Day Trips from Le Touquet: 12 Excursions Within an Hour

What is there to do around Le Touquet when you fancy a change of scenery? Almost everything lies within an hour's drive: a walled hilltop town above the Canche, bays where seals haul out to rest, the cliffs of the Grand Site des Deux-Caps and the largest aquarium in Europe. Here are the excursions we recommend to our guests, grouped by direction, with approximate distances and driving times from the centre of Le Touquet.

Day trips from Le Touquet at a glance

Times shown are driving estimates without traffic; allow longer on summer weekends and big market days.

Under 30 minutes: Étaples, Montreuil-sur-Mer and Berck

Étaples-sur-Mer, the port across the river

On the other side of the Canche, Étaples is a fishing town that has kept its authentic character, facing the estuary. Come to wander along the quays and watch the boats and the bustle of the harbour. It is also home to Étaples-Le Touquet station, served by TGV and TER trains.

Montreuil-sur-Mer, the walled upper town

Perched on a spur above the Canche valley, Montreuil has kept its ramparts, which you can walk along a sentry path of about 2.7 km, with open views over the countryside. The citadel, commissioned by Charles IX in 1567 and later reworked by Vauban, is open to visitors. Victor Hugo set part of Les Misérables in the town, and a sound and light show based on the novel is staged in the citadel every summer. Montreuil is listed among the “100 plus beaux détours de France” (France's 100 most beautiful detours).

Berck-sur-Mer, seals and kites

On the northern side of the Authie bay, Berck is one of the best places to watch harbour seals and grey seals resting on the sandbanks at low tide. Every April, the beach hosts the international kite festival. With children, Parc Bagatelle in Merlimont is one of the oldest amusement parks in France (opened in 1955); our family ideas are gathered in our guide Le Touquet with the family.

Heading north: Hardelot and Boulogne-sur-Mer

Hardelot Castle

In Condette, just behind the resort of Hardelot, this walled castle has housed the Centre culturel de l'Entente cordiale since 2009, dedicated to the ties between France and Great Britain. The grounds, the exhibitions and the programme of performances make it a good half-day outing.

Boulogne-sur-Mer and Nausicaá

Boulogne has two faces. Up the hill is the old town, enclosed by 13th-century ramparts, with its belfry, the Basilica of Notre-Dame and the castle museum. Down below is the harbour, often described as France's leading fishing port, and Nausicaá, the French National Sea Centre, which became the largest aquarium in Europe after its 2018 extension. Allow at least half a day for the aquarium and book online during school holidays.

The Grand Site des Deux-Caps: Wimereux, Gris-Nez and Blanc-Nez

Between Wimereux and Sangatte, the coastline changes abruptly: the long flat beaches give way to cliffs, dry valleys and fishing villages. The whole area has been designated a Grand Site de France since 2011 and is part of the Caps et Marais d'Opale Regional Nature Park. One day is enough to string together the following stops, from south to north:

• Wimereux: a seafront promenade lined with Belle Époque villas and an 18-hole golf course that is among the oldest in France. We compare the two resorts in Wimereux or Le Touquet.
• Ambleteuse: Fort Mahon, built on the beach by Vauban and completed in 1680, a listed historic monument.
• Audresselles: a small fishing village of low houses at the foot of the rocks.
• Cap Gris-Nez: a cliff of about 45 m and the point on the French coast closest to England, some thirty kilometres away. On a clear day, you can make out the English coast.
• Wissant: a long sandy beach between the two capes, a renowned kitesurfing and surfing spot (see Wissant or Le Touquet).
• Cap Blanc-Nez: chalk cliffs rising to more than 130 m, with views over Wissant bay and the white cliffs of Dover.

Coastal footpaths, including the GR 120, link all these points. Bring good shoes and a windbreaker, even in summer.

Heading south: the Authie bay, Valloires and the Bay of Somme

Valloires Abbey and Gardens

In Argoules, in the Somme, the Cistercian abbey of Valloires was rebuilt in the 18th century. Its gardens, designed by landscape architect Gilles Clément and opened to the public in 1989, are a series of themed gardens around the abbey buildings. A peaceful outing, especially lovely from May to September.

The Bay of Somme

Designated a Grand Site de France in 2011, the Bay of Somme can be explored in a day: the medieval town of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, from where William the Conqueror's fleet set sail in 1066, the harbour of Le Crotoy, and the Bay of Somme heritage railway linking Le Crotoy, Noyelles, Saint-Valery and Cayeux. Birdwatchers should stop at the Parc du Marquenterre, a nature reserve equipped with hides, about fifty minutes from Le Touquet.

Charles's tip: to see the seals in the Authie bay or the Bay of Somme, check the low-tide time the day before: that is when the sandbanks are exposed and the colonies rest on them. Take binoculars and keep a good distance; a disturbed seal heads back into the water and loses a precious rest period.

How to plan your day trips from Le Touquet

Le Touquet is well placed for exploring: the resort lies almost halfway between the Grand Site des Deux-Caps and the Bay of Somme. A few pointers to spread your days well:

1. A day up north: Boulogne in the morning (old town or Nausicaá), then the coast road to Cap Blanc-Nez in the afternoon.
2. A day down south: Valloires in the morning, Le Crotoy or Saint-Valery in the afternoon, returning via Berck.
3. A half-day: Montreuil-sur-Mer, ideal on a drizzly day or after a morning on the beach.
4. In bad weather: Nausicaá, Boulogne's castle museum or Hardelot Castle.

A car is still the easiest option: public transport between the sites exists but runs infrequently. If you are coming by train, our page on how to get to Le Touquet details the options. And to enjoy all this without repacking your bags every evening, our Villa Mon Étoile apartments, 300 m from the beach, make a base camp for the whole week.