Le Touquet is a popular destination for first time Channel crossers and for those looking for an agreeable day trip not too far into France.

 

The airport has Customs at two hours’ notice during normal business hours. This notice can be given in a number of ways, but email is probably the most convenient – see the Le Touquet aeroport website for details.  Fuel is available on the apron via a bowser and can be requested in a radio call to the tower. Le Touquet is a full ATC service, therefore practices such as calling for engine start-up on departure should be observed. For UK arrivals and departures the RT service is provided in English.

 

The airport is very busy, especially at weekends when the apron will contain mostly G-reg aircraft.

 

There is a restaurant and café at the airport but the main purpose of going there is to go into town where there is a good array of eating and drinking facilities. My personal favourite is Chez Perard where a marvelous fish soup is served. You can buy it in jars to take home.

 

Getting to town is best accomplished on foot, a stroll of about 20 minutes to half an hour through some very picturesque pinewoods with fine properties nestling amongst the trees. Bicycles can be hired at the main desk in the airport and, of course, taxis can be summoned.

 

Le Touquet is in Class D airspace so technically a transponder may be required. However the tower is very pragmatic and we know of no one being turned away because of this.

 

This is an agreeable destination and a place to look forward to visiting even if you’ve been many times before. Landing fees are higher than normal French provincial levels but compare very reasonably with UK counterparts of similar status.

 

For accommodation, it will be helpful to receive reports of low cost accommodation (if such exists) in or near the town. The writer has stayed at the Hotel Westminster, a large, traditional and expensive 4* hotel, and reports have been heard of people camping at the airport.

 

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