History of Deauville

In 1926, Eugene Corniché passed away. His position as director of Deauville’s grand establishments was filled by Francois André.

In 1929, the construction of l”Hotel du Golf was paired with major renovations and expansions to the golf course itself. This was a decision coming directly from Francois André. The hotel and golf course are situated on the outskirts of the town.

In 1931, only seven kilometres from the centre of town the first airport, “l’aeroport de Deauville-Saint-Gatien” was inaugurated. This was a pivotal event in the Deauville’s history, specifically in terms of tourism, as now; London was only a 2-hour trip from Deauville.

The combination of the national financial crisis and World War II completely removed the paradisiacal aura of Deauville that would not resurface until the 1950s. During the Second World War, the German Army occupied Deauville. Villas, hotels, and the casino were all occupied or used to some extent by the German forces. Thanks to the D-Day invasion, allied forces were able to push the German troops out of Deauville and Normandy.

Following the war, and perhaps exemplified in the 1960s and beyond, Deauville understood what it represented and decided to act in accordance, playing the cards it had at its disposal: myth and exclusivity. Michel d’Ornano was established as the new mayor and Lucien Barriere succeeded his uncle Francois André at the head of the Hotels and Casinos of Deauville. Deauville became again a centre for high society and celebrities from almost every field. With scenes of award-winning movies being filmed in Deauville (such as Claude Lelouch’s “un Homme et une Femme”) and endless celebrity traffic, the town