Le Touquet on a budget: our tips for an affordable stay

Yes, you can enjoy Le Touquet without spending a fortune. The resort may have a chic reputation, but most of what makes it charming is free: a vast sandy beach, a large pine forest, the seafront promenade, the villas, the sunsets over the Canche bay.

The real savings come down to four items: dates, travel, accommodation and meals. Here are our tips, item by item.

Choose the right dates

The cost of a stay in Le Touquet varies a great deal depending on the calendar. Summer weekends, the May bank holidays and major events push prices up and reduce choice; on the other hand, the resort stays pleasant and lively for much of the year.

Travelling midweek rather than at the weekend, or shifting your stay by a week away from the French school holidays, is sometimes enough to lighten the bill. Our article when to visit Le Touquet describes the atmosphere month by month.

Getting there and getting around for less

The journey

• The train: direct trains link Paris-Nord to Étaples-Le Touquet. Booking early and avoiding Friday evenings often gets you cheaper tickets.
• The coach: coach services run from Paris at low fares, in exchange for a longer journey.
• Car-sharing: very handy from Lille, Paris or Amiens.
• The car: with several people it is still good value; the A16 motorway is toll-free north of Boulogne-sur-Mer and tolled to the south.

Once you are here

• Park for free: parking is paid in the town centre, but the Quentovic area has free spaces, a few minutes' walk from rue Saint-Jean.
• Take the free shuttle bus "Mer et Forêt": 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.
• Walk and cycle: the resort is flat and compact, and cycle paths run through the forest. If you have bikes, bring them.

All the details are in our guide how to get to Le Touquet.

Choosing your accommodation wisely

Accommodation is often the biggest expense. A few principles:

• Share a rental: for four or more, a two-bedroom apartment often works out cheaper per person than several hotel rooms, and the kitchen lets you save on meals.
• Stay central: accommodation within walking distance of the beach and the shops saves you paying for parking every day.
• Compare the total price: cleaning, bed linen, tourist tax… check what is included before comparing two listings.
• Consider budget options: campsites, motorhome areas and a youth hostel, with the drawback that they are sometimes further from the centre.

To find your way around, see our comparison where to stay in Le Touquet. At Villa Mon Étoile, for example, cleaning and linen are included in the price, which makes comparison easier.

Eating well without blowing the budget

Not all of Le Touquet's restaurants are overpriced, but eating out for lunch and dinner soon adds up. The trick: alternate.

• Shop at the market: Le Touquet's covered market, a stone's throw from rue Saint-Jean, is held all year round on Thursday and Saturday mornings, and on Monday mornings in summer too. Fish, brown shrimps, vegetables and regional cheeses are bought there directly from producers and traders.
• Have picnics: in the dunes, in the forest or on the beach, it is one of the great pleasures of Le Touquet in fine weather.
• Eat out at lunchtime: many restaurants offer a set lunch menu, often more affordable than the evening à la carte.
• A local afternoon treat: a pastry or a waffle while you stroll costs less than a dessert in a restaurant and pleases children just as much.

To know what to bring back from the market, read our article on the local specialities to try in Le Touquet.

The mistakes that push up the bill

Beyond good habits, a few reflexes help avoid unnecessary spending:

• Booking at the last minute in high season: in July-August or during a major event, the remaining accommodation is often the most expensive.
• Driving around looking for a parking space: between fuel, wasted time and parking tickets, it is better to park once and for all and walk.
• Forgetting the extra charges: end-of-stay cleaning, sheet hire and tourist tax can significantly change the price of a rental advertised as "cheap".
• Booking only guided activities: sand yachting, horse riding or e-bike hire are wonderful, but choosing one or two and topping up with the beach, the forest and walks is enough to fill a stay.
• Ignoring the weather: packing a raincoat and wellies saves buying on the spot what you left at home, and lets you enjoy the beach even on a grey day.
• Eating out at every meal: with a kitchen, alternating home-cooked meals and outings makes a real difference over a week.

Free (or almost free) activities

Here is the good news: many of Le Touquet's pleasures cost nothing.

1. The beach: a vast stretch of fine sand, ideal for sandcastles, shore fishing, kite flying and long walks at low tide.
2. The seafront promenade: from north to south, you can walk, cycle or scoot along it, with views over the Channel.
3. The forest: miles of paths and cycle tracks under the pines, sheltered from the wind.
4. The villas: a self-guided architectural stroll through the avenues, among Anglo-Norman, Art Deco and modern villas.
5. The Canche bay: from the Pointe du Touquet you can watch the birds and, with a bit of luck and binoculars, the harbour seals that sometimes rest on the estuary's sandbanks.
6. Events: seasonal markets, fireworks and many open-air events are free for spectators. Check the tourist office calendar.

For paid activities, compare half-day options and book direct. The climb up the Canche lighthouse, for example, open to the public at weekends and during the school holidays, offers one of the finest views on the coast. Find more ideas in things to do in Le Touquet.

Charles's tip: go to the Saturday morning market when you arrive, make a picnic for lunch, and keep the restaurant for one proper dinner during your stay. You will enjoy the resort just as much and you will have saved a good deal. And leave the car parked: everything can be done on foot or by bike.