Deauville: The Timeless Elegance and The Hotel Du Golf Barriere

by Maria Rosaria October 02, 2014

When you’re in Paris it’s really hard to find the time to visit the rest of France.

The capital offers so many ideas that in some ways they force you to stay there and admire it as much as possible. But if you have a couple of spare days, a place that you definitely can’t miss to visit is Deauville, in Calvados in the lower Normandy.

Deauville is essentially an exclusive place where the most chic Parisians spend their holiday, and it is for this reason that in the end, whether it’s a walk on its endless beaches with their umbrellas that are reminiscent of the 60s, wheteher it’s a day spent in one of the magical resort Lucien Barriere or a night playing at the roulette or to blackjack in the homonym Casino, the air you can breathe is not too different from the one through the streets of Saint Germain de Pres, or of the most elegant and fashionable Paris. In fact, the fate of Deauville has often been crossed with fashion and excellence.

It’ enough just to think that it hosts one of the most important film festival in the world, or that Yves Saint Laurent owns a house and even Coco Chanel at the dawn of her career appreciated Deauville so much to the point that she opened her first real boutique, it was approximately 100 years ago.
And who knows how much this atmosphere that moves the Parisian elegance to a seamanship location has influenced many of her most recognized pieces. It is said that during her stay in Deauville Coco took the inspiration for her best ideas and that even “her” beige has been inspired by the color of Deauville’s beaches.

But Deauville is certainly not just fashion. The symbol of the city itself is the group Lucien Barriere that offers both to tourists and habitués certainly the most exclusive attractions and most luxurious environments. Not surprisingly, the boutique of Coco stood just outside the Hotel Normandy.

For my short stay I have chosen the Hotel du Golf Barriere. What better idea indeed to relax in this exclusive resort, from a fantastic dinner in the panoramic terrace of the restaurant with an amazing view over the bay of Deauville, the fully equipped spa, the swimming pool or maybe a few rounds of golf.
Yes, because although I am certainly not a professional, to experience this sport in a fully equipped field, it will remain one of my most indelible memories.

Absolutely to try the mini introductory class that the Hotel du Golf offers to its guests. In addition, the welcoming and the hotel service are impeccable, the food is fantastic, rooms and bathrooms completely renovated and in my case with a breathtaking view of the entire bay.
But the group Barriere is also owner of the famous Casino of Deauville, absolutely you must experience the atmosphere to play at the tables where all kinds of characters in the last hundred years gambled.

And indeed it would have been a wonderful dream to spend one day in Deauville, lots of decades ago, and after a day of relaxation in one of the Hotels Barriere, maybe win a fortune at the casino, enter the boutique of Coco Chanel and follow her advices for an elegant gala or maybe a romantic dinner in front of the ocean … but unfortunately I can only try to imagine it.

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