Discover a choice of must-see attractions that lie just a short drive away from Deauville. Highlights of a Deauville and Normandy holiday including…
Linked forever to the World War II landings on D-Day, Normandy is also home to William the Conqueror, who in 1066 famously defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings – an event commemorated in the stunning Bayeux Tapestry in Rouen, where a rebellious Joan of Arc was later burned at the stake.
Boasting 599km of coastline, Normandy's foremost attractions include medieval Bayeux, the Rouen cathedral, the abbey of Jumièges as well as the chic beach resort of Deauville, where Coco Chanel opened her first boutique.
Admire one of the world's most remarkable historical documents – a 70m-long tapestry of embroidered linen that recounts the story of the Norman conquest of England in 1066.
Discover a medieval fable of kings, mythical beasts and everyday scenes of life created more than nine centuries ago and woven in coloured wools that have barely faded.
Named in honour of medieval Queen Mathilda, the tapestry is housed in the Musée de la Tapisserie at Bayeux. Bayeux is just 78km from Deauville, around one hour by car.
Built in 1197 for Richard I of England, the feudal Duke of Normandy, popularly known as Richard the Lionheart, this castle is now one of France's major historic landmarks. Wander the ancient ramparts of Richard the Lionheart's fortress, perched high above Les Andelys overlooking the River Seine.
Discover this Gothic masterpiece that is immortalised in more than 30 paintings by the Impressionist artist Monet. Stroll through the main door, embellished with sculptures depicting the Tree of Jesus, to admire the soaring 14 pillars of the choir, carvings of 15th century life and the magnificent transcript, which is adorned with a 16th century stained-glass rose window.
Don’t miss the 13th century Chapelle de la Vierge, which hold the tombs of various royalty and cardinals as well as the actual heart of Richard the Lionheart. Consecrated in 1063, the cathedral was then reconstructed after suffering bomb damage in World War II.
Watch the 30-minute sound and light show, a Monet-esque event where colours inspired by Monet's cathedral paintings are projected onto the church's facade, transforming it into a magnificent canvas.
Behind the cathedral sits the bombed, damaged arches of the unrepaired Palais de l'Archevêché (Archbishop's Palace), which is famous as the location of the trial of Joan of Arc in 1431 and of her rehabilitation in 1456.
Rouen is around 94km from Deauville, slightly more than an hour’s drive.
Explore one of Europe’s greatest attractions, a dramatic Romanesque and Gothic citadel perched upon an island redoubt (fortification), 78m high and surrounded by massive walls nearly 1km in circumference.
From the 2km-long causeway linking the island to the mainland you can follow the steep Grande Rue, lined with 15th and 16th century houses, to the Eglise Abbatiale. This 13th century abbey sits on the site of an 8th century oratory and a 9th century Benedictine abbey, founded by Richard I.
Stroll the ramparts that encircle the high-spired, archangel-topped church, which sits on a three-tiered complex known as La Merveille (The Marvel) since 1228. Admire a series of halls and rooms, including the cloister, Knights' Hall, Refectory and Salle des Chevaliers.
Mont-St-Michel, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is located on the border of Normandy and Brittany, around 129km from Caen and 185km from Deauville, less than two hours drive.
Pay your respects to fallen heroes on the Circuit de Souvenir, a tour of 400 British and Commonwealth cemeteries, churches and memorials that dot the countryside of northern France, dedicated to the allied soldiers of World Wars I and II.
Discover preserved trenches at Beaument-Hamel and see the Ulster Memorial, near the village of Thiepval, commemorating the 5000 Ulstermen who died in the Battle of the Somme. Close by is the huge Memorial to the Missing, dedicated to troops whose bodies were never recovered.
For an insight into the horrors of World War I, see newsreel and film footage, newspapers, posters and other memorabilia on display at the Historial de la Grande Guerre at Peronne on the River Somme or at the Musée Somme 1916 at Albert.
Visit the beautifully maintained World War II cemeteries at Bayeax, where the remains of nearly 5000 British and Commonwealth soldiers lie, and Colleville-sur-Mer (on a cliff above Omaha beach), the final resting place of more than 9000 US soldiers.
For a detailed insight into the Normandy landings, visit the Musee du Debarquement (Normandy Landings Museum), located on the promenade of Arromanche.
Latest update: Deauville attractions: 18 November, 2022
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