Le Touquet rental near the beach, right in the town centre

Near the beach: how many minutes, exactly?

When you look for a holiday let in Le Touquet near the beach, the real question is simple: how long on foot, and to get where? Here are the distances from 40 rue d'Étaples, measured as the crow flies on our website's map and rounded. The resort is flat and laid out on a grid, so you get there quickly.

In other words, you can head down to the beach three times a day, come back for the children's nap and go out again for the sunset, without ever getting back in the car.

No sea view, and that is a deliberate choice

To be clear: the villa is not on the seafront and neither flat has a sea view. It is in the town centre, on a street running parallel to rue Saint-Jean. What you gain:

• A quieter street. In summer the promenade is busy from morning to night; a few streets back, evenings are more peaceful.
• Shelter from the wind. On the Opal Coast the seafront takes the full force of the wind; in the town centre, the terrace is pleasant far more often.
• Everything on the doorstep. Bakeries, shops, restaurants and the covered market are all a few minutes away.
• Often better value. For a similar size and standard, a seafront rental generally costs more because of the view.
• The charm of a villa. A 1920s Art Deco house, listed as a "villa remarquable", rather than a seafront apartment block.

And the sea is still at the end of the street. If you are weighing up the different parts of the resort, our guide which area to stay in Le Touquet compares the town centre, seafront and forest honestly.

Two quiet flats, close to everything

The villa has two fully renovated 55 m² flats, Hélios on the first floor and Cassiopée on the second, each sleeping 4 plus a baby:

• A main bedroom with a 160 cm bed and a children's room with two 90 cm beds that can be pushed together.
• A living room with a large wooden table for 6, opening onto a terrace with a barbecue; Cassiopée also has a south-west-facing balcony off the main bedroom.
• A fully equipped kitchen (dishwasher, oven, microwave, Nespresso) and a bathroom with a bath and washing machine.
• 8 Gb/s fibre Wi-Fi, a TV and all the baby gear: high chair, travel cot, baby bath, toys and books.

For 8 people, book both: 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms in the same villa, see our rental for 8 people. Sound carries in the house, so quiet hours run from 10 pm to 9 am, and parties are not allowed.

Book direct: the little extras

Nights start at €140, with a 2-night minimum and a €50 cleaning and linen fee per stay (sheets and towels provided). When you book direct with the owner on our booking page, you get:

• The best price, cheaper than on Airbnb for the same dates.
• Free early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability. Check-in is normally from 3 pm and check-out by 11 am.
• Direct contact with Charles, the owner, for any questions before and during your stay.

Charles's tip: for the sunset, walk up rue d'Étaples to the promenade half an hour before the forecast time. Five minutes on foot and you have a front-row seat, without paying extra for a sea view.