Le Touquet-Paris-Plage

Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is a seaside resort on the Opal Coast of the Pas-de-Calais in northern France, on the south bank of the Canche estuary opposite Étaples. Its wide, flat sand beach backed by dunes and pine woods suits walkers, cyclists, sand yachters and families who want a classic Channel resort about 240 km from Paris.

Free sand from Easter beach bars to autumn

The beach is free and runs right up to the town; the tourist office describes the seafront as a stone's throw from the shopping streets of the centre. From Easter until autumn, beach bars open on the sand, children's beach clubs run, and volleyball and other sports events take place. Cycle paths follow the seafront, surrey bikes can be hired, and an old wooden-horse merry-go-round turns by the promenade. Swim in the supervised zones in summer. The Channel stays cool even in July and the wind is often strong, so bring a windproof layer.

Low tide uncovers a huge expanse of firm sand. This is the time for long walks or rides, and the flat surface is why sand yachting is one of the resort's flagship sports, with competitions held on the beach.

February's Enduropale race on the dunes

Each February the beach and dunes host the Le Touquet Pas-de-Calais Enduropale, an off-road motorcycle and quad race formerly called the Enduro du Touquet. It draws very large crowds, and accommodation fills months ahead. At the end of August the Le Touquet Music Beach Festival brings concerts to the seafront.

Alphonse Daloz and the founding of Paris-Plage

In April 1882 the Parisian notary Alphonse Daloz, owner of the Touquet estate, laid out the first housing estate and named it Paris-Plage, on the advice of Hippolyte de Villemessant, editor of Le Figaro. In 1902 the English businessmen John Whitley and Allen Stoneham bought the land from Daloz's heirs through their Le Touquet Syndicate and developed the resort for British and Parisian visitors. On 28 March 1912 Paris-Plage became a commune under its present name.

The Palais des Congrès, built in 1913, replaced a timber château Daloz had put up in 1864 and now houses the tourist office. Many villas in the pine woods keep their Anglo-Norman style, and the town counts 21 listed historic monuments, including the town hall and belfry about 1 km from the beach.