New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-08-23
FRENCH SEA BEACHES
Scenes at T'rouUilIe and DeauUalte,
the Tzoin Normandy Resorts.
Notwithstanding, August ]

TrouyflIe- DeauviIle, August 1O.
The seaside season is now at its height Irou-
vile and Deauvile are connected at hisn tue oy
a primitive ferryboat that plies necessarily 10
and fro across the little estuary of the river
Tooues that is here only twenty yards In width
At low water stout planks permanently MADE
fast to the bottom of the stream by hrn1ly driven
piles and iron clamps afford novel footpath De
tween the two resorts The thirty-fve miles OF
Norman coast stretching between the NOUNS OF
the Seine and the orne studded with upward
of dozen PLACES, thronged just now by Parfsans
king their summer holiday. The most favored
of these beaches after Trouville and Deauv1lie'
are ViIlerville, Henecquevile, Viller-sur-Mer'
Houlgate Cabourg and Courseulles
The French take their pleasure by the sea III
o,ite q different manner from Americans. Each
little PLACE has wide beach Of sand, ana there
is a broad footpath of boards or tiles Tor prom
enaders, fringed by mosaic of red, white, vel
low or blue tents dafntily arranged Tor 1amlly
gatherings, recreation or Irritation gooo
rnacadamized road usually tar-pitched to pre-
vent dust. runs parallel to the PLACE. Facing
che road is long of brick villas, usually il
horrible architectural taste, "ornamented' with
a profusion of cheap stucco work in aggressively
offensive colors Smaller roads converge at a
central point of the main promenade, thus max
ing the plan of the Norman seaside resort re-
semble an deliberately spun web OF which huge
Casino is the spider.
Life at the typical Normandy plage-Trouville'
for instance-begns at o'clock with light
breakfast of tea or coffee, bread, butter and
fruit Then come the Paris morning papers.
parties of tennis, golf. motor excursions, walk
ing or lounging. The present summer is hotter
than usual and the prevailing morning attire
for men IS white duck white flannel trousers
blue cutaway coat and straw hat. and white or
yellow shoes. The women are mostly In WHITE
blue or champagne colored gowns, with plenty
Of lace, huge straw hats with feathers. and long.
flowing wells that serve, when gracefully twisted
about the head, as protection from dust during
flying motor car trips.
If the tide is favorable, the dip in the sea Is
usually taken at II o'clock. The PLACE is then
lined with hundreds of visitors, many of them
racing glass or kodak in hand, eager to appreci-
ate the parade of daintily got up bathers.
The prevailing style of bathing dress IS in black
or dark toned silk with perhaps narrow edg-
ings in white. crimson or blue The smart
Parisienne takes her bath apparently uncon-
scious of spectators and with inimitable grace
she energies from her bathing cabin wrapped
from head 10 foot in a white pongee mantle.
When few yards from the sea this is thrown
aside and the fair wearer walks with stately
gait into the surf. and the first big APP
with an agile backward spring and uplifted
arms into it's foanning embrace. and floats and
swims for ten minutes. After the bath, glis-
tening with dripping water, she is met by
maid. who Grapes her mistress In the white
peignoir and she regains her bathing cabin with
rapid, nervous strides, running the gantlet be-
tween scores of kodak shots. Sometimes
women and children especially those who can
not swim, are accompanied by professional bath
ers. who hold them by the hands and look after
them Poles to which attached long ropes
serve to divide the sections of the beach allotted
to men and to women bathers. and also mark
couples are permitted to battle in company
These ropes are also convenient to hold on TO
when the surf is high.
At 1890 o'clock comes the dejeuner or sub
stantial midday meal, usually consisting of eggs
fish, outlets vegetables. frontage a la creme-a
sort OF cottage cheese covered with rich cream
and fruit After lunch. somewhat more eIab-
crate toilets.are in order. The men stroll about
in the Casino, gamble at the petits chevaux,
make visits or lounge about in the numerous
brc-a-brac shops containing medieval curios or
Louis XIV jewels, chairs dressing tables
which have been brought from Paris by dealers
to be sold at exorbtant prices. Just now the
races attract the sporting public. and the play
ers in polo matches at the select club at Deau-
vile the best of France and England. The
dinner hour is at o'clock at the Casino, the
smart hotels and at the hundreds of villas The
men appear in smoking Jackets Ctuxedos'') with
black neckties and straw hats. the women in
decollete evening dress with hats. ready to took
in at the Casino where music. dancing BAG
carat and varied theatrical entertainments by
the best Partisan artists are provided. There
is always great profusion of flowers at Trou-
VILE and Deauville, and this year pink and
blue hortensias grow in superb clusters in the
windows and line the entrances of Norman vii
las and manoirs.
Trouvle and Deauville form the summer
centre of automobsm. The roads excel
lent The scenery is beautiful and genial The
graceful sweeping lines of hi" and vale are fun
of "reminiscences of Poussin Isabey, Delacroix
Troyon and Corot. There is scarcely an Ameri-
can motor tourist in France during the summer
season who does not linger at least day or two