Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, Coastal resort in Pas-de-Calais, France
Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is a coastal town in the Pas-de-Calais department that spreads between long sandy beaches and a pine forest separating the urban area from the inland countryside. Wide avenues lead from the town center to the seafront promenade, where cafés and shops line up in Anglo-Norman style buildings.
Alphonse Daloz began acquiring dune land in the 1880s and transformed it into a planned residential district that soon attracted international guests. The railway connection to Paris accelerated development and gave the resort its double name.
Many villas carry English names and follow an architectural style that recalls British seaside resorts, as wealthy guests from England have visited the area for over a century. Local specialties like North Sea shrimp and smoked mackerel appear on menus in restaurants along the main street.
Most accommodations and restaurants sit within walking distance of the beach, so visitors can explore the area comfortably on foot. Bike paths connect the center to the forest area and allow exploring the surroundings without a car.
The pine forest plantation now covers over 800 hectares (about 2,000 acres) and was originally planted to stabilize shifting dunes and protect building land from sand drift. Some of these trees are now over a century old and form a thick canopy above the walking trails.
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