Nearly 100 years after Le Touquet became a favoured destination for the sophisticated British traveller, it remains as popular as ever, especially for golfers.
From the young Princess Elizabeth to witty author and dedicated golfer, PG Wodehouse, Le Touquet was the place to be seen in the roaring Twenties and Thirties. Away from the beach or the casino, the model for Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale, golfers enjoyed a round on the Le Touquet La Foret course, which has been open since 1904.
During this glamorous period in the resort’s history, the time had come to add another golf course to the seaside town. Who better to design it, than the golf course architect of the moment, Harry Shapland Colt who lived up to his reputation, creating the outstanding Le Touquet La Mer links.
The links had an early VIP visitor, with the then Prince of Wales secretly playing the course for a few days before it opened in 1931.
Over the ensuing decades the course layout gradually altered. Now, after the discovery of aerial photography from the 1930s, golf architects and leading course restorers, Patrice Boissonnas and Frank Pont have returned the course to what closely resembles Colt’s original design and it’s as brilliant as ever.
Their research led them to uncovering four lost holes, the 13th to the 16th . Boissonnas said: “It is like finding treasure in a treasure hunt. We were able to restore Colt’s original dogleg right par-5 15th, described by his design rival Tom Simpson as one of the best he’d ever seen. Returning the 16th to its original setting has also allowed us to reinstate a spectacular downhill par 3.”
The course has deservedly won a place in France’s Top 10 and is now listed in continental Europe’s Top 40.
A new contemporary clubhouse is at the heart of the golf resort and the welcoming Le Manoir hotel has been given a new look while retaining its famous welcoming and comfortable atmosphere.
Whether you have played Le Touquet before, or you want to see what all the fuss is about for yourself, you’ll appreciate the endeavour and passion that have taken this resort to a whole new level.
