Le Touquet (dead link: December 2020) is a fashionable seaside resort in Hauts-de-France. The town is also known as Le Touquet-Paris-Plage indicating its popularity with affluent visitors from Paris.
Understand
Get in
By plane
Le Touquet has an airport for small private and chartered planes as well as a scheduled passenger service from Lydd Airport (IATA: LYX) in Romney Marsh, England.
- Le Touquet – Côte d'Opale Airport (IATA: LTQ), Allée de la Royale Air Force (3 km east from the town centre and the beach, 40 min on foot), 50.514722°, 1.6275°, +33 3 21 05 03 99, contact@aeroport-letouquet.com. Daily 09:00–19:00. Although small, it is an international airport, with customs for flights from abroad. Its location close to the town makes it perfect for private leisure flights. 2017-12-30
- LyddAir, Lydd Airport, TN29 9QL, Romney Marsh, Kent, United Kingdom, +44 1797 322207, info@lyddair.com. LyddAir operates a scheduled service from Lydd Airport (IATA: LYX), just across the English Channel. Scheduled flights on some Saturdays and Sundays during the summer season, June–September (every 2–3 weeks). 20 min flight. Leaves Lydd Airport at 09:30 WET and comes back at 17:30 CET: making possible to come just for 1 day or for the week-end. Around £80/person and per flight 2017-12-30
Larger airports in the region are Beauvais–Tillé Airport (IATA: BVA) and Lille Lesquin International Airport (IATA: LIL). Most international flights are likely to land in Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (IATA: CDG) or Brussels-National Zaventem Airport (IATA: BRU)
By train
See also: Rail travel in France
Le Touquet is easily reachable by train: 2 hr 33 from Paris Gare du Nord, for €30–40; 2 hr 05 from Lille, for €30–€40; And 50 min from Calais, for €11.90. SNCF website
By car
See also: Driving in France
Le Touquet is 240 km from Paris (2½ hr drive), 160 km from Lille (2 hr drive), and 70 km from Calais (1 hr drive).
A16 L'Européenne motorway, exit at Junction 26. Then west on the D939 via Étaples. The town centre is approached through a wooded area that surrounds the town. There are several large car parks 📍 by the beach.
Get around
The town centre and seafront are easily walkable. You may prefer to use a car for travelling to some outlining attractions.
- Navette, +33 3 21 89 43 00. Operates on week-end, day off and holidays.. Two trips: "Gare d'Étaples-Le Touquet – Le Touquet-Paris-Plage" which connect the railway station to town centre in 15 min and "Mer et Foret". €1/adult, free below 18 year old 2017-12-31
Several taxi services are available:
- Taxi Fusion, +33 6 07 72 04 04, +33 6 08 01 57 09 (Le Touquet), +33 6 07 33 78 93 (Étaples), contact@taxisfusion.com. 24 hours daily. 4 cars.
- Taxi Sandra, +33 6 80 70 98 62, sandra.gorre@live.fr.
- Creton Taxi, Boulevard Daloz, +33 6 09 38 45 75, yannick.creton1@aliceadsl.fr.
- Taxi Opale, Rue de Moscou, +33 6 07 10 13 57.
- Alexi Taxi, +33 6 80 06 10 32.
See
- Musée du Touquet-Paris-Plage, Avenue du Golf (Villa Way-Side, corner of Avenue du Golf and Avenue du Château), 50.5151°, 1.6081°, +33 3 21 05 62 62, musee@letouquet.com. Sep–Jun W–M 14:00–18:00, Jul–Aug W–M 10:00–12:30 & 14:00–18:30, closed on Tuesday and bank holidays, free on first Sunday of month. €3.50/person 2017-12-30
- Église Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc, Boulevard Daloz, crossing with Avenue de la Paix (north of town hall), 50.5206°, 1.5869°. Built in 1912 and famous for its Pipe organ. 2017-12-31
Historic monuments
Le Touquet has 21 registered historic monuments, including 16 villas.
- Hôtel de Ville, Boulevard Daloz, 50.5196°, 1.5865°. Le Touquet's imposing town hall was built in 1931 out of grey stone, and registered as a 20th century historic monument in 2014. Like many municipal buildings in the region, it has a clock tower.
