5 minutes from Touquet-Paris-Plage, a contemporary house,
its stables, equestrian centre and swimming pool in the middle of 2-hectare grounds
its stables, equestrian centre and swimming pool in the middle of 2-hectare grounds
Touquet-Paris-Plage,
PAS-DE-CALAIS
north
62520
FR
Location
In the Hauts-de-France region, within the Pas-de-Calais department, the property is located in the centre of a rural village of 5,000 inhabitants, once called Cucq-Trépied-Stella Beach, and now classified as a tourist village. With its fourteen natural spaces listed in the National inventory of natural heritage, Cucq has the largest number of natural spaces in the department. Besides the little village, with its eastward-facing church, the village’s territory is composed of the hamlet of Trépied as well as the seaside resort of Stella-Plage and once included the village of Paris-Plage up until 28 March 1912, the date when the hamlet was turned into a village now called Le Touquet-Paris-Plage. During the Merovingian period, the land where Cucq, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, Merlimont and Berck-sur-Mer are now located were only marshes submerged by the sea. Little by little, the sea withdrew and the marshes were gradually covered in sand and dunes. The warrens of Cucq and Trépied result from the sea’s slow withdrawal over the centuries, while the sand of the foreshore, broken down by the wind at low tide, accumulated on the coast and formed the dunes of the coastal bar. Faithful to the etymology of its name – “height, hill” in pre-Celtic or “fortified place” in Latin – the village was first located on a dune, an ordinary mound a little higher than the surrounding area.
In 1837, Alphonse Daloz, a Parisian solicitor, bought the warrens of Cucq and Trépied and in 1855, with his son-in-law Rigaux, planted the first maritime pine trees in order to stabilise the dune: a tree chosen for its rapid growth and tolerance to dry environments. In 1858, Daloz and Rigaux split the estate: the former acquiring 1,250 hectares, e.g. the current territory of the village of Touquet, while the latter represented the Stella sector.
The property is thus located along the edge of an immense 11-kilometre natural space of fine sand and dunes, which extend as far as the eye can see.
This represents the link between the Canche bay to the north, a national natural reserve, and the neighbouring seaside resort of Stella-Plage to the south.
All shops, services and structures are located nearby.
A paradise for golfers, the Touquet Golf Resort is 6 minutes away, while the Golf des Dunes in Hardelot is 25 minutes away by car.
Right next door, Touquet-Paris-Plage, known for its seaside resort and architecture typical of the 1930s, which shaped its identity, has conserved its finesse and a certain taste for the French art de vivre: markets with local products, art galleries, Michelin-star restaurants, hotels and luxury boutiques, while the Festival des Pianos Folies in the month of May attracts internationally renowned artists.
The property is ideally located 30 kilometres to the south of Boulogne-sur-Mer and 240 kilometres to the north of Paris with the A16 exit to Paris only 5 minutes away. The capital can also be reached in 2 hours via the high-speed rail train station in Etaples-Le Touquet and the Touquet-Côte Opale airport is 4 kilometres away.
Description
With a contemporary appearance, although inspired by traditional farmhouses, the house is easily accessible via the road that leads to Le Touquet-Paris-Plage and Stella-Plage. The discreet property is located at the end of the small, particularly quiet no-through road, near the Cucq church with its typical belfry. A secure iron gate leads to a large lawn-covered courtyard, around which the main U-shaped building is organised. The latter allows you to quickly understand its interior layout, divided between the part dedicated to the main residence and the west wing on the right, which includes holiday cottages.
The grounds with a surface area of nearly 2 hectares extends all around the building, surrounded by woods and enlivened by a small pond where sometimes a few wild ducks bob on its surface. A vast equestrian centre is also located on the grounds, which are planted with small-size trees.
Only two honourable olive trees watch over the 9 x 5 metre swimming surrounded by Soignies blue stones and wooden slats. A pool house with impressive wooden rafters is naturally located near the swimming pool.
Oriented east to west, the property enjoys sunlight all day long thanks to its different patios and nearby swimming pool.
The grounds with a surface area of nearly 2 hectares extends all around the building, surrounded by woods and enlivened by a small pond where sometimes a few wild ducks bob on its surface. A vast equestrian centre is also located on the grounds, which are planted with small-size trees.
Only two honourable olive trees watch over the 9 x 5 metre swimming surrounded by Soignies blue stones and wooden slats. A pool house with impressive wooden rafters is naturally located near the swimming pool.
Oriented east to west, the property enjoys sunlight all day long thanks to its different patios and nearby swimming pool.
The House
Long and narrow, the house has two storeys and light plaster-coated façades, punctuated by large picture windows and topped with a flat-tile roof pierced with skylights as well as gabled dormer windows.
The ground floor
From the tiled vestibule leading to various rooms, one’s gaze is immediately struck by the vast reception room with straight hardwood floors and its ceiling stitched with projecting light-coloured beams. The whole can be taken in with a single glance, while the black grid pattern of the frames for the large picture windows cadence the interior space of the luminous living room adorned with a central suspended Gaudin-style fireplace.
A fitted kitchen with marble wall tiles, a dining room and an office space that a small mezzanine overlooks are also accessible via the vestibule and are extended by a large exterior patio facing the stables.
Past the dining rom, a hallway leads to two sets of guest rooms with a patio and bathroom, one of which is completed by a sauna.
The holiday cottage space in the dwelling’s west wing is easily accessible from the outside via the courtyard and can be made completely independent. It is composed of a fitted kitchen, living room, sitting room and, upstairs, two adjacent bedrooms built into the roof space with hardwood floors.
The upstairs
Twelve stairs on a quarter-turn pale wooden staircase lead to a walkway protected by a glazed guardrail, which runs along the entire length of the living room. A bold architectural move, the judicious system is spatially articulated with, on one side, a bedroom, bathroom and mezzanine and, on the other side, a bedroom, bathroom with walk-in shower and bathtub, a wardrobe as well as a linen cupboard. The circulation is fluid and a warm, contemporary ambiance reigns throughout, largely due to the use of pale wood for the floors and the exposed rafters.
The Outbuildings
Topped with a corrugated metal roof and crowned with a roof lantern, a large building with wooden façades and punctuated by large picture windows house the stables composed of four loose boxes and a saddle room in perfect condition. Right next door, a lean-to makes it possible to store the garden equipment.
The Garden
With a surface area of approximately 2 hectares, it is composed of numerous elements including a saddle room, a pasture, a training arena for horses as well as a small pond.
Our opinion
Luminous, understated and contemporary, this house’s architecture walks the line between stylish and conventional. Its full renovation and many outbuildings represent non-negligible assets as a comfortable main residence for horse lovers or a holiday resort in all seasons for others. The consequential revenue generated by the rental of the holiday cottage and/or guest rooms, with the current evocative name of “Touquet’s Garden”, could contribute to the property’s general upkeep.
Removed from the hubbub of the seafront along the edge of Touquet-Paris-Plage, the dunes, inhabited by multifaceted biodiversity are only a stone’s throw away. Bicycle rides in the Touquet woods or walks with your feet in the sand, while the sparse beach grass waves from the tops of white dunes, are everyday luxuries here.
2 480 000 €
Fees at the Vendor’s expense
Reference 147032
| Land registry surface area | 1 ha 91 a 27 ca |
| Main building surface area | 430 m2 |
| Number of bedrooms | 6 |
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NB: The above information is not only the result of our visit to the property; it is also based on information provided by the current owner. It is by no means comprehensive or strictly accurate especially where surface areas and construction dates are concerned. We cannot, therefore, be held liable for any misrepresentation.
