Day Trip: Deauville

If Normandy is the New England of France, Deauville is the Hamptons, just a little over two hours from the city by car. As a bonus, aside from Paris, Deauville is the only city in France where the big name shops are open seven days a week. The town boasts a gigantic racetrack with a polo field in the center and an epic golf course in the hills where wealthy residents have sprawling villas.

There is a small window of summer when Deauville’s beach, famously dotted with colorful umbrellas and casual chic restaurants, is swimmable. But stroll along the French ‘Sunset Boulevard,’ any time and understand why this town, the host of the annual American Film Festival, is so beloved. Start at the beach entrance closest to the convention center and proceed along the boardwalk, keeping the ocean on the right. As far as the eye can see, is an endless row of wooden cabanas, each with the name of an American movie star painted on its railing. Above each cabana are vintage photographs with glamorous movie stars and Parisian elite basking in Deauville’s glory.