Hippodrome de Deauville

Deauville is a seaside resort in Normandy that was invented in the middle of the nineteenth century, and horse racing was part of the plan from the start. The town was developed in the 1860s under the influence of the Duc de Morny, half-brother of Napoleon III, who helped create the resort and its racecourse, and the first races were held in 1864. Today the Hippodrome de Deauville-La Touques, on the avenue Hocquart de Turtot beside the river Touques, is one of the leading racecourses in France, and the town's identity as an elegant resort for the horse-loving world still rests on it.

The racing calendar is the key to a visit. The great meeting takes place in August, when the best flat racers in Europe come to Deauville for major international races, among them the Prix Morny for two-year-olds and the Prix Jacques Le Marois, and the town fills with owners, trainers, breeders and fans. At the same time, the sales of young horses, called yearlings, draw buyers from around the world. Other meetings are held through the summer, including a short October meeting and winter racing on the sand track from November. Racing over fences is at the separate Deauville-Clairefontaine course in Tourgéville. Between meetings, the course is mostly closed to the public, so it makes sense to check the official racing calendar before you plan a trip.

On race days, the atmosphere is part of the experience. Elegant hats and picnics, a lively crowd, the thunder of hooves and the sight of horses cantering to the start in front of the grandstand make for a distinctive outing. The paddock, where horses are paraded before each race, is a good place to see the animals close up. Bets are placed at counters and machines, and the stakes can be small, so it is possible to join in without risking much. Prices and access to the stands vary with the event.

For those who want to go behind the scenes, paid backstage tours, from 8 euros, run in the race-meeting programme, and they give insight into the daily life of the horses, the grooms and the trainers. The site hosts hundreds of horses throughout the year, so there is plenty of activity in the early morning, when the animals are exercised on the training tracks.

The racecourse sits a short distance from the centre of Deauville, whose other sights include the Planches, the famous boardwalk, the beach with its colourful parasols, and the Casino Barrière de Deauville. Across the river lies the old fishing town of Trouville.

It suits families, horse lovers and anyone who enjoys a day out with a bit of old-fashioned glamour.