Monet

I get the feeling that the world divides into two very different halves as my two-hour train from Paris pulls into the splendid half-timbered station of Trouville-Deauville, with holidaymakers either turning left towards chic, luxurious Deauville, the Saint-Tropez of Normandy, or branching right, across the Touques River, to Trouville-sur-Mer, a more historic, easy-going destination.

I have opted to stay at Trouville, known as La Reine des Plages (The Queen of the Beaches), a tiny fishing port that was transformed from the 1820s onwards into one of France’s first fashionable bathing resorts by bohemian artists and writers, seduced by the unique coastal light, and the Parisian bourgeoisie looking for a healthy dose of sea air and a flutter in the glamorous municipal casino.

It is Wednesday morning, market day, and the high street that leads into town is teeming with stalls showcasing Normandy goodies: creamy Pont-l’Évêque and pungent Livarot cheeses, cider and apple juice, peppery andouille sausage, freshly harvested fruits and vegetables. The families of local fishers do a brisk trade at stands piled high with still-wriggling sole, plaice, mackerel, crab and red mullet that have come straight from the nets of small boats docked below on the quayside.

For visitors who have booked one of Trouville’s numerous self-catering apartments, the market is an ideal place to shop for dinner or a picnic, but I carry on into the centre of town to the unbeatably priced Hôtel Le Fer à Cheval (doubles from just €59 room-only in winter/around€140 in peak season). Identical twins Virginie and Sonia Bisson created their smart, welcoming hotel from three adjoining mansions 20 years ago, and are a mine of insider tips. So after checking in my bags, I take their advice and head straight for the beach bar Le Galatée a couple of hundred yards away from the hotel.

An iconic wooden boardwalk, Promenade Savignac, runs parallel to the lapping waves for more than a kilometre, the scene pretty much unchanged from Claude Monet’s 1870 impressionist masterpiece Promenade à Trouville. The terrace of Le Galatée is certainly the strategic place to sit, indulging in their famous chocolat chaud or an ice-cream sundae while taking the pulse of what is now a buzzing family resort.

The Reine des Plages now resembles a stately dowager, spoiling holidaymakers with classic seaside treats such as pony rides on the beach, mini golf and petanque. The boardwalk is lined with Normandy’s distinctive 19th-century half-timbered villas and palatial mansions, each trying to outdo its neighbour for opulence and grandeur. The iconic Hôtel Les Roches Noires – again immortalised by Monet, whose painting now hangs in the Musée d’Orsay – is a luxurious hotel, as many of these stately piles once were until they were converted into private apartments.

While Deauville’s boardwalk is lined with art deco bathing cabins dedicated to Hollywood stars who have attended the Deauville American Film Festival, such as Gene Kelly, Kirk Douglas and Marilyn Monroe, Trouville offers plain wooden benches bearing the names of writers drawn here for inspiration: Gustave Flaubert, Marcel Proust, Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas. Just behind Les Roches Noires, I walk uphill to the imposing Villa Montebello, home of the municipal museum, where I discover that Trouville was also a favourite destination for the 19th-century painters Courbet, Corot, Caillebotte and above all Eugène Boudin, later acclaimed as the father of impressionism

Aside from lazing on the beach, browsing retro fashion boutiques such as À La Petite Jeannette and Devred 1902, or exploring Trouville’s distinctive maze of narrow alleyways and steep staircases that climb high above the main town, the big draw here is eating out. Like every visitor, I am charmed by the raucous fishmongers lining the landmark Marché aux Poissons. With tables along the pavement, they serve plateaux de fruits de mer piled high with oysters, clams, prawns, whelks, cockles and mussels. Lunch is a memorable occasion, especially accompanied by a chilled bottle of Muscadet, though beware the bill – the prices you see on the stall are for takeaway, with a mark-up when served at the table. As Stéphane Brassy, president of the Trouville fishmongers association, tells me between shucking oysters: “We have queues of tourists lining up here every day of the week. Everyone loves the banter and understands that the quality of our fish and seafood comes at a certain price.”

In the evening, plush brasseries such as Les Vapeurs and Le Central are packed, but in the back streets I discover two exceptional addresses that have both been open for less than a year. The romantic Chez Ginette is decorated with checked tablecloths and chintzy wallpaper, presenting a bistronomique menu of grand-mère recipes such as eggs mimosa with smoked mackerel (€4.90), chicken cordon bleu (€17.90) or juicy bavette steak, frites and creamy camembert sauce (€18.90).

