How to get to Le Touquet: car, train, coach, plane

The easiest way to get to Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is by car on the A16 motorway (exit 26 "Étaples / Le Touquet") or by train to Étaples-Le Touquet station, served without a change from Paris-Nord. From the station, allow a few more kilometres to the centre, by bus, taxi or bike.

Here is what you need to know, mode by mode, to arrive relaxed, and then to get around once you are here, often without using the car again.

By car: the A16 and exit 26

The vast majority of visitors arrive by road. Whatever your starting point, the route to remember is the A16, the motorway that runs along the Opal Coast between the Paris region and the Belgian border. Exit 26 leads straight to Étaples and Le Touquet; you then cross the Canche river to enter the resort.

Tolls and traffic

The A16 is tolled between Amblainville (Oise) and Boulogne-sur-Mer; north of Boulogne, up to Belgium, it is toll-free. Friday evening departures and Sunday afternoon returns, especially in summer and on the long spring weekends, are the busiest times: leaving early on Saturday morning often makes all the difference.

Where to park when you arrive

Parking is paid in the centre and on many of the streets near the sea. The seafront car parks usually have space, and the Quentovic area has free spaces, a few minutes' walk from rue Saint-Jean. The town publishes parking maps on the tourist office website.

By train: Étaples-Le Touquet station

Le Touquet has no railway station of its own: the station to use is Étaples-Le Touquet, on the other side of the Canche. It is served by direct trains from Paris-Nord, the fastest taking just over two hours, and by Hauts-de-France TER regional trains on the Paris–Amiens–Boulogne and Amiens–Boulogne lines.

• From Paris: direct trains, no change, several times a day.
• From Lille: direct or with a connection (often via Calais-Fréthun or Boulogne-sur-Mer) depending on the timetable; check on the TER website.
• From Amiens or Boulogne: direct TER trains.

The station has recently been renovated. It has a TER ticket machine, a ticket office with limited opening hours and a free-access bike park. Up-to-date timetables and services are published on the station's TER page.

From the station to the centre of Le Touquet

There are several ways to cover the last few kilometres:

• The bus on the local network (CA2BM), which links Étaples to Le Touquet; some summers, the Region has also run free shuttles between the station and the beaches.
• Taxis: several taxis and private-hire drivers are based in the resort; it is best to book for a late arrival.
• The bike: allow about a quarter of an hour's pedalling along the cycle routes, a pleasant option when travelling light.

By coach and car-sharing

Long-distance coaches are the cheapest option for non-drivers. Coach services link Paris to the resort, with a longer journey time than the train; the service (frequency, stop) varies with the seasons, so check it when you book.

Car-sharing works well, particularly from Lille, Paris and Amiens, especially on Fridays and Sundays. Remember to agree the drop-off point in advance: the centre of Le Touquet is compact, but some streets are pedestrianised or very busy in season.

By plane or from the UK

Le Touquet airport

The resort has its own airport, renamed Le Touquet–Elizabeth II in tribute to the Queen, about 3 km from the centre. It mainly handles light aviation, private and business flights and several flying clubs; to our knowledge, it has no regular commercial routes. If you are flying in from further afield, the major airports remain the gateway:

• Lille-Lesquin: about 110 km, roughly 1 h 45 by road.
• Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle: get to Paris-Nord, then take a direct train to Étaples.

From England

The Opal Coast is the part of France closest to the UK. Eurotunnel Le Shuttle (Folkestone–Calais) and the Dover–Calais ferries land you about an hour's drive from Le Touquet. From Calais, follow the A16 south: toll-free as far as Boulogne, then tolled up to exit 26.

Getting around once you are here

Le Touquet is a compact, flat resort where you can easily do without a car. The centre, the beach and the forest are all within reach on foot or by bike.

• Free shuttle buses: the town runs a "Mer et Forêt" shuttle with around thirty stops, one bus an hour, at weekends, on public holidays, on Thursday mornings and every day during the zone B and C French school holidays. A second shuttle serves the Canche retail park on Tuesday mornings. Service days may change: check with the tourist office.
• Cycling: cycle paths run through the forest and link the seafront, the racecourse, the golf course and the Canche bay. Bike and scooter hire shops are found in town.
• Walking: rue Saint-Jean, the covered market and the seafront promenade are a few minutes from one another.

That is one of the advantages of central accommodation: from Villa Mon Étoile, the beach is 300 m away and rue Saint-Jean 200 m, so the car stays parked for the whole stay.

Which way to travel?

The right choice depends on where you are coming from, the size of your group and what you plan to do once here. In short:

Charles's tip: if you come by car, park once and for all in the Quentovic area, where parking is free, then do everything on foot or by bike. And if you arrive by train on a summer Friday evening, book your taxi in advance: they are in high demand when the last trains come in.

To plan the rest, see our guide to a weekend in Le Touquet, our advice on where to stay in Le Touquet and our ideas for days out around Le Touquet.