La Touques is the larger of Deauville's two thoroughbred racecourses and the focus of one of the most important flat-racing meetings in Europe. The grandstand sits right on the edge of town, a five-minute walk from the central square; the season runs from late July through August and again briefly in October. On race afternoons the whole social scene — film festival celebrities, Parisian socialites, breeders, jockeys — funnels through here.
Tickets to general admission are inexpensive, the atmosphere is genuinely festive, and you don't have to bet to enjoy it. The infield includes a wide picnic area, restaurants, and a children's enclosure with pony rides. The neighbouring Hippodrome de Clairefontaine handles jumps racing and trotting and shares a calendar that keeps Deauville busy all summer.