Normandy Invasion by G8

Reuters reports on the latest Normandy invasion:

Normandy's seaside resort town of Deauville will see an invasion of a gentler kind: the annual Group of Eight summit, which will gather 18 heads of state and 2,500 delegation members to discuss North African unrest and other global issues.

The G8 dignitaries should feel right at home in Deauville, which has been the playground of the Parisian elite for decades.

In 1858, the Duke of Morny, a half-brother of Napoleon III, decided to create "a kingdom of elegance" and built the first half-timbered villas that give Deauville its unique look.

Just two hours from Paris, Deauville is still a haunt for the wealthy, although the crowd is less exclusive now.

With its racecourse, harbour, international film festival, marinas, conference centre, villas, Grand Casino and sumptuous hotels, Deauville is regarded as the "queen of the Norman beaches" and one of the most prestigious seaside resorts in all of France. Closest seaside when coming from Paris, the city and the nearby region of the Côte Fleurie (Flowers Coast) has long been home to French high society's seaside houses and is often referred to as the Parisian riviera.

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