Weekend Getaway: Trouville-sur-Mer
Looking for an easy escape from Paris? Look no further than Trouville-sur-Mer, a fishing town located on the Normandy coast, in the Calvaldos department, about 200 km (125 miles) from Paris. What more says a weekend-getaway better than Trouville-sur-Mer?
The 21st Arrondissement of Paris
Trouville (and Deauville) is the first seaside resort town in France. It’s where all the Parisians flocked to during the end of the 19th century. The town’s character is evident by the large manor houses that line the beach. Trouville earned its nickname as the “21st arrondissement of Paris” due to the close proximity to the capital as well as it became the easy escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. The beaches that line the shores of Trouville and Deauville are known as the most beautiful beach in the world, being crowned the “Queen of the beaches”.
Queen of the Beaches
Trouville called to anyone and everyone as an escape. It is a vacation destination, then and still now. The beachfront is sprinkled with villas of various size that are a tribute to this fact. Everyone from Monet to Boudin, Proust, Savignac to Depardieu, and Belmondo have vacationed in this tiny fishing seaport town.
The beach in Trouville extends for about 1 km (about 0.63 miles) in length. All along the length of the beach lies the boardwalk (Promende des Planches), a path where you can easily walk without being on the sand. There are restaurants dotted along the boardwalk, but mainly near the main entrance to the beach. There is a mini tourist train that takes you on a 30-40 minute train ride throughout the town and its history. There’s also a small amusement park (Club de la Plage) that has a few attractions for children, as well as mini golf and a mini-pony excursion.
A trip to Trouville would not be complete without spending some time walking the beached looking for seashells or strolling along the boardwalk whether in the morning or the evening. There is no perfect time to visit Trouville (althought I would avoid high tourist season), any time you can escape to this sea-side town is perfect.
Getting to Trouville-Sur-Mer
There are several ways to get to Trouville-sur-Mer, but the easiest way is to take the Nomad train that leaves from the Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris. This is your best and fastest bet, the train takes a little over 2 hours and is direct. Your final destination will be the Trouville-Deavuille train station.
You can book your tickets through the SNCF connect website here. If you plan right, you can find tickets for as low as 16€, but this price is usually found super early in the morning. You’ll want to plan on spending between 20€ – 30€ each way, depending on what time you leave, you can easily get a round-trip for about 40€, if you plan it right. Since we go on a semi-frequent basis, I took advantage of the Carte Avantage Adulte, which gives you benefits if you book on TGV INOUI or INTERCITÉS trains. This card also allows me a discount on a second ticket for my travel buddy.
Wining and Dining the Town
There is no short of a selection of restaurants to whet your appetite. All along the boardwalk as well as in town there is a variety of places to sit and enjoy a meal. Depending on when you’ll be there, I’d highly recommend making a reservation, especially during high season, unless you plan on dining before everyone else (aka before 19h00). Here are a few of my favorite places in town and on the boardwalk in Trouville-sur-Mer:
- Pipelettes & Co. 82 Rue des Bains
- Bistro Marcele 89 Rue des Bains
- Le Petit Central 4 Rue des Bains
- Le Central 158 Bd Fernand Moureaux
- Les Voiles 160 Bd Fernand Moureaux
- Les Vapeurs 160 Bd Fernand Moureaux
- Les Mouettes 11 Rue des Bains
Or any of the spots within the Fish Market, you’ll have the freshest seafood available, literally boat to table-side.
You’ll find seafood is the name of the game and you can find anything and everything from whole fish to seafood platters to crab and even lobster. Go ahead, order the seafood platter, you will not be disappointed!
Musée de la Villa Montebello
Looking for a lovely afternoon exploring the history of the city ? A visit to the Musée de la Villa Montebello should be on your list. A historic villa built in 1865 and has been officially a museum since 1972, displays collections that include paintings, posters, lithographs, drawings, manuscripts, objects, clothing, etc.that are focused on the origin of sea bathing and the development of vacationing on the Côte Fleurie. This museum offers an insightful trip back in time to what it was like on the beaches during their hay-day.
Depending on the time of the year, depends on when the museum is open. You’ll want to check their website for the most up-to-date information on that here (bottom of the page). Tickets start at 8€ (you can get an audio guide for 2€ more). They do offer individual or group guided tours, which need to be booked in advance. You can find all their offers here .