- Marché couvert (covered market), 1 rue Jean-Monnet, crossing with rue de Metz, 50.5204°, 1.58412°. This semi-circular market hall was built in 1929 in a style that imitates a much older local architecture. It was registered as an historic monument in 1996; don't just stop to admire the look - stay to sample the fresh produce! 2017-12-30
- Phare de la Canche (Phare du Touquet), Allée des Mésanges, 50.5236°, 1.59194°. Built in 1949, and registered as an historic monument in 2010. The Canche is the river which meets the sea at Le Touquet, and this brick lighthouse guards the Canche estuary. 2017-12-30
- Hôtel des postes, Rue de Metz, 50.52217°, 1.58375°. Built in 1927, and registered as an historic monument in 1997, this is an attractive post office with pleasing 'villa' architecture typical of the interwar period. 2017-12-30
- Hippodrome de la Canche, Dune aux Loups, 50.52369°, 1.60619°. Le Touquet's famous racecourse. Most meetings take place in the summer, but at other times of the year, you can admire the stands which are yet another registered historic landmark. 2017-12-30
Do
- Beach, 50.5237°, 1.5787°. A wide sandy beach with beach huts, cafes and toilets available. Sand yachting when the tide is out.
- Golf, Avenue du Golf, 50.49979°, 1.597693°, +33 3 21 06 28 00, letouquet@opengolfclub.com. Three courses: La Mer (in the dunes; 18 holes; location of the French Open several times in the 1970s), La Forêt (in the pine forest; 18 holes), Le Manoir (in the dune; 9 holes; good for beginners)
- Laby'Parc, Chemin des Ardronnières, Route d’Étaples (D143), 62170 Saint-Josse-sur-Mer, 50.4929°, 1.6500°, +33 6 15 60 31 66, +33 6 52 65 78 53, communication@laby-parc.fr. €10.50, free of charge for child below 2017-12-30
- Sailing with skipper, Cercle Nautique du Touquet, 1 avenue Jean Ruet, 50.5362°, 1.5944°, +33 6 68 40 65 83. Propose to rent catamarans Edel CAT 28 to discover sailing, up to 10 persons. €40/person for 3 hr "La Marée" trip, €95/person full-day trip 2017-12-31
- Casino Partouche (Casino des 4 saisons), 26, rue Saint-Jean, 50.5240°, 1.58390°, +33 3 21 05 16 99. Su–F 10:00–03:00, Sa 10:00–04:00. 2018-03-25
- Casino Barrière (Casino du Palais or Casino de la Forêt), Place de l'Hermitage, 50.5187°, 1.5929°, +33 3 21 05 01 05. Su–Th 10:00–02:00, F 10:00–0300, Sa 10:00–04:00; Table gaming: 20:00. 2018-03-25
Events
Buy
- Shops. The main shops are on the Rue St.Jean and the streets leading off it, 2 or 3 blocks inland from the beach.
- Market. There is a large market every Saturday and Thursday in a purpose-built market building in Rue de Metz.
Eat
Drink
Sleep
There are many hotels in the town. The large 5-star hotels, such as Hotel Westminster and Holiday Inn, are located at the rear of the town. There are also two hotels, Novotel and Ibis, located at the southern end of the beach overlooking the sea.
- Le Westminster, Avenue du Verger - 62520 Le Touquet, 50.5223°, 1.59160°, +33 3 21 05 48 48, +33 9 70 81 85 02 (reservations), reception@westminster.fr. 115 rooms.
- Le Manoir Hôtel, Avenue du Golf - 62520 Le Touquet, 50.5015°, 1.5983°, +33 3 21 06 28 28, manoirhotel@opengolfclub.com. Perfect for golfers. 3.5 km south from town centre. 41 rooms.
- Novotel Thalassa Le Touquet, Front de Mer - 62520 Le Touquet, 50.5141°, 1.5779°, +33 3 21 09 85 00, H0449@accor.com. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 12:00. 149 rooms.
- Hôtel Red Fox, Angle rue Saint-Jean and rue de Metz - 62520 Le Touquet, 50.52400°, 1.5852°, +33 3 21 05 27 58, reception@hotelredfox.com. 71 rooms. Free Wi-Fi.
- PoL Hotel, 132, rue de Metz - 62520 Le Touquet, 50.5201°, 1.5831°, +33 3 21 06 60 10, polhotel@gmail.com. Free Wi-Fi.
Connect
Most hotels offer free Wi-Fi.
Area codes for landline phones of Le Touquet are +33 3 21 05 and +33 3 21 06.
Postal services:
Go next
- There are a number of other beach resorts on this stretch of coast, such as Berck and Neufchâtel-Hardelot.
- Boulogne-sur-Mer — 40 km: 45 minutes' drive to the north via A16 L'Européenne motorway.
- Montreuil is an historic walled town; it is 16 km inland and worth a visit: 25 minutes' drive to the east on the D939 road.