Weekending Parisians are a savvy lot, often selecting great French hot spots to holiday in.
7 October 2005
What they probably don’t know is that their favourite weekend retreat on the coast of Northern France, will forever be a part of England – in spirit anyway.
Parisians have bought up much of the property of this seaside town for use as holiday homes and are so precious about it that they have even imprinted their name on it. But the fact remains that Le Touquet Paris Plage was created by two enterprising Englishmen, John Whitely and Allen Stoneham. They bought Le For?t (a dowdy stretch of land) in 1903 from a failed vegetable grower turned pine tree planter and built expensive hotels and villas and sold them to the rich and famous of London. In the 1920’s Novelist P.G Wodehouse and dramatist Noel Coward bought villas in the forest and weekending aristocrats filled up the elegant hotels to sunbathe on the finely manicured beach. Perhaps it should be renamed Le Touquet London Plage.
Le Touquet had to be rebuilt after WWII and a staggering 10,000 German mines were removed from an area just one and a half miles long and two miles wide. By the fifties the compact town re-emerged maintaining its raison-d’?tre as a pleasure resort. Countless celebrities, sports greats and heads of states have holidayed in Le Touquet mostly staying at the Westminster hotel, the oldest and grandest hotel in the region.
Unlike the surrounding towns of Nord Pas de Calais, the words ‘quaint’ and ‘medieval’ have no place here. The resort is too young for cobbles and ramparts. The same goes for museums and Cathedrals. The main event is Le Touquet itself – a case of leisure over culture.
The beach alone can keep a young family busy for ages. Summertime sees organised beach games but the pi?ce-de-r?sistance must be the Aqualud tropical aquatic park (Blvd de Mer +33 321 90 07 07 www.aqualud.com). Lush plants grace the walls and ceilings framing flumes, exhilarating black holes, rapids, Jacuzzi’s and even a wave machine. Temperatures reach 41 degrees and the water is maintained at a comfortable 29 degrees.
Further along the beach is the Thalasso centre (Front de Mer Tel: +00 321 09 86 00 www.thalassoline.com) and offers a huge range of sea and seaweed based therapies said to alleviate stress, arthritis and rheumatism. A couple of days here and the world seems a brighter place.
The glass walled relaxation room overlooks the beach where sand yachters can be seen speeding across the sand dunes at the whim of the wind. The sand yachting school is nearby and participants are coached by the very animated World Sand Yachting Champion Bertrand Lambert (Centre de Char ? Voile Base Sud +33 321 05 33 51).
Le Touquet has a marine harbour where Yachting enthusiasts and beginners will find a well serviced yachting club located on the Canche estuary (Base Nautique Nord +33 321 05 12 77). The surrounding rugged terrain is ideal for rambling and wildlife watching.
Sandwiched between the beach and the forest, is a ? mile stretch of huddled interlacing streets peppered with quaint shops and outlets. The main street is Rue St Jean with the best in stylish shopping. Think designer names. At its tip on Place Hermitage is the casino. In its heyday this imposing whitewashed gambling joint had the celebrious likes of Douglas Fairbanks Jnr, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Aznavour and a host of other film stars, royals and sportsmen squandering their cash or simply posing around the roullette tables elegantly attired in their long dresses and dinner jackets.
There is a lot to be said for simply walking around the town. On offer is a range of diverse and sometimes bizarre architecture, a result of wave after wave of architects keen to leave their mark. Mostly it looks great especially in Le Village Suisse and rue Jean Monnet with its neo-medieval style, but lately architects have played havoc with some of the beach front buildings.
Behind the town is the alluring forest dotted with widely spaced out gorgeous villas nestling amid pine and birch trees. None have fences giving the impression that the residents have all the forest as their garden. The heart of the forest beats with the sound of horses hooves. The equestrian centre (Avenue de la Dune aux Loup Tel: +33 321 06 72 00) is home to hundreds of stunning horses. You can see their heads poking out of their stables and elsewhere proficient horse-riders prepare for dressage in the Olympic riding-school. Anyone can hire a horse and riders can horse trek along the beach – especially romantic on a moonlit night.
The forest is also the site of La Foret golf course renowned as the best in Northern France. It is a gentle course that unfolds amid the pine trees. If a challenge is more par for the course its sister course La Mer has been designed into the dunes and offers dramatic landscapes and vistas. Players be warned - it also exposes the ball to the unpredictable whims of the Channel winds.
