This coastal resort on France's Opal Coast draws visitors to its long sandy beach, Anglo-Norman villas, and art deco casino. Popular with Parisians since the 1920s.
Le Touquet-Paris-Plage sits on France’s northern coast, where you can speed across 12 kilometers of flat sand on a rented sand yacht, watch over 1,000 motorcycles race along the shore each February, or tee off at one of three golf courses surrounded by pine trees and dunes. Winston Churchill played cards at the town’s 1930s casino, which later inspired Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale. Local fishermen unload scallops and sole at the harbor, sold fresh at the covered market on Thursdays and Saturdays. Direct flights from Kent take 20 minutes, or drive 45 minutes from Calais past fields dotted with World War I memorials.
The Beach: Sand Yachting, Motorcycle Races, and Wildlife
Le Touquet’s 12-kilometer beach changes with the tides, creating wide stretches of hard sand ideal for sand yachting between April and September. Rent a yacht near the water’s edge and steer using the coastal winds. In winter, the same space hosts the Enduropale motorcycle race, drawing crowds to watch riders navigate dunes and saltwater puddles. Low tide reveals sandbanks where gray seals rest near the Canche River mouth—follow the marked trails through marram grass to observe them from a distance. Families often bike the 15-kilometer path connecting the forest to the shore, stopping to collect seashells or fly kites in the afternoon breeze.
Golf Courses: La Mer, Le Manoir, and La ForĂŞt
Three golf courses cater to different skill levels. La Mer, redesigned in 2019, has 18 holes with rolling fairways that slope toward the English Channel. Beginners practice putting at Le Manoir’s 9-hole course, which ends at a clubhouse serving steak-frites on a sunlit terrace. La Forêt’s intermediate course weaves through birch trees and patches of wild heather. British royalty tested La Mer before it opened to the public in 1931, and today’s players still spot rabbits darting across the fairways at dusk.
Historic Buildings: Town Hall, Lighthouse, and Market
The Hôtel de Ville, funded by casino earnings in the 1930s, has a red brick facade and a clock tower visible from most of the town. Climb the 274 steps of the Canche Lighthouse to see fishing boats returning to port and, on clear days, the white cliffs of England. The Marché Couvert, an Art Deco hall built in 1932, fills with vendors selling just-caught mackerel and wheels of local cheese twice a week. Nearby, the Palais des Congrès once operated as a military hospital before becoming a casino where Ian Fleming wrote parts of Casino Royale.
Eating: Seafood, Classic Dishes, and Picnic Supplies
Rue Saint-Jean has brasseries with sidewalk tables serving steaming pots of mussels and crispy fries. Chez Perard, open since 1932, prepares a thick fish soup topped with Gruyère and aïoli. At Le Pavillon, chefs plate dishes like spring lamb with wild garlic picked from the forest. Stock up on picnic ingredients at the Marché Couvert—try smoked herring, crusty baguettes, and strawberries from nearby farms. Arrive early for dinner in July and August, when tables on outdoor terraces fill quickly.
Festivals, Music, and Museums
The Enduropale in February isn’t the only major event. In July, classical musicians perform in the Hôtel de Ville’s courtyard, and the Kiosk Serge Gainsbourg hosts jazz bands under summer stars. December brings a Christmas market with wooden chalets selling handmade chocolates and wool scarves. The Musée du Touquet-Paris-Plage displays paintings by artists who worked in the area during the early 1900s, including landscapes of the Canche estuary. Tennis tournaments take place on clay courts near the forest each May.
Travel Tips: Flights, Drives, and Hotels
Fly directly from Kent to Le Touquet Airport in 20 minutes, or take the main highway from Calais, passing through small villages with stone churches. The Grand Hotel, a 4-star property facing the sea, has a spa and rooms with balconies overlooking the promenade. Families often choose the Holiday Inn Resort for its indoor pool and two-bedroom suites. Bring shoes with grip for walking on dunes and a windbreaker for evenings along the beach.
