It was the time when the Duke of Morny and his friend, Dr. Oliff, wanted to make Deauville “a realm of elegance”. This required a banker - Armand Donon and an architect – Desle François Breney. Together they raised a city from the marshes. From 1860 onwards, along the waterfront, a casino, hotels and Victorian or Moorish villas rose from the earth, and soon became the meeting place for celebrities, Russian dukes ... and gamblers. Facing the beach, le Cercle built in 1873, is a witness to this Belle Époque. A U-shaped brick building nestling between the casino and the Hotel Royal set around a courtyard and flanked by an attic storey. Breney wanted niches to be carved into the facades and decorated with terracotta female busts. In the days of its splendour - the Belle Époque and in the 1920s - Parisian celebrities and millionaires came down here for the summer. They spent the morning swimming, the afternoon at the casino and went for a stroll in the evening before coming here for a drink. It is still a very exclusive club whose members are recruited in equestrian circles. Each year, they are still a good hundred in the building during the August races. But due to lack of minimum maintenance, the building facing the sea has become significantly degraded over the years, a major restoration is essential.

From club to exhibition openings

Through an agreement with the owners, the city of Deauville will carry out the work and site management, in return, it will have use of the building for 11 months (with a 50 year lease). The owners will take possession every year in August. The rehabilitation and upgrading of the building (which has an area of 1 250 m2) includes a plan to create a prestigious exhibition and reception site. This small chateau is composed of three floors.  The ground floor composed of three rooms facing the sea and two rooms looking onto the courtyard will be fully restored and the work has already revealed a few surprises: reclaiming architectural features hitherto virtually invisible, cornices, and the sumptuous curves of the ceiling. The two upper floors are composed of bedrooms still used by members of the Club, and will be completely overhauled. "One word sums up this building”, explains Sébastien Loiseau, from the architectural firm Basalt, in charge of the project, “charm”. The decoration will bring back its original character, respecting the mouldings and draperies while adding on a little contemporary style, for example the lighting which will mingle with existing lamps. Certain bedrooms will be refurbished in the original style, while others will be modernised.

Nathalie Papin

Info. : www.deauville.fr