The 10 addresses that make up Trouville-sur-Mer

"Trouville has a very violent charm. Immediate. I don't know anyone who, from the very first visit, doesn't dream of coming back." Like Marguerite Duras, many writers and artists (Flaubert, Maupassant, Boudin...) have come to find inspiration in this little fishing port on the Côte Fleurie, seduced by its beauty, its popular side and its quiet simplicity. Just a stone's throw from Deauville, but far, far from its ultra-luxury side, Trouville has forged its own identity, blending the traces of its history. On one side, its historic fish market, narrow streets and modest fishermen's cottages with flower-filled courtyards. On the other, the sumptuous villas built in the 1880s, when the town underwent a veritable revolution, becoming one of the aristocracy's most sought-after resorts. It's undoubtedly this unique blend of chic and authenticity that makes Trouville so charming today. Not to mention, of course, its immense, fantastic beach of golden sand, a paradise for horseback riders, families and strollers alike as the sun sets, setting the horizon ablaze. Discover it as soon as possible, with our 10 top picks...

Where to stay in Trouville-sur-Mer?

Hôtel Flaubert

Lovers of Trouville all have this legendary hotel in mind - a sumptuous half-timbered manor house with tiled roofs and balconies overlooking the sea. Built in 1936 and dedicated to the writer Gustave Flaubert, who often stayed here (he wrote part of "Madame Bovary"), the property is now owned by Jean-Philippe Cartier, founder of the H8 Collection group, and Pierre-Antoine Capton. Restored last year, theHôtel Flaubert has preserved the "boarding house by the sea" spirit that gives it its charm. Right from the entrance, the tone is set with its deep blue walls, old posters reminiscent of 1930s Trouville and yellow oilskins hanging from coat hooks. The 31 rooms, designed by decorator Natalia Megret, are cocoons of marine inspiration, with their shades of blue and antique furniture. The hotel has no restaurant, but its bar, Le Bovary, is one of the city's most popular.

• Double room from €185, breakfast included
• Rue Gustave-Flaubert
• Tel: 02 31 88 37 23
• www.flaubert.fr

Romain Ricard

Cures Marines Trouville Hôtel Thalasso & Spa - MGallery

This address is first and foremost a piece of history. Housed in a building erected in 1912 to become Europe's largest casino, it was in turn a museum and a spa before a long period of eclipse. Restored in 2012, it has been brought back to life as a hotel designed by architect Jean-Philippe Nuel in the tradition of Belle Époque palaces, but with contemporary comforts. Facing the sea, the lobby has retained its huge bay windows and now boasts striped fabrics and curtains, in the spirit of beach cabins. This nautical style is echoed in the 110 rooms and suites, decorated with mother-of-pearl chandeliers, canvas prints inspired by the building's ancient frescoes and bathrooms with walk-in showers. Equally seductive, the Ephemer brasserie offers creative, healthy cuisine, with low-calorie dishes for curists. The hotel is also the perfect place for a holiday, with a thalassotherapy area of the highest quality - cabins spread over three floors, programs combining treatments, fitness classes, dietician consultations... The ultimate in fitness!

• Double room from €204, breakfast not included
• Boulevard de la Cahotte
• Tel: 02 31 14 26 00
• www.lescuresmarines.com

Where to eat, drink and dine?

Les Quatre Chats

What used to be an artist's house is now a sufficiently well-known institution that it's a delight to wander down the side streets and enter with your eyes closed. At Les Quatre Chats (1 toque), the decor is always superb, as is the ambience, and you can nibble and replay the world with the tartines, farmhouse chicken with lemon confit, stuffed eggplants, Angus flank steak, Norman cheeses and chocolate moelleux with Carambar ice cream.

• 8 Rue d'Orléans, 14360 Trouville-sur-Mer
• www.les4chats.com

Michel Trehet

Les Vapeurs

We keep coming back. One day or another, as has been the case for decades, someone tells you: "I went back to Les Vapeurs (1 toque), it's not bad, actually." All it takes is a good fall, a willingness to see what this legendary address has done for Trouville, and an appreciation that this red-and-orange storefront is so loyal. With its extensive fish and seafood menu, suggestions for grilled lobster and sea bream provençale, escorting salads, creamy mussels, onion gratinée d'oignon, the all-too-rare julienne à la moutarde, angry whiting, but also pig's trotter, sauerkraut and Vallée d'Auge veal escalope.
► 160 Boulevard Fernand Moureaux, 14360 Trouville-sur-Mer

La Poissonnerie, Trouville's fish market

Set alongside the fishing port and listed as a historic monument, this market is the symbol of the town, entirely turned towards the sea. It's worth visiting early, very early in the morning, to admire the stalls of the nine fishmongers, overflowing with the day's catch - lobster, scampi lobsters, langoustines, sea urchins, whelks or shrimps - which you can then sample on the tables and high chairs set up a stone's throw away, accompanied by a glass of dry white wine. Don't miss the seafood platters and the legendary fish soup from Maison Saiter, which has been on the menu since 1887.

