Hotel Barrière Le Normandy, France

The beach is an explosion of brightly colored sun umbrellas against the fine sand. Behind it a miles long wooden boardwalk with 450 wooden beach huts named after Hollywood stars such as Rita Hayworth, Jack Nicholson and Samuel L Jackson. The ‘Promenade des Planches’ was created in 1923 so that the fashionable ladies of Paris wouldn't get their skirts dirty in the sand of Deauville beach. It borders the elegant Bains Pompéiens, a concrete structure adorned with Art deco mosaics.

We just arrived in the pretty town of Deauville in the province of Normandy in the most Northwestern corner of France where we stay at the Hotel Barrière Le Normandy. While crossing over from the hotel to the beach we are being time warped to the roaring ’20 of the previous century. Although our girls sole interest lies in plowing the beach sand, taking a dip in the refreshing sea water and eating as much as ice cream as humanly possible, we marvel at the historical décor of it all.

With its race course, harbor, international film festival, marinas, conference center, villas, Grand Casino and sumptuous hotels, which of one being the Barrier Normandy, Deauville is regarded as the “Queen of the Norman beaches" and one of the most prestigious seaside resorts in all of France. As the closest seaside resort to Paris, the city and its region of the Côte Fleurie (Flowery Coast) has long been home to French high society's seaside houses and is often referred to as the Parisian riviera. Since the 19th century, the town of Deauville has been a fashionable holiday resort for the international upper class. We still sense this air of elegance and it remains the best place "to see and be seen", although it now already for a long-time blead nicely with more common types of holiday making with coaches unloading day visitors by the thousands.

The beauty of Normandy takes your breath away. And a part of this beauty is the Hotel Barrière Le Normandy Deauville. It looks like a ginger house from the fairy tale. It is one of the grand hotels of the Groupe Lucien Barrière. It was built as the Hôtel Normandy by François André in 1912. With lightly woven Toile de Jouy fabrics highlighted by the wood of the half-timbering, the hotel cultivates a dazzling Anglo-Norman style. The ribbed grain of the armchairs and comfortable king size bed shroud guests in a soft warmth. Cozy bars and chic brasseries perpetuate the joyful Belle Epoque elegance. Not surprisingly, the hotel was used as the filming location of Agatha Christie's Poirot in the episode The Murder on the Links. It is beautiful from the outside with a nice little garden area with benches just in front of it. The lobby has luxurous sofas and tables and there is a bar on one side with the restaurant behind it.

This all might read as a very grown up atmosphere and not the place to bring your overactive kids, but to the contrary: The Hotel Barrière Le Normandy is surprisingly welcome to families. During our stay in the height of summer scores of youngsters run around without the staff or anyone else even blinking their eyes. On arrival our girls receive their very own Barrier passport with attached an overview of numerous activities to enroll in. After each activity the so called ‘ambassadors’ will stamp the passport and after participating in at least three activities the kids receive a cool certificate. What about riding lessons on the beach, painting classes, musical performances, etc., etc.

This is all part of the ‘Petit VIP's expertise’ welcoming children aged 4 to 12 years. For the smallest children and young adults, two services independent of the Petit VIP concept complete the Kid’s Barrière offering. The Babiwi nursery welcomes babies aged from 10 weeks to 5 years, takes care of them and provides appropriate activities throughout the day and a new teen space, freely available to 13 - 18-year-old is also open. And at the end of one of the galleries kids will find a nice collection of a retro pinball machine, space-invaders arcade and soccer table. Especially handy if you like to enjoy a peaceful meal together.

As said: now in the height of summer, the biggest focus point for our girls is the endless beach with its refreshing sea breeze. But with all the kids activities mentioned and the hotel’s indoor pool the hotel Barrière Le Normandy is also an excellent off-season destination. Whatever the weather, make sure you give the pool a try. It is delicately decorated with surrounding green half-timbering and a translucent roof akin to a shaft of light and water that is 29°C all year round. It opens every morning at 7 a.m. to welcome the more athletic guests ready for their morning swim. Children are welcome in the afternoon. Even night owls can enjoy the intoxicating tropical heat with at last a few opening hours until 11 p.m. on weekends, to experience.

Rooms and suites overlook Deauville or the Norman Courtyard. The family apartments comprise of two bedrooms both are bathed in the warmth of high-end fabric in red, blue, or orange. The large bath is perfect for relaxation, while two television screens and an on-demand video service provide entertainment. The beds were magically comfortable, like sleeping on a cloud.

Although five stars in terms of heirdom, facilities, culinary options and range of (family) activities your stay can be quite anonymous which can be nice. This might be due to the fact that the hotel is fully booked during our stay, so the staff is quite busy. And the language barrier sometimes adds to a feel of detachment.

The historic feel of the Barrière Le Normandy however is overwhelming. Again, largely lost on children but for adults it will be surreal to walk in the footsteps of former regulars Winston Churchill, Coco Chanel, Orscar Wilde and Claude Lelouch whose portraits line the gallery opposite the equally famous Normandy bar. A grand piano in the corner, luminous stained-glass windows, equestrian paintings on the walls, and harmonious olive green and mahogany provide the perfect setting. Opt for the highchairs at the superb mahogany bar or lounge in one of the enormous chairs and sample the superb menu of prestigious whiskies alongside a surprising selection of original cocktails, aged rums, fruit nectars, unusual teas, and rare coffees. Especially the latter are perfect for pairing with some of the delicious homemade pastries.

Both breakfast and dinner are served in the restaurant La Belle Epoque. If your children are not used to eating a bit later, you’d better first feed them. For example with some fish and chips in the bar or at one of the easy-going eateries near the beach as this is a serious affair. Mahogany armchairs covered in velvet, fine china on the tables and sumptuous chandeliers on the ceiling make this an idyllic setting to enjoy a catch from the Normandy coast or regional classics with fast picture windows affording a view of the Norman Courtyard.

After all this culinary feasting why not lend some of the hotel bikes to cross the surrounding landscape of apple trees and green meadows, small, half-timbered farmhouses and long, fine sandy beaches of the Côte Fleurie? Some suggestions for high lights include visiting Pennedepie church with its heavy buttresses, Criqueboeuf and its chapel covered with ivy. Or Honfleur, with its salt stores, old port and art galleries. Just a little further afield you will find the city of Cabourg, where Marcel Proust's shadow still lingers, and Villerville, the setting of the legendary film "A Monkey in Winter" starring Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Gabin. A lovely region to discover.

WOW

# Dive into the private pool, daydream on the Planches boardwalk, place a bet at the Casino and visit the American Film Festival. The old and new Deauville is at your doorstep.

# With its pool, gym and long list of activities you can choose to never leave the hotel, but in that case, you miss out on the historical promenade and best beach of Normandy. Which also offers such modern facilities as an Olympic-sized swimming pool filled with seawater and heated to 27ºC, tennis courts, miniature golf, a thalassotherapy center, watersports centre and much more.

# Not only is Deauville a well-known and historic French vacation spot, but the town itself is a little jewel. Just steps from the hotels you will find all the shops you could possible need.