The funky Turbulent is like no other diner in town, with young chef Jarvis Scott proposing a daring five-course tasting menu for €70. His name betrays Anglo-French roots, but Jarvis says that, “even though I was brought up on baked beans and fried sausages, my cooking inspiration is very much French. I was looking to escape the high-pressure cooking world of Parisian fine dining and Trouville was the perfect solution, especially with the wonderful local produce from small boat fishers and organic farmers.” His menu changes every week and includes dishes such as deep-fried artichoke resting on a creamy chicken liver mousse, frogs’ legs alongside spicy merguez sausage, smoked beetroot with tapenade and wild sorrel.

But Trouville-sur-mer is not just a seaside destination, as the idyllic Normandy countryside of the Pays d’Auge begins just outside town. Les Trouvillaises bike shop recommends hiring an ebike (€35 per day) to comfortably explore the region’s rolling hills, and a leisurely 22-mile (35km) ride allows for stop-offs at an artisan dairy farm and ancient cidrerie.

At La Ferme Martin, Thierry and Caroline Martin are the fourth generation to produce artisan, raw-milk Pont-l’Évêque cheese. Each morning, Caroline takes the still-warm milk, fresh from their 60-cow herd, and makes cheeses in her tiny dairy, where a steady stream of locals and tourists turn up to buy direct from the farm.

Just outside the bustling market town of Pont-l’Évêque lies the sprawling 17th-century manor and orchards of Maison Drouin, the perfect place to discover the secrets of cider and calvados. Half a dozen Norman colombage (half-timbered) outbuildings house a press for creating the apple juice, vats to ferment and age the cider, an alembic still for distilling, a barrel room to age the calvados, and a busy boutique. No reservation is necessary, and as Guillaume Drouin explains, “We offer the chance to taste all our products, take a tour explaining our orchards with 36 varieties of apples, then see how we make everything. There is no charge, because I want our visitors to try, to understand and enjoy, rather than thinking they are paying to enter some kind of tourist attraction.”

Back in Trouville, on the way to the station, I cannot resist a glimpse inside the fabulous belle epoque Casino Barrière, an opulent reminder that this was one of the early magnets drawing travellers to Normandy a century ago. Just outside, in a former police building, a new attraction is opening at the end of October: Le Ciné Bistro is the brainchild of Claude Lelouch, director of the acclaimed Un Homme et Une Femme (1966), which he filmed in Trouville, and will offer an evening movie screening followed by dinner. Definitely a good reason to come back.

The trip was provided by Calvados Attractivité. Further information can be found at Trouville-sur-Mer and Terre d’Auge Tourisme

Like most busy working mothers who struggle with work-life balance, three-time Grammy Award winner Victoria Monét cherishes spending time with her 4-year-old daughter, Hazel, who she shares with ex-boyfriend fitness trainer John Gaines.

In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.

Known for writing hits like Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next,” Blackpink and Selena Gomez’s “Ice Cream” and Chloe x Halle’s “Do It,” in addition to “On My Mama” from her debut album “Jaguar II,” the L.A.-based R&B singer-songwriter recently penned something for younger audiences: the heartwarming children’s picture book “Everywhere You Are,” due out June 24.

In a recent interview, Monét revealed the inspiration behind her book. (She will discuss her new book at Malik Books on Saturday and the Reparations Club along with moderator Gabrielle Union on Sunday. Tickets are required.)

“As a parent, it’s hard to miss those pivotal moments,” she said of the separation anxiety that many children feel when their parents are working and unavailable. “It’s important for children to know that there is a purpose behind them. I wanted to offer assurance and relay an important message: Everything will be OK.”

Despite her demanding schedule, Monét always finds a way to make quality time for Hazel. In 2023, Hazel, then 2, became the youngest Grammy nominee in history when she was nominated for her vocals in “Hollywood” alongside her mother. And when Beyoncé kicked off her “Cowboy Carter” tour at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood last month, Monét took Hazel to her first concert. Their ideal Sunday in L.A., which Monét fondly calls “me time,” would involve playing outdoors, enjoying a visit to a family fun center, indulging in vegan sweet treats and reading “Everywhere You Are” to one another before bed. Here, Monét shares a joy-filled Sunday spent with her daughter.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

8:30 a.m.: Awake with gratitude

On Sundays, me and Hazel wake up later than usual because we probably stayed up late the night before if I didn’t have to work. We normally start our day by doing our gratitude journaling, where she doodles and I write. Then we do our self-care, where we brush our hair and teeth. I will then go downstairs and make her character pancakes with chocolate chips or Fruity Pebbles cereal.