But at the end of the day the greatest enjoyment of all can be had while relaxing in one of Le Touquet’s gastronomic restaurants tucking into foie gras with a glass of Sauternes feeling smug that, for once, the British got there first!
MUST-SEES
The Westminster Hotel hall of fame. It is donned with hundreds of signed black and white photographs of famous people including a young Roger Moore, Sean Connery with a full head of hair, an enchantingly moody photograph of Edith Piaf and a tellingly tense photograph of Charles de Gaulle and Winston Churchill.
MUST BUY GOODIES
From the Market
Le Touquet covered market, rue de Metz, is entered through an imposing red tile topped arch, shaped a bit like a puritan priest’s pointed hat (think Black Adder). It is housed in a crescent shaped, white washed, wood-beamed listed building. Pick up a pot au feu canard for 12 euros. This duck soup is choc-a-block with vegetables and cheese.
Fish Soup
Poisonnerie Perard, 67 rue de Metz, is famous for its fish soup. Choose between fish soup (2,95 euros), lobster soup (3,45 euros) or crab soup (3,15 euros) in 850cl jars. Monsieur Perard sells a staggering 1400,000 litres of his soup each year.
Le Touquet Beer
Cave Touquettoise, 72 rue de Metz, may be a wine shop but they have created a beer exclusive to Le Touquet. Try the Blance 5%, the Amber 6.5% or the Juniper berry 7%. A 33cl bottle costs 1.83 euros.
Cheese
Le Petit March? , 71 rue Metz If you have a cooler bag, bring it here and stock up on top-quality cheeses.
Chocoholics Haven
Au Chat Bleu 47 rue St Jean The owners of this divine chocolate shop insist that they invented le Bouch?e - literally a mouthful but actually a chocolate bar. Choose from 56 different varieties.
DESIGNER SHOPPING
The best shopping street is Rue St Jean, stretching from the seafront to the forest.
Nota Bene Piu
3 Rue St Jean
Tel: +33 321 05 44 46
Specialises in stylish sailing and leisure wear, particularly the famous Aigle tailored wellies.
Chez Martine
40 Rue St Jean
Tel: +33 321 05 14 09
If you want to look good on the golf course or the tennis courts, this is where to buy the winning kit.
Florence Kooijman
89 Rue St Jean
Tel: +33 321 05 21 73
This quaint shoe shop displays a large range of exclusive shoes and bags designed by the highly talented designer Florence Kooijiman. If you like the design but not the colour or material, you can choose from a range of swatches and the shoes will be made to order within two weeks.
La Mascotte
56-61 Rue St Jean
Tel: +33 321 05 02 98
This huge general store takes up space on both sides of rue St Jean. The jet set place their wedding lists here. British tourists come to get their hands on beautiful Lalique crystal at a third off the UK price. Everyone comes here for their leather goods, Cartier, Herm?s, Baccarat and Christofle products.
WHERE TO STAY
ON THE BEACH
To really enjoy the Thallasotherapy spa on the beach front stay in either of the two hotels that flank it. Both hotels, (owned by Accor hotels) offer seamless access into the centre so you can slip on you white fluffly towelling robe, don the supplied slippers and tote bag in your bedroom and potter back and forth from treatments at your leisure.
Ibis **
Front de la Mer
+33 321 09 87 00
www.accorhotels.com
Doubles from 96.00 euros
Novotel ***
Front de la Mer
+33 321 09 85 00)
www.accorhotels.com
Doubles from 112.00 euros
IN THE TOWN
The Westminster Hotel ****
Avenue du Verger
Tel: +33 3 21 05 48 48
Rooms : 135-465 euros
Wood pannelling, dark colours and traditional chairs and sofas set the scene of this luxurious hotel.
IN THE FOREST
Holiday Inn Resort ****
Ave du Marechal Foch
Tel: +33 3 21 06 85 85
Rooms from : 109 euros
The hotel complex nestles in the midst of the forest. It has its own Piano bar, restaurant and health centre.
OPPOSITE THE GOLF COURSE
Le Manoir Hotel ***
Avenue du Golf
Tel: +33 3 21 06 28 28
www.opengolfclub.com
Rooms: from 140 euros
Golfers should swing into this hotel. All 42 rooms are en-suite and are individually furnished with all mod cons. Its elegant restaurant is known for its fine French cuisine and its superbly stocked wine cellar. A swimming pool and tennis courts offer alternative leisure.
