France’s Deauville delights with charm and panache

The horse at the Deauville train station honours the century-old tradition of polo, horse-racing and showjumping that attracts millions of visitors each year to this French seaside resort. Photos: TNS

Summer in Paris can be a steamy soup swimming with tourists. So follow the smart Parisians and get out of town.

The easiest destination is the resort of Deauville on the north Atlantic shoreline. In less than two hours by train from Paris’s St Lazare station, you can be standing on its expansive sandy beach that’s dotted with colourful umbrella tents. Bathed in sunlight and cool sea breezes, Deauville has a panache all its own.