Paris-Plage origins in a sand triangle

A sand triangle between the English Channel and the estuary of the Canche, known as Le Touquet, was transformed into a popular destination by Alphonse Daloz, a Parisian notary. This area, which became known as Paris-Plage, was once a vast, uninhabited expanse of dunes.

Alphonse Daloz's land purchase

In 1837, Alphonse Daloz, who had been a notary in Paris since 1827, won an auction for a dune property in Le Touquet. The land, covering 1,600 hectares, was part of the commune of Cucq in the Pas-de-Calais and was sold by the state for more than 120,000 francs.

Early attempts at agriculture and livestock

Daloz initially tried to develop the land through livestock farming and agriculture, but these efforts were unsuccessful. The area was largely untouched, with only a few people living there, and the land was dominated by wild rabbits and shifting dunes.

Forest planting strategy

In 1855, Daloz changed his approach and began planting trees to stabilize the dunes. He used a method tested in the Landes of Gascony, starting with oyats to hold the sand, followed by maritime pines that grow quickly and withstand drought.

Support from the state and expansion

The French government provided Daloz with 40,035 kg of maritime pine seeds between 1852 and 1875. By 1882, about 800 hectares of the land had been transformed into a forest, half of the area he had purchased in 1837.

Daloz's influence and the birth of a village

Daloz became mayor of Cucq from 1855 to 1865 and built a chalet that later became the Hôtel de la Forêt. His forest attracted visitors, and by 1874, the idea of creating a vacation spot for Parisians was born, leading to the development of Paris-Plage in 1882.

Paris-Plage's early development

The first development of Paris-Plage was planned by surveyor Raymond Lens and included two houses and a hotel. By 1883, the area had around thirty residents. Alphonse Daloz, who had died in 1885, did not live to see the full transformation of his vision.

Le Touquet's rise to a commune

In 1912, Le Touquet was elevated to a commune, separate from Cucq. The land was later bought by British businessman John Whitley, who helped develop the area with hotels and sports facilities.

Legacy and nickname

Today, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is known as the "Perle de la Côte d'Opale" and has the nickname "station of four seasons." A bronze plaque in the town hall honors Daloz for planting the forest since 1855 and for creating the first Paris-Plage development in 1882.