Soak up the seaside atmosphere on the Parisian Riviera

As stylish summer destinations go, the twin towns of Deauville and Trouville hold the undisputed crown. This stretch of the Normandy coastline is unofficially known as the Parisian Riviera. Deauville lives up to every city-meets-seaside cliché: this is where Coco Chanel opened her first boutique in 1913 and the town’s racecourse, fancy hotels, umbrella-lined beach and wide boardwalk are still fashion-crowd favourites. Neighbouring Trouville is somewhat less glitzy and often mistakenly overlooked. It claims to be France’s first-ever coastal resort, once visited by writers Flaubert and Proust, although most weekenders come for the casino and the superb restaurants surrounding the fish market.