BETWEEN THE BEACH AND THE TOWN
Hotel Bristol ***
17 rue Jean Monnet
www.hotelbristol.fr
Rooms: From 65 to 105 euros.
A bright, modern hotel. Its great location makes this elegant three star hotel ideal for the beach and the town.
WHERE TO LUNCH
Le Jardin
Place de l’Hermitage
Tel: +33 321 06 16 34
Tariff: Around 15-20 euros
This is a traditional wood timbered country cottage style restaurant with views over its picturesque setting in front of the forest. They serve gastronomic French cuisine with a distinctly Flemish flavour. The tender melt in the mouth Carbonnade De Boeuf a le Flamande is diced beef cooked in beer and brown sugar – delicious.
Caf? des Sports
22 rue Saint Jean
Open: daily 9am-4am
Tel: +33 21 05 05 022
Tariff: various
A casual and comfortable brasserie where diners enjoy ambient Parisien music in the background. Specialities include Welsh rarebit, only loosely based on the British dish - a soup plate filled with melted cheese cooked in beer. The bread makes a small appearance at the bottom.
WHERE TO DINE
Ricochet
49 rue de Paris
Tel: +33 321 064 136
Tariff: The set menu changes every 3 days and cost 26 euros
The restaurant located just off the main street Rue St Jean is decked out in bold white and red walls with ultra modern black leather chairs, and imposing unclothed round white tables that contrast startlingly with the dark wood floor. It is owned by the well-travelled celebrity chef in waiting Jean Marc Carelle. The eclectic dishes reflect his well travelled lifestyle – Crab Cakes Philidelphia style, Lamb Tajin from Morocco and Sushi fish learned from Japanese masters.
Flavio's
Avenue du Verger
Tel: +33 21 05 10 22
Tariff: from 30 euros
Flavio's is the favourite haunt of the regulars staying at Le Touquet's most highly regarded hotel, The Westminster. The d?cor and service exude prosperity and civility. As well as the ? la carte menu, there are two set menus. The first, Le Priv?, offers three courses and a bottle of wine. The speciality menu is unforgettable if you love lobster and other seafood.
Caf? des Arts
80 rue de Paris
Tel: 00 33 (0)3 21 05 21 55
Closed: Wednesday and Thursday
Tariff: 15-30 euros
High-quality food is prepared in imaginative combinations, blending fruit and unusual vegetables with seafood.
La Dune Aux Loups
Avenue de la Dune aux Loups
Tel: 00 33 (0)3 21 05 42 54
Closed: Tuesday afternoon.
Tariff: From 20 euros
An excellent traditional wood-beamed restaurant deep in the forest, close to the equestrian centre. Try the Foie gras and oysters as starters followed by magret de canard, filet steak or lobster. The chocolate truffle cake and cr?me br?l?e offers a grand finalee
Le Village Suise Restaurant
52 Avenue St Jean
Tel: +33 21 05 69 93
Tariff: from 15 euros
This attractive medieval style restaurant was built in 1905 and serves excellent traditional cuisine. A pretty folly, a turret and a narrow flight of steps leading to the restaurant complete the scene.
APERITIFS AND NIGHT CAPS
The Ascot
Hotel Bristol
17 rue Jean Monnet
The Ascot is located in the Hotel Bristol and is a local favourite. It’s dimly lit dark wood interior exudes a sense of old world romance and its sunken crescent shaped leather sofa seating arrangements provide an appealing intimacy.
GETTING THERE BY CAR
Eurotunnel www.eurotunnel.com Tel 08705 35 35 35
Tarif ?98 for car plus 5
Take the A16 in the direction of Boulogne. A toll is payable of 2,50 euros. Exit at Junction 26 at Etaple and follow the signs to Le Touquet. Driving time : 45 minutes
PACKAGES
The Ferry Travel Club offer breaks in Le Touquet, starting from ?59 per person, based on a car and four people travelling. This includes Channel crossing and one night bed and breakfast in a centrally located, two star hotel.
0870 2642644 www.ferrytravelclub.com
USEFUL WEBSITES
www.letouquet.com
www.franceguide.com
www.channelhoppers.net