Deauville

Deauville's signature 664-metre wooden boardwalk of the 1920s, lined with candy-striped parasols and beach cabins bearing the names of visiting film stars. Leashed dogs are welcome on the Planches year-round; the guarded sand itself is off-limits from mid-June to mid-September, though dogs can use it early morning and evening and at the far ends.

A protected headland rising to 110 metres above Bénerville, just west of Deauville, cared for by the Conservatoire du littoral. Its botanical paths, meadows and hidden WWII gun batteries make it the best proper walk in the area, with a sweeping panorama over the Côte Fleurie for a well-exercised dog on the lead.

The marina and quays on the Deauville bank of the Touques, ringed by yachts, cafés and apartment terraces. It is a flat, open leashed stroll in the heart of town, connecting the beach and the Planches to the market and the footbridge over to Trouville.

A flamboyant 1907 Norman villa built for Baron Henri de Rothschild on land that once belonged to Flaubert's family, now a listed monument with period interiors. Dogs are not admitted inside on the summer guided tours, but the striking half-timbered exterior and its grounds are worth a look from the road on a walk.

Deauville's older, saltier twin, reached on foot across the Touques footbridge: a working fishing port with a daily quayside fish market, a boardwalk of its own and the steep painterly streets that inspired Boudin and Monet. Leashed dogs are welcome on the quays and around the market stalls.

The covered market and its open-air stalls on Place du Marché, a Norman spread of cheeses, cider, seafood and produce that fills the centre several mornings a week. Leashed, calm dogs are a common sight browsing the outdoor aisles with their owners.

The in-town racecourse that gives Deauville its summer rhythm, from the July and August flat meetings to the world-famous yearling sales. Leashed dogs are generally welcome in the outdoor public areas on race days, though access can vary by event, so it is worth checking the day's programme.