Le Touquet-Paris-Plage (or Le Touquet for short) is a beautiful, sophisticated coastal town on the French Opal Coast. Whether as a couple, with a group of friends, or certainly with children, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is the ideal destination for a few days of beach fun. In this blog, we tell you everything about Le Touquet, including the best things to do in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, great restaurants, and good accommodations.
Heatwave in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
It is 34 degrees and the longest day of the year when we visit Le Touquet-Paris-Plage. A heatwave is plaguing all of Europe, and this is one of the coolest spots in France. But it doesn’t feel that way. We are taking it easy. Early in the morning, we walk to the beach in Le Touquet, cycle through the beautiful green forests, or go to the market. In the afternoon, we all take a siesta, and in the evening, we come back to life a bit and enjoy French cuisine or play with the children on the beach for a few more hours.
Honestly, it is a bit too hot during this trip. But we are still enjoying Le Touquet-Paris-Plage by taking it this easy. This beautiful seaside resort has the perfect mix of nice shops and restaurants that create a lively atmosphere, a large beach, and beautiful nature.
Le Touquet-Paris-Plage on the French Opal Coast
The French Opal Coast is a region stretching from Calais to northern Normandy. It is not well-known among foreign travellers, but this area, with its rolling landscape, white beaches, and beautiful opal-blue sea (from which it derives its name), is truly worth a visit. For us, this is the second time we are visiting the Opal Coast with our family. Just like last time, my parents are joining us on this trip. Last year we stayed in Wimereux; now we are heading to Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, located slightly further south.
Loosely translated: Touquet, the beach of Paris. During the Belle Époque (1870-1914), all kinds of beautiful houses were built here to attract more wealthy Parisians to this area. And the name helped a great deal in that regard. You can still see beautiful Belle Époque-style houses in Le Touquet (and the entire Opal Coast). Moreover, Le Touquet has truly become a very sophisticated seaside resort. The town is laid out broadly, with luxury shops in the centre and, just outside, lovely parks, enormous villas, and wide avenues. It reminds us of Knokke (Belgium), but is more beautiful. Along the 12-kilometre-long beach, just like in Knokke, you mainly find ugly 1970s flats with occasionally a beautiful villa in between.
Touquet is still known as the place to go from Paris in the summer. It has a lot of allure, and you see plenty of chicly dressed French people walking around, especially on weekends. During the week (outside the summer holidays), the town is quieter, but still lively. And there is more than enough to do. Do keep in mind, however, that prices for accommodation and restaurants are slightly higher here than in the rest of the Opal Coast.
The 6 Best Things to Do in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
Below, I will tell you about the best things to do in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage. Plus handy tips for activities with children.
1. Enjoy the 12-kilometer-long beach of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
Endlessly playing in the sand and enjoying the waves is perfectly possible on the long sandy beach of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage. Unlike many other seaside resorts on the Opal Coast, you always have a beach here, even at low tide. That is why there are beach bars and beach clubs here, which is unique for the Opal Coast. Because the tides make a huge difference in this region, you can find up to 800 meters of extra beach here at low tide. Check here to see what the tides are. It is not recommended, after all, to trudge through sand and small tidal pools for nearly a kilometre with two children before you reach the sea (yes, we speak from experience). At high tide, the beach is still quite large. This means that it doesn’t feel crowded here, even during the high season.
There are various water sports available in Le Touquet. For instance, you can go windsurfing, e-foiling, and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). The speciality of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is land sailing. This involves racing across the beach in a cart with a sail on it.
Ries had received an e-foil class for Father’s Day, but it fell through due to the heat. If you are interested in e-foiling in Le Touquet, click here for more information.
The boulevard of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is nothing to write home about. You mainly see ugly 1970s flats and a lot of asphalt here. Unlike Wimereux, for example, where the boulevard is lined with Belle Époque buildings.
2. Indulge yourself in the beautiful shops of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
For a relatively small city, Le Touquet has an incredible number of beautiful shops. In that respect, the city strongly reminded us of Knokke. Personally, I love French brands for kids clothing, and you can find plenty of that here. For instance, I bought pyjamas at Petit Bateau, rompers at Jacadi, and my mouth watered at all the beautiful (and pricey) items at Tartine et Chocolat.
On the main street, Rue Saint-Jean, you will find luxury clothing stores such as Maje, Sandro, and Kuijten. But you will also find cosy boutiques in the side streets, such as Rue de Metz and Rue de Londres. And, of course, there are more than enough delicatessen shops and traiteurs.
Something else that really should be on your to-do list for Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is visiting the farmers’ market. It takes place every Thursday and Saturday on the beautiful Plaine de Jeu Metz. Part of the market is located under the sheltered galleries. The selection is extensive: fruit, vegetables, cheese, and nice clothing. But also a luxury oyster bar with delicious fish.
