The Promenade des Planches — literally "the boardwalk of planks" — is the most famous stretch of seafront in Normandy. Half a kilometre of weathered wooden decking runs along the dunes, lined on its inland side by 450 striped beach cabins in Art Deco-revival style, painted in pastel pinks, blues and greens. Each cabin carries the name of a star or director who has attended the Deauville American Film Festival.
Walking the boards is the universal Deauville activity: in the morning it is joggers and dog walkers, by midday families heading to the beach, in the evening couples dressed for dinner at the Normandy or Royal hotels. The view across the wide flat beach to the English Channel is best at low tide, when sand stretches out for hundreds of metres and horse riders from the racecourse exercise their thoroughbreds along the water's edge.