Vintage photographs reveal the glamorous Normandy beach favored by aristocrats since the 1900s

The reputation of the French Riviera is well known around the world, but perhaps few people know about the other riviera in the country – Deauville. Situated on the Normandy coast, Deauville’s proximity to the country’s capital landed it the moniker of the Parisian Riviera. This is all thanks to the construction of a new rail route that connected Paris to the seaside resort in the 1860s, allowing the upper classes to reach its beaches with ease. What soon followed was a flurry of construction that saw grand villas, casinos and resorts being created. As these vintage photographs taken between 1900 and 1938 show, its visitors were not short of glamour or wealth. 

The well-heeled crowd included princesses countesses, ladies and majors, all enjoying a spot of sun, sea and frolicking in the sand. Pictured (from left to right): Jack Pickford, literary magazine publisher Erskine Gwynne, Mrs. Pickford (Marilyn Miller) and a Mrs. Frieda Rossen on the sands of the most fashionable summer resort.

The coastal commune of Deauville, situated in Normandy, was popular with the upper classes as it was close to Paris. Pictured: A woman plays tug-of-war with a dog.

It’s known as the Parisian Riviera and began to popularize in the 1860s. Pictured: Three children with a dog at the beach of Deauville in 1913.

The beaches were very popular with families, as shown in this picture taken in September 1919.

Despite the gravel on this section of the beach, these children are happy to go without shoes as they play in September 1919.

By 1920, the beaches at Deauville were visibly busy. Many of the people pictured are still wearing their formal clothing.

Another shot of Deauville in 1920 shows the boardwalk packed with vacationers wearing formal attire on their day out.

This picture, taken in the 1920s, shows a young woman looking pensive on the beach while surrounded by people on deck chairs.

A woman is being filmed by cine camera, the video recorder of its day, as she paddles in the sea on a beach at Deauville in August 1922.

By 1925, Deauville was doing a roaring trade in tourism. Pictured: Families sit on a tour bus that takes them along the beach.

In the foreground, two people identified as Major Coats and Madame Le Tellier are amongst the fashionable society set vacationing in Deauville in August 1927.

Looking familiar? Young children take donkey rides and sit in carts pulled by the animals on Deauville beach in 1928.

During the summer holiday of 1929, these two young women were seen drinking lemonade together, as one holds a cigarette between her fingers.

Two little grooms of the Bar Du Soleil are seen sweeping the floors while the guests look on in 1929.

Fun and games: Two vacationers frolic on a relatively empty beach in August 1931.

 Girls day out: A group of young women gather and pose around a swing on the beach in 1936.

These three people look delighted to be splashing around in the calm waters near Deauville Beach in 1937.

Three girls are seen running their nets through the water to catch any fish that might be lurking in shallow waters in 1937.

Countess of Bremond D’Ars holds two dog leads (right) with princess Natacha Sandroff (left) who is carrying her pet, seen together in 1938.