According to Fasquelle, it’s the town’s golf courses that have provided the most lasting draw for Brits. Fleming’s Le Touquet home was located beside the 18th hole of the oldest of the three, La Forêt, while La Mer, a six-time French Open host, is perhaps the most famous. An internationally renowned equestrian park and 33-court tennis club only add to the draw for fans of sport. This year, Le Touquet is also welcoming the England rugby team for its World Cup training camp.
“There are really some amazing stories linked to this special relationship we have with the British,” said Fasquelle. “That we don’t just want to keep, but also to reinforce – and in some ways, rediscover.”
Indeed, these days, locals are working hard to maintain this cherished connection. Eli Gifford is one of them, raised in Le Touquet from the age of seven by his filmmaker parents, Londoners Nick and Judy Gifford, who, 25 years ago, founded Tea Together, an organic jam company marrying French and British inspiration for flavours like cherry-tarragon or lemon-Earl Grey tea.
His hometown, Gifford said, has a distinctly British vibe, with “lots of vintage cars and things like that. It’s like everyone’s kind of living their fantasy dream life here,” he said. “It’s very odd when you leave and go to like… Paris or something.”