THE PORT BUILDINGS AND THE BELVEDERES
Stretching over an area of 6.3 hectares between La Touques, the sea and downtown Deauville, the new Presqu'île district has changed a lot in a few years. Since 2020, it has become a real entrance to the city. A stone's throw from the train station, it boasts a beautiful architecture that respects the diversity of Deauville with homes, restaurants, public spaces, port buildings and two belvederes, symbols of an unceasing renewal.
A link between the city center and the Presqu'île, a gateway to the sea at the junction of the Morny and Yacht basins, designed by the Xavier Bohl architectural studio, the port buildings, inspired by the Augeron style, transform the landscape of Deauville while reviving elements of its past. Each is marked by a 28-meter-high signal tower inspired by the lighthouse with a fixed light, erected in 1874 and demolished in 1929. The architect was inspired by the old lighthouse by taking up the principle of the black and white bands of the time. On the Quai de la Marine side, the building houses the municipal harbor master's office, the Deauville Yacht Club and its sailing school, and the tower houses the bridge's machinery. On the Quai de l'Impératrice Eugénie side, the building will soon house a restaurant and the second tower is accessible to the public who, from the belvedere, can admire a panoramic view of Deauville, Trouville-sur-Mer, the Touques estuary, the coastline and the valleys of the Auvergne countryside.
Climb to the lookout
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"This ensemble is inscribed as a strategic crossroads with a footbridge that offers a link between the old city center and the new Presqu'île district while the perpendicular axis framed by the two towers offers a perspective on the sea, a gateway to the ocean." The architect was inspired by the old lighthouse, using the principle of black and white stripes of the time. "That was the whole philosophy behind this project," the architect explains. "Projecting into the future by taking inspiration from the past. These two towers are elements that will structure the city's landscape by playing a role as a signal, a landmark for residents, sailors and tourists. It will affirm Deauville's vocation as a major place for yachting and fishing."
Xavier Bohl project architect
