Although the Bassin Morny was created to promote the establishment of a port economy, the nautical industry was already present in Deauville in 1880. The English nobles of the time came in sailing ships and steam yachts: the Star of India, the Sona, or the Cutty Sark were the names of the most famous boats moored in the Bassin Morny.
The life of the Deauville Yacht Club (created in 1928) was in full swing at the time with the Blue and White lunches that brought together a number of yachtsmen and their friends. Sailing stars of the time came to Deauville: Franck Guillet and his 8 m J.I. Coq Gaulois, Virginie Hériot and her 6 m J.I. Petite Aile, Serge Paulmier and his cruiser Solveig II, Philippe de Rothschild and his Cupidon Fou and the Olympic champion Jacques Lebrun. A craze that stopped during the war years and resumed in 1947. On several occasions, the French Dragon Championship, the French Shark Championship and the International Nautical Rally of the Touring Club of France were held. The year 1962 saw the creation of a great classic: the Cowes - Deauville race.

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Well situated on the English Channel, Deauville is an essential stopover whether you come from Great Britain, the North Sea or the Channel Islands. With its 1,250 berths spread over two ports, the city is the second largest port in the Lower Normandy region in terms of capacity, the first being Cherbourg,

In the heart of Deauville, 300 meters from the Place Morny, and opposite the train station. Nearly 400 boats are parked there all year round. The Deauville Yacht Club organizes the regatta program, about ten from April to October, and manages its sailing school, the only one in Calvados.

Spread over an area of more than 10 hectares, protected by a breakwater made of granite blocks 770 meters long, this port is accessible 16 hours a day. Its audacious architecture was imagined in the 1970s based on the concept of marinas.

Around the Bassin Morny, the Touques peninsula attracted factories and merchant depots from 1865, creating an industrial zone. The period between the two world wars was favorable to this development. Today, this 6-hectare area is totally undeveloped and unused. To reclaim this area, ideally located between the sea, Touques and the city center, the City of Deauville has launched a major urban redevelopment project. The challenge is to transform this area into a lively year-round district, with activities and places for all Deauvillais to enjoy, while integrating it into its natural and urban environment. The development of public spaces is now almost complete, while two builders have started the construction of the buildings, houses, shops and work spaces that will bring the neighborhood to life.

With the mission of animating the municipal port, the Deauville Yacht Club, supported by the City of Deauville, organizes from April to October about fifteen regattas each year. The Club also hosts national and international competitions, such as the French Cup for J80s in 2010, or the International Cup for 505s, the king of dinghies. In 2013, a stage of the Tour de France à la Voile made a stopover in Deauville. In 2016, the Deauville Yacht Club will host for the first time the Figaro Classic, which will bring together Figaro 1s for four races.

Every year, Deauville hosts the International Dragon Open. During 4 days, in June, competitors from England, Belgium, Holland and of course France compete on "banana" courses, i.e. on buoys anchored against the wind. In the 60's, Deauville was one of the main French Dragon bases.

Following in the footsteps of the many sailors who have been participating in international rallies in Deauville for more than a century, a regatta has been held every June between Cowes and Deauville for over 50 years. A regatta organized by the Royal Southern Yacht Club, the Royal London Yacht Club, the Junior Offshore Group, the Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Deauville Yacht Club, with the support of the City of Deauville, since 1962, with about one hundred British and French crews. The challenge: to cross the English Channel at night, from Cowes to Deauville.

"The Figaro brings the special aura of a race that brings out the best sailors and strategists with the same boat, on equal footing. This mythical race will start from Deauville three times, in 2014, 2016 and 2018. This is a new direction for the city, which is turning its face even more resolutely towards the sea. It asserts a nautical identity as much as a seaside, cultural or tourist identity. It clearly aims to forge a reputation as a maritime and sports destination of reference on the West Channel coastline. A home port and a stopover for sailors from all over the world.

12 marinas and more than 4,000 moorings, 2 resorts with the France Nautical Station label, a hundred or so providers of sporting activities, Calvados is a nautical department with an incredible variety. To take advantage of it, download HERE the brochure of nautical activities and HERE, the one of the ports.