland course around 20 minutes away, perfect for higher handicappers.
Restaurants in Deauville & Trouville
There are numerous options in both Deauville and Trouville and both towns offer the perfect selection, whether it be formal or informal.
Deauville has some slightly more fashionable establishments including L’Essentiel, where you can enjoy ‘Discovery Menus’ of multiple courses and choose a bottle of wine from their extensive ‘Liste de Vins’.
The Groupe Lucien Barrière owns two 5 star hotels in the town centre, the Royal Barrière and the Normandy Barrière and both house top-class restaurants. In the Royal, L’Etier is a fine restaurant providing a high-level of service and a varied menu of classic French fare, but the prices are certainly not on the lower scale.
In the Normandy Barrière, right next to the Barrière Casino, is La Belle Epoque, another fine-dining affair similar to its sister restaurant in the Royal. Try the Norman buffet, where you can enjoy vast quantities of fresh seafood, selections of cheeses and pates, in this bright airy space.
La Cantine is another highly recommended option with its contemporary, industrial décor but sublime combinations of flavours. It takes classic French dishes and gives them a modern twist in both the flavours and presentation. It is a really fun place to eat and relax and located on Rue Eugène Colas.
As already mentioned, Trouville is the white to Deauville’s black. There are plenty of laid-back Brasseries serving top-class French comfort food. L’Annexe is a perfect example, right on the main street and serving dishes like Sole Risotto, Lobster Salad and Veal Fillet – not quite comfort food but simple dishes with quality ingredients.
Les Mouettes is also on the main street and specialises in fish but also serves other French standards. The ‘Formules’ are around €30 for 3 courses including wine. For a very homely reception and atmosphere, try La Petite Auberge, just a couple of streets away from the casino on Rue Carnot and a firm favourite with regulars to the region. This unpretentious restaurant specialises in serving quality fish dishes but also offers specialities like pigeon and duck.
Bars in Deauville & Trouville
There is a decent choice of bars within both towns, but similarly to the restaurant options, there is a different ambience in both towns.
Le Zoo in Deauville has a good vibe and is a complete contrast to Le Morny Pub, both just off the Place de Morny. Also on the same square, is Le Dundees Brasserie, where you can sit outside and watch the world pass. Another popular Brasserie is Le Drakkar also on Rue Eugène Colas. But don’t forget the large Barrière Casino on the sea front, which is without doubt one of the main attractions in town.
In Trouville, there are plenty of Brasseries lining the main street, and although these aren’t pubs as such, they are the perfect places to sit out and enjoy a beer. Le Dickens Pub is an English style drinking hole on the pedestrianized Rue des Bains but slightly small. There is also Le Chatham Brasserie on Boulevard de la Cahotte which is reasonable. Similarly to Deauville, Trouville also has a large casino, just off Place du Maréchal Foch.
Hotels in Deauville & Trouville
Without doubt the most popular hotel in Deauville is the Hotel du Golf Barrière, located on the Golf Barrière de Deauville. This 4* establishment does fantastic golf deals where guests can play a whole choice of local courses within the package.
In the town centre of Deauville are two more Barrière hotels, the Normandy Barrière and Royal Barriere, both 5* and oozing with elegance and class.
In the town of Trouville, there is a large Kyriad Prestige Trouville-sur-Mer located quite centrally and the small friendly family-run Hotel Le Fer à Cheval.
Golf Holidays in Deauville & Trouville
With its coastal location, this is a great hub within which to be located. And you can understand why. The choice of golf courses, the different options for travel, the range of hotels and the bars and restaurants to enjoy…this really is the perfect spot.
There are a number of tour operators who will organise this for you. Their team of sales consultants will work with you to recommend the best golf courses, advise on the most suitable accommodation options as well as do all the leg work for you….it couldn’t be easier.