A few shops we visited in Le Touquet that we want to highlight:
- QDB Éditions: a shop with glassware made from old wine bottles.
- Manufacture du Touquet: delicious shortbread cookies made here in Le Touquet. You can see the kitchen from the shop.
- Conserverie La Belle-Iloise: a beautiful shop full of preserves, such as sardines and other canned fish. The cans look beautiful, and the whole shop has lovely colours.
3. Cycle and walk through the dunes or forests of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
Le Touquet is surrounded by nature. Naturally, the coastline itself with the sea and dunes, but also various large forests and parks. Perfect for walking or cycling through.
Walking in Le Touquet or the surrounding area
One of our favourite places to walk in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is the Parc Nature de la Baie de Canche. This is a beautiful dune area through which various walking and cycling paths run. There is a section of forest where you can walk around in sheltered surroundings, with a paved path for strollers. Another part of this nature reserve runs through the dunes, offering views of the sea. Be sure to visit the wooden observation tower from which you can look out over the Baie de Canche, the nature reserve where the River Canche flows into the sea. At low tide, you can sometimes spot seals from here. Three different routes have been mapped out for this nature park (see the photo below).
Naturally, you can take beautiful beach walks along the long sandy beach. If you prefer walking on a paved path, you can walk along the boulevard. And for shorter walks, we recommend Parc des Pins, right in the centre. Not far from here, you will also find the Le Touquet lighthouse. Everything in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is easily accessible on foot. If you want to hike longer routes, consider doing a section of the GR120. This is one of the most beautiful coastal walks in France, running all the way along the Opal Coast. Click here for more information.
Cycling in Le Touquet or the surrounding area
We rented bikes for a morning at Bike4You, a nice bike rental shop right in the centre of Le Touquet. Very reasonably priced and incredibly friendly, so highly recommended.
Tip for children in Le Touquet: at Bike4You, they had child seats for the bikes, but also cargo bikes and children’s bikes!
We cycled a long way along the beach, and then via the sheltered lanes towards the forests and golf courses surrounding Le Touquet. Next, we rode through the villa districts, past the small airfield and the Le Touquet race track towards the river and along the dunes back to the centre. A beautiful 2-hour route. Good bike paths have been laid out everywhere, and you see many other cyclists. The perfect way for us to still do a fun activity on these warm days. There are many more beautiful cycling routes in the area. For instance, you can ride sections of the Vélomaritime here, a 1,500-kilometre coastal route from Brittany to the Belgian coast. Click here for more information.
4. Take a boat trip on the Canche & enjoy the Bay of Canche
Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is located on the southern bank of the Canche River. This river flows into the sea, creating a unique nature reserve where fresh and salt water meet. Due to the tides, there are sandbanks here that are completely exposed at low tide. As a result, this area changes constantly. Seals come onto the sandbanks to rest, and you will find many types of migratory birds here.
One of the best ways to visit the Canche and the Baie de Canche nature reserve is by boat trip. Boat tours depart almost daily from both Le Touquet-Paris-Plage and the nearby town of Étaples-sur-mer. Click here for more information and to book tickets.
5. Enjoy French cuisine in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
I love (almost) everything France has to offer in terms of food! Especially close to the sea. Mussels, oysters, fruits de mer, all delicious! Here in the coastal town of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, I thoroughly enjoyed all the tasty treats by the sea. Due to the heatwave and two young children (and corresponding nap times), we didn’t eat out very often, but when we did, it was a hit. And outside of restaurants, there are also several hotspots in Le Touquet offering culinary delights:
Our favourite restaurants and food hotspots in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage:
Restaurant La Base Nord: go here for a bite to eat with a view of the Bay of Canche. They serve seafood here, but also meat. Reservations are a must. Click here for the location of this restaurant in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
Aux Mignardises: you can eat the best ice cream in Le Touquet at Aux Mignardises. Their shop is located on the main street, and on weekends there is also a food truck with ice cream on the beach. Click here for the location of this hotspot in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
O’safran: is the nicest beach bar in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage. The service is good, the chairs are comfortable, and the drinks are large. This is not a place where you would go for an elaborate lunch or dinner, but they do have a nice snack menu. Click here for the location of this hotspot in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage.
Monsieur David Hodin: we got the tastiest pastries (Lemon Meringue, as always) from this bakery.
Jean’s Cafe: at Jean’s Cafe we had mussels and a good hamburger. Don’t expect fine dining here, but they serve tasty food and very good service in a prime location. Click here for the location of this restaurant in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage.
