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Le Touquet

Visit Le Touquet (Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France)

Le Touquet (correct name Le Touquet-Paris-Plage) is on the coast of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of northern France, 70km south of Calais. Paris is a 2 hours drive away. The section of coast where Le Touquet is found is called the Opal Coast.

Before the creation of Le Touquet there was little to commend the region, but when development started the owner had the foresight to control overdevelopment, and many architects took up the challenge of creating interesting buildings here.

Explore Le Touquet

The resort has long been held in high esteem. Since its creation in the last decades of the 19th century it has been popular with Parisians seeking to escape the city - and continues to be one of the most sophisticated resorts in this part of France.

The 'invasion of the Brits' started early in the 20th century, and this was when Le Touquet really started to boom - within a couple of decades it had become a fashionable place for rich and sophisticated English to spend their time visiting or in glamorous second homes in the town.

Several important architects of the time were attracted here to design impressive villas for the wealthy new arrivals. Ask for a guide in Le Touquet tourist office which will help you discover many of the most important of these period houses, typically built between 1900 and 1920.

Many of the buildings from the first decades of Le Touquet have been preserved and maintained, and are now part of the tourist attraction and appeal of Le Touquet. The Town Hall and adjacent belfry are particularly impressive examples.

The open gardens and flower plantings in the town, the cleanliness and general feeling of wellbeing, all contribute to the ongoing popularity of the resort, as do the large number of boutiques and specialist shops.

The beach at Le Touquet is long, clean, and has lovely fine sand. If the weather is a bit poor for sea-bathing, or the children need more action, there is a 'water park' next to the beach called Aqualud. And for the adults? There is also a popular seawater spa centre next to the beach.

Le Touquet has all modern facilities, boutiques and shopping and restaurants (especially sea-food restaurants), casinos and sea related activities that you would expect of a vibrant sea resort.

The town also has numerous sports related facilities, including golf-courses, tennis courts and horse-racing. These activities help keep Le Touquet lively during the off-season months, as do the number of Parisians who visit all year round.

The market here is held in the partly-covered market hall, now a listed Historic Monument, on Saturday and Thursday mornings. After enjoying the market visit the garden next to the market. This is called the Garden of Ypres because during the first World War it was turned into a potato field to feed refugees from Ypres.

Attractions nearby

When you tire of beaches and shopping we suggest a trip to the picturesque town of Montreuil, a few kilometres east of Le Touquet.

Photos taken within 10 km

Tourist classifications for Le Touquet

Le Touquet is classified as a village in bloom (ville fleurie) 4*

Address: Touquet-Paris-Plage, Montreuil, Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, 62520 || GPS: latitude 50.5186, longitude 1.595

Map of Le Touquet & places nearby



 

Highlights close by

More suggestions: Saint-Valery-sur-Somme 37km;

See lots more places to visit nearby and a more detailed map at places near Le Touquet.
See Nord-Pas-de-Calais for more travel ideas...

Suggested tourist attractions to visit near Le Touquet, France

• Mareis - aquarium (2km)
• Saint-Josse - ville fleurie 4* (7km)
• Parc Bagatelle - theme park (10km)
• Montreuil - recommended detour (13km)
• Eglise de Saint-Saulve (Montreuil-sur-Mer) - religious monument (14km)
• Baie d'Authie - site of natural beauty (14km)
• Beffroi de Boulogne-sur-Mer (Belfries of Belgium and France) - heritage site (23km)
• Boulogne-sur-Mer - town of art and history (23km)
• Nausicaa - Centre national de la mer - aquarium (24km)
• Column of the Grand Army - national monument (25km)

The French version of this page is at Le Touquet (Francais)