• 152 Boulevard Fernand-Moureaux, 14360 Trouville-sur-Mer

Artur Synenko

Les Toqués du Terroir

In this beautiful delicatessen, all products are 100% Normandy, selected by a duo of friends - journalist Chloé Safra and chef Clarie Feral - who have crisscrossed the region in search of the best producers and local specialties: goats from the Bergerie de la Souleuvre, calvados from Jean-François Guillouet-Huard, cider from the Domaine de La Galotière, Yves Hamel chocolate... Best of all, the place has just inaugurated a delicious terrace where you can savor the local specialties.inaugurated a delicious terrace where you can enjoy a freshly-created recipe by Chloé, accompanied by a carefully-chosen glass of natural wine.

• 46 Rue des Bains, 14360 Trouville-sur-Mer
• Tel: 02 31 98 13 07.

Things to see and do...

Villa Montebello Museum

One of the most beautiful villas on the Côte Fleurie... Commissioned in 1863 by the Marquise de Montebello to attract attention during the "bathing season", the summer months when Europe's aristocracy and crowned heads flocked to the resort.The building has kept its Belle Époque allure intact, and above all its fabulous view of the sea and gardens. A must-see also for its collection of artworks, prints and posters, which retrace the collective sea-bathing craze and the development of these spa resortsthe inexhaustible sources of inspiration for the painters of the time - Eugène Boudin, Claude Monet and Charles-Louis Mozin, THE painter of Trouville.

• 64 Rue Général-Leclerc 14360 Trouville-sur-Mer
• Tel: 02 31 88 16 26

© BaBXIII

À la petite Jeannette & Cie

For long walks on the beach, you'll need a sweater, scarf and warm socks from autumn onwards - all in cashmere, even better. This is where you'll find the most beautiful models, as well as jackets, pants and parkas that Trouvillais have been wearing for generations. Also popular for its exclusive pieces (dresses, made-to-measure men's shirts in a choice of three fabrics), the boutique is getting ready to celebrate its... 130th anniversary!

• 7 rue Victor-Hugo, 14360 Trouville-sur-Mer
• Tel: 02 31 81 99 27

Villa Gypsy

Both are travelers with a sharp eye. Led by Céline Chauré and her mother, Nathalie, this concept store offers an ultra-sharp selection of treasures from around the world. Indian bowls, Japanese vases, palm-leaf baskets from Colombia and sumptuous lighting inspired by the sea (coral, shells, etc.), there's something for everyone here, before settling down in the coffee shop extended by a flower-filled patio to enjoy fresh salads and mouth-watering pastries.

• 65, rue des Bains, 14360 Trouville-sur-Mer
• Tel: 09 53 83 88 90

A stroll between beach and villas

Aware of its magnificent seaside architectural heritage, Trouville has had the good sense to protect its villas since the 1970s. To discover them, all you have to do is stroll along the Promenade Savignac (Trouville's promenade), which unveils the Villa Sidonia with its medallion portraits, the Villa Esmeralda with its half-timbering, and the Villa Persane with its oriental allure. A wonderful stroll that also allows you to admire the two kilometers of blond sandy beach and leads all the way to the mythical Roches Noires, the refuge of Marguerite Duras, who stayed there for over thirty years.
► From the casino to the Roches Noires.

A further escape, Les Franciscaines in Deauville

Pierre - Olivier Deschamps

The cultural space that's been missing on the coast! Freshly inaugurated in a former 19th-century orphanage, Les Franciscaines brings together under one roof a museum, a media library with newspapers, comics and children's books freely available, an auditorium, not to mention a space dedicated to digital creation. Year-round exhibitions and concerts have already made it one of the city's most popular venues. And don't forget the excellent Le Réfectoire restaurant - ideal for lunch, dinner or brunch on Sunday mornings.

• 145b Avenue de la République, 14800 Deauville
• Tel. 02 61 52 29 20