If you’ve ever looked at prices in Le Touquet and immediately considered remortgaging your house for a weekend by the sea, then allow me to introduce you to its much more affordable neighbour – Saint-Cécile Plage.
Set along France’s gorgeous Opal Coast, Saint-Cécile Plage delivers huge sandy beaches, family-friendly vibes, dog-friendly stays and excellent seafood restaurants, but without the polished price tag that often comes with Le Touquet.
Better still, it’s only around 45 minutes from the Eurotunnel terminal in Calais, making it one of the easiest French seaside escapes from the UK, especially if you’re travelling with children, dogs or both.
After recently staying as a family, with a dog, I genuinely think Saint-Cécile Plage is one of northern France’s best under-the-radar coastal breaks, here’s why…
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Why Saint-Cécile Plage is Better Value than Le Touquet
Le Touquet absolutely has its place. It’s chic, polished and packed with boutique hotels and stylish restaurants.
But it’s also become noticeably expensive in recent years, particularly during weekends and school holidays.
Saint-Cécile Plage, by contrast, feels refreshingly relaxed.
You still get…
- Wide sandy beaches
- Excellent seafood
- Pretty coastal scenery
- Family-friendly cafés
- Easy access from the UK
… but accommodation prices are generally far lower, parking is easier, restaurants feel less touristy and the overall atmosphere is much more laid back.
For budget-conscious travellers, especially families or dog owners, it simply makes more sense.
What Saint Cécile is Actually Like
One of the things I liked most about Saint Cécile is that it feels like a genuine seaside town rather than a polished resort built purely for tourists.
The centre is compact and easy to navigate on foot, which is ideal if you’re travelling with children, a dog or simply don’t want to keep jumping in the car.
The town has a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere that feels worlds away from the bustle of Le Touquet during peak season – think ice cream kiosks, beach cafés, families cycling between the dunes and locals enjoying a game of pétanque on sunny afternoons.
While Saint Cécile isn’t packed with attractions, that’s very much part of its charm. This is a place to slow down, enjoy the beach and embrace a simpler pace of life.
Shops & Amenities
Despite its small size, Saint Cécile has everything most visitors need for a short break.
You’ll find:
- Bakeries selling fresh bread and pastries
- Small grocery store and convenience shop
- Beachwear and souvenir shop
- Ice cream parlour
- Cafés and bars
- Family-friendly restaurants
- Public toilets during the summer season
- Free and paid parking areas
For larger supermarkets, additional restaurants and wider shopping options, nearby Étaples and Le Touquet are both less than 15 minutes away by car.
Easy Walking & Cycling
Saint Cécile is particularly well suited to visitors who enjoy exploring on foot.
Wide pavements, flat terrain and beach access points make it easy to walk almost everywhere.
Families with pushchairs will find the town straightforward to navigate, while dog owners can enjoy long walks through the dunes and along the seafront.
Cycling is also popular throughout this stretch of the Opal Coast, with quiet roads and coastal routes connecting nearby resorts and villages.
Relaxed Opal Coast Vibe
If Le Touquet feels glamorous and bustling, Saint Cécile feels relaxed and understated.
The focus here is very much on the outdoors.
Days revolve around beach walks, seafood lunches, cycling, sunset drinks and spending time with family and friends. There are no designer boutiques or luxury hotels competing for attention.
Instead, you’ll find a welcoming seaside community that prioritises simple pleasures.
For budget travellers, that’s exactly what makes Saint Cécile so appealing.
It offers beautiful beaches, excellent food and easy access from the UK without the crowds, traffic and premium prices that often come with more famous French coastal destinations.
For me, that balance of affordability, convenience and authentic seaside charm is what makes Saint Cécile one of the best-value beach breaks in northern France.
Saint-Cécile Plage at a Glance
| Category | Details |
| Location | Opal Coast, Northern France |
| Closest Major Port | Calais |
| Drive From Le Shuttle | Around 45 minutes |
| Best For | Families, dog owners, beach lovers, budget travellers |
| Main Beach Type | Wide sandy beach |
| Good Alternative To | Le Touquet |
| Ideal Trip Length | 2 to 4 nights |
| Closest UK Access | Le Shuttle Folkestone-Calais |
Staying at Evancy Trésors d’Opale
For our stay, we checked into Evancy Trésors d’Opale and honestly, it ticked every single box for an easy family coastal break.
The property sits just a short walk from the beach and offers modern apartment-style accommodation that works brilliantly if you’re travelling with children or pets.
Instead of squeezing into a standard hotel room, you get proper living space, a kitchen area, dining table and separate bedrooms depending on the apartment type you book.
As anyone travelling with a baby or dog knows, having space matters.
Why Evancy Works So Well For Families
One of the biggest advantages of apartment accommodation is flexibility.
At Evancy Trésors d’Opale we could…
- Prepare simple meals and breakfasts
- Store all our gear, with tons of space leftover
- Relax after beach trips without needing to find restaurants for every meal
- Keep dog equipment organised
- Enjoy outdoor balcony space
The self-catering setup massively helped keep costs down compared to eating out constantly.
Facilities at the property include…
- Baby kits on request (inc. cot, bath, high chair etc)
- Kitchenettes
- Parking without height restriction (great if you have a roof box like us!)
- Swimming pool
- Volleyball court
- Petanque courts
- Easy beach access
- Quiet residential setting
The whole atmosphere felt calm and practical rather than overly polished or pretentious.
