Tucked away in northern France is the small coastal resort town of Le Touquet, located less than an hour away from Calais.
Also known as Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, the area has long-standing ties with Britain, and even has an airport named after the late Queen Elizabeth II.
It was once bustling with British tourists – who made up some 20 per cent of its visitors – but numbers dropped after Brexit, and again after the pandemic.
Although Brits are gradually returning, helped along by tax-free shopping in the EU, the town has now taken a different approach to drawing holidaymakers back in.
Le Touquet is hosting a week of activities over the Spring Bank Holiday to tempt Brits to its shores en masse.
‘A week of events in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, specially designed to delight our British guests who want to experience the French “art de vivre” – and, more specifically, Le Touquet way of life,’ the website reads.
‘All the activities will be delivered in English, some are free, others offered at affordable prices. Just a few miles from the English coast, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage has always maintained close ties with the United Kingdom, to the point that it still embodies today the spirit of “the most British of French resorts”.’
If you bring a British passport along you could even bag a discount, according to The Times.
The coastal town of Le Touquet, in northern France, is trying to bring back British holidaymakers with an impressive Bank Holiday weekend offering
Visitors can enjoy a range of activities including a guided horse ride, kayaking, sailing, tours of the town hall and airport as well as shrimping and tasting.
Shrimping is a traditional activity along the Opal Coast that involves fishing for shrimp and exploring the beachside ecosystem.
A bike guided tour called ‘Le British Tour’ is also being held and involves two hours of exploring the town and its British influences.
Aside from sports and outdoor activities, there will also be the chance to enjoy a dinner cooked by a local Michelin-Starred chef, Alexandre Gauthier – who will be preparing a gourmet meal in the Hippodrome de la Canche on May 30.
‘The idea is to allow our British visitors to experience activities they might not have dared to try before, out of a fear of not understanding the instructions,’ Kate Landry, a Le Touquet councillor who was born in Britain, told Radio France.
‘So, we are going to offer them in English, enabling them to truly make the most of it.’
Many Brits are booking staycations this year, as the jet fuel crisis and Iran war continues to wreak havoc on the aviation industry and air travel remains uncertain.
But, holidaymakers don’t even have to catch a flight to get to Le Touquet, as it’s reachable by ferry.
The seaside resort is hosting a week of activities especially designed for Brits, and they can even bag some local discounts if they present their British passport
DFDS, Irish Ferries and P&O Ferries offer 30-plus daily crossings for the 90-minute voyage to Calais.
A one-way trip with DFDS costs from £89 with a car and up to four people. It’s then just a 45-mile drive to the seaside town, or a 40-minute train journey.
Or, if travel by boat isn’t for you, it’s also possible to reach Le Touquet via Le Shuttle.
Passengers can hop on the Eurotunnel at Folkestone, Kent and be in Calais in as little as 35 minutes.
Tickets are priced from £59.
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