After that, we may make some art. She loves to draw, and we have a nice art section in the house featuring everything from crayons to markers, scratch-off art, watercolors and rainbow paints.

10 a.m.: Dance, dance, dance!

Hazel is active and enjoys doing things, but on the weekends, we have instructors come to the house for dance lessons. So far, she has taken ballroom dance, ballet and tap. She was in gymnastics for a while. We’re looking forward to taking ballet and tumbling at To The Pointe Dance and Pilates Centre.

She loves being outside and enjoys riding her bike or visiting the park. During the week, she plays soccer twice a week. She loves it because it isn’t serious yet. It’s more about giving them a chance to have fun. They do drills on how to kick and run at the same time. It’s hard when you think about it.

12 p.m.: Indulge in fresh pasta at Uovo

Hazel loves pasta, so we often go to Uovo Pasta, which has several locations in Los Angeles. Their handmade al dente noodles are perfect — they overnight them from Italy. We would get the pomodoro and make sure that it’s not too spicy. Their cacio e pepe is great, but that’s a once-in-a-blue-moon thing for me because I’m [mostly] plant-based. Hazel usually gets what I get. When I was pregnant with her, I ate Flamin’ Hot Cheetos all the time, and now she likes them too. After lunch, I’d have to bring her home because she naps around 1 p.m.

2:30 p.m.: Jump for joy at Off the Wall

After her nap, we’ll hit Off the Wall in Woodland Hills. It’s trampoline heaven, where you can catapult higher than you intended to. There are rock climbing walls, an arcade and food. They have an air-filled basketball court that’s on a soft floor and there are birthday party rooms in the back. Hazel loves that place, especially the trampoline. She likes me to chase her, so I get a workout while we are there. I’ll literally be sweating when we leave.

4 p.m.: Sample sweet treats at Happy Ice or Magpies

For a sweet treat, Happy Ice is a favorite. It’s the best-tasting slushy snow cone, especially during the summer when it’s hot. They have locations in Northridge and Hollywood, but they also have a truck [at Smorgasburg on Sundays in downtown L.A.]. For Hazel’s birthday party, we had the truck come to our house. I usually get the Rainbow Rocket, which is a mix of all their Italian ice flavors, and Hazel gets the same thing I do. She is happy to get anything, frankly. Magpies Softserve is another one of our favorites. Their vegan honeycomb soft serve is so good. Hazel likes their soft-serve pies.

6 p.m.: Tapas-style dining at Joey

Hazel is newly picky, but if she were to go out to dinner with me, she would love Joey in Woodland Hills, which offers a wide-ranging menu. They check off a box for everybody. I’m a tapas-style girl, so I like to order a variety of different dishes: guacamole, tuna and avocado crunch roll and Korean fried cauliflower. I’ll order the sake-glazed Chilean sea bass and pasta for Hazel.

We’re homebodies, so another dinner option would be spending time together at home, cooking and playing in the pool. We enjoy making veggie and tofu tacos together. Things you can eat with your hands are always fun with kids. That’s one reason they like s’mores so much. Occasionally, we’ll make something pescatarian like grilled salmon or other fish.

8 p.m.: Watch “Moana 2” … again

At night, we would watch a movie and wind down with some Skinny Pop popcorn. Hazel would probably watch “Moana 2” again right now. We saw it in the theaters, and she goes through phases where she wants to watch different things, but she recently said that she wants a “Moana 2” party for her fifth birthday. I thought she’d like something else by then. But then, she thinks there will be 20 Moanas.

10 p.m.: Read “Everywhere You Are” before bed

Before bed, Hazel often asks me to read “Everywhere You Are” to her. She loves to read and enjoys being read to. I’ve read it to her so many times that she can read it back to me. She recorded a segment of the audiobook with me and was excited to hear herself when she recorded it in the studio. Reading the book to her, I realized that missing a parent is a lot like losing a loved one. You can still feel their presence even though they’re not around. Love binds people together despite physical distance. Even when they don’t see you, children need to know that you’re still there and that you’ll always be with them.