Saint-Augustin Church

Here we are in front of Saint-Augustin Church. It was built to replace the old parish of Saint-Laurent, perched up on the hill and considered far too remote for a seaside resort that was rapidly expanding. Right here in the heart of Deauville, a place of worship was needed to match the ambitions of the new town.

It was the Duke of Morny himself who laid the first stone in August 1864, just days after the inaugural horse races at the new racecourse. The message was clear: from the very beginning, the resort would have both places of pleasure and places of prayer. Only a year later, in 1865, the church was consecrated. It was dedicated to Saint-Augustin, echoing the Duke’s own middle name.

Architecturally, it blends influences: a bell tower with both Romanesque and Gothic touches, a rather simple main hall, and facades of colorful brick highlighted with stone framing the entrance and the statue of Saint-Augustin. Inside, the stained glass is the highlight, including one window depicting Morny laying that first stone. Decorations were added over the years, and in the 1930s the church was enlarged to give it the appearance you see today. Step inside if you’d like to explore it in more detail!