Other restaurants we would like to visit next time:
- La Dune aux Loups: click here for this hotspot in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
- Le 106: click here for this good restaurant in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
- Le P’tit Bouchon: click here for this hotspot in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
- Wine Not: click here for this wine bar in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
- Le Bar à Huîtres: click here for this hotspot in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
6. Discover the rest of the Opal Coast (a little further from Le Touquet-Paris-Plage)
If you are willing to drive a bit further, you have the chance to discover many more beautiful places along the Opal Coast:
1. Visit Cap Gris-Nez or Cap Blanc-Nez (1-hour drive from Le Touquet)
These are the famous cliffs of the Opal Coast. They are located close together and rise imposingly above the beach. The combination of the rolling green landscape, the opal-blue sea, and the white and grey rocks is particularly beautiful!
2. Visit the beautiful old city of Boulogne-sur-Mer (40-minute drive from Le Touquet)
Ready for a slightly larger city? Then visit Boulogne-sur-Mer. This beautiful old city is situated on the hills close to the sea. Here you will find, among other things, lots of cool graffiti art, the most beautiful aquarium in Europe, magnificent cathedrals, and fish markets. Read more about Boulogne-sur-Mer on our blog (coming soon)!
3. Visit the charming village of Wimereux with its beautiful boulevard (45-minute drive from Le Touquet).
Wimereux is an authentic fishing village on the Opal Coast. It is much smaller than Le Touquet, but has a more beautiful boulevard lined with Belle Époque villas. Even though it is very small, you will still find many good restaurants and cool shops here. Wimereux is a 5-minute drive from Boulogne-sur-Mer, so you can perfectly combine these two hotspots. Read all about this lovely place on our Wimereux blog!
4. Visit the English Château de Hardelot (30-minute drive from Le Touquet)
We visited Château de Hardelot on a warm day, but still enjoyed the beautiful English atmosphere. Inside, there are old-style rooms to discover, while outside you can go on a picnic or walk in the beautiful large gardens. There is also a small restaurant on site. Nice activity for a few hours; the castle is not big.
Tips for Le Touquet-Paris-Plage with children
A trip to Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is great for young families. There is plenty to do in Le Touquet and the surrounding area for toddlers, preschoolers, and teenagers alike. Below you will find a section with fun activities for when you visit Le Touquet-Paris-Plage with children.
1. Visit Sophie Lebreuilly Bakery for a free indoor playground.
At this branch of Sophie Lebreuilly Bakery, you will find not only croissants, pastries, and baguettes, but also a small indoor playground. Plus air conditioning! We stopped by twice during hot days to cool down and at the same time let the children run wild, climbing, scrambling, and sliding. Perfect!
2. Ride the carousel on the Boulevard in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
Of course, you can’t avoid this when visiting Le Touquet with small children. The beautiful old carousel costs a fortune at €5 per ride, but oh well, it is very cute.
3. Visit adventure park Laby’Parc just outside Le Touquet
Adventure park Laby’Parc is located about a 10-minute drive from Le Touquet. Here you will find a large maze, go-kart tracks, mini-golf, and a climbing course. Perfect for slightly older children to really let loose.
4. Ride the roller coasters at the oldest French amusement park: Parc Bagatelle
The oldest amusement park in France is located just a 15-minute drive from Le Touquet-Paris-Plage: Parc Bagatelle. Here you will find various roller coasters, water rides, and also fun playgrounds and attractions for small children.
5. Let your children run wild at one of the playgrounds on the beach
There are several fenced playgrounds on the beach. Here you will find trampolines, bouncy castles, and more. You do have to pay for these, though. Looking for a fun free playground? Then head to this or this playground, a 10-minute walk from the beach.
Nice apartments or hotels in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
Demeure d’Hôtes Haec Otia €€€
This hotel has not only hotel rooms but also apartments, making it very suitable for families! There is a swimming pool, a large garden to play in, and you can rent bicycles for free. It is located slightly less centrally. Starting from 260 euros per night.
Hôtel Barrière Le Westminster €€€
This luxury hotel is located right in the centre and is the most famous hotel in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage. The rooms have air conditioning, and there is an indoor pool, gym, and sauna. Also nice, there is a play area for children. From 230 euros per night (2 people).
Villa Luxe Art Deco €€€€
This beautiful 100 m² apartment is located close to the sea on the main street of Le Touquet. It features three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a garden, a large balcony, and a lovely kitchen. The price tag is high, though, starting at 582 euros per night.
Click here for all hotels in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage. Prefer the facilities of a holiday park? A few kilometres outside Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, in the small village of Camiers, lies Trésors d’Opale, a holiday park belonging to the popular French chain Evancy.
Click here for more blogs on France.
Like this blog? Pin it!