Why Saint-Cécile Plage is Brilliant For Dogs
If you travel with a dog regularly, Saint-Cécile Plage is honestly a dream.
The beach is enormous and outside peak summer restrictions, dogs are welcome on large sections of the sand, and even during busier periods the area feels far more relaxed than many UK beaches.
The promenade and surrounding dunes also make excellent walking territory.
Evancy Trésors d’Opale also welcomes dogs, which instantly removes a huge amount of travel stress.
Travelling via Le Shuttle also makes the entire journey much easier with pets compared to flying.
Your dog stays with you in the car, there’s a pet exercise area at the terminal and the overall process feels remarkably smooth.
For UK travellers wanting an easy dog-friendly European break, this combination is hard to beat.
Beautiful Beaches Without the Crowds
The beach at Saint-Cécile Plage was probably the biggest surprise of the trip.
It’s vast, clean and genuinely beautiful, with soft golden sand stretching for miles along the Côte d’Opale coastline.
Backed by beautiful dunes, there’s plenty of space for long walks without feeling crowded and it feels wonderfully wild and under polished.
Even during good weather, trust me we visited in a heatwave!. it felt quieter and more spacious than Le Touquet.
That means…
- Easier family beach days
- More space for dogs
- Less stressful parking
- Better value cafés
- More relaxed atmosphere
At low tide, the beach becomes absolutely enormous, perfect for long walks, paddle games or simply sitting with a coffee while children run wild safely.
West-facing, the sunsets are spectacular too.
Eating at Les Filles du Vent
One of the highlights of our few days in Saint-Cecile Plage was dinner at Les Filles du Vent.
This relaxed beachfront restaurant perfectly sums up why Saint-Cécile Plage works so well – it’s stylish without being intimidating, family-friendly without feeling chaotic and serves genuinely good food at prices that feel much more reasonable than nearby Le Touquet.
Our local moules frites were superb and washed down with a delicious local blonde beer too – we were in Hauts-de-France after all!
The beachfront location makes it particularly lovely around sunset and we could easily wheel in the pram.
Typical Saint-Cécile Plage Food Costs
| Item | Approximate Cost |
| Coffee | 2€ to 3€ |
| Pastry | 2€ to 4€ |
| Moules Frites | 16€ to 24€ |
| Main Course | 18€ to 30€ |
| Glass of Wine | 5€ to 8€ |
| Ice Cream Stop | Around 10€ |
Compared to Le Touquet, where prices can climb quickly during peak periods, Saint-Cécile Plage felt noticeably more affordable.
Why the Saint-Cécile Plage Works so Well from the UK
One of the biggest advantages of Saint-Cécile Plage is how ridiculously easy it is to reach from southern England.
After arriving via Le Shuttle, the drive takes only 45 minutes from Calais. It’s actually closer than Le Touquet!
That means…
- No exhausting long-distance driving
- Easy weekend breaks
- Simpler travel with babies
- Less stress for dogs
- Lower fuel costs
For us, this proximity completely changed the feel of the trip.
Instead of spending an entire day travelling, we were eating seafood by the beach within a couple of hours of arriving in France.
Things to Do Around Saint-Cécile Plage
While the beach is the main attraction, there’s plenty to do nearby for a longer stay.
Visit Le Touquet
One of the biggest advantages of staying in Saint Cécile is that you can easily enjoy all the attractions of Le Touquet without paying Le Touquet accommodation prices.
The drive takes around 20 minutes, making it ideal for a half or full day trip.
Known as “Paris-Plage”, Le Touquet has long been one of northern France’s most fashionable seaside resorts.
The town combines elegant Belle Époque villas, pine forests, boutique shopping streets and a vast sandy beach. Walking through the centre feels distinctly upmarket, with designer shops sitting alongside independent bakeries, chocolatiers and seafood restaurants.
The main shopping street, Rue Saint-Jean, is always lively and is lined with cafés perfect for people-watching.
Food lovers like us, should also visit the covered market, where local producers sell cheeses, charcuterie, seafood and regional specialities. It’s pricey but fantastic!
If you’re travelling with children, the beach is enormous and ideal for sandcastle building, while cyclists can explore more than 20km of dedicated bike paths through the surrounding forest.
Le Touquet is also known for its impressive architecture. Walking around the residential areas reveals beautiful villas built during the town’s golden age as a fashionable retreat for wealthy Parisians and British visitors.
While it’s undoubtedly attractive, Le Touquet can feel busy and expensive, especially during weekends and school holidays, which is exactly why Saint Cécile works so well as a base.
You can enjoy all the glamour and facilities of Le Touquet before returning to quieter beaches, easier parking and much lower accommodation costs.
Visit Berck
Located around 30 minutes south of Saint Cécile, Berck-sur-Mer is one of the Opal Coast’s most underrated destinations and a fantastic day trip for families, wildlife lovers and beach enthusiasts.
One of Berck’s biggest attractions is its seal colony.
The nearby Baie d’Authie is home to both common and grey seals, and it’s often possible to spot dozens of them resting on sandbanks during low tide.
Viewing points along the bay allow visitors to watch the animals without disturbing them, making this one of the best wildlife experiences in northern France and completely free.
Berck is also famous for hosting the International Kite Festival each spring, when giant colourful kites fill the sky above the beach. Even outside festival periods, the wide open sands are popular with kite flyers, land yachts and walkers.
The seafront promenade offers cafés, ice cream shops and restaurants serving fresh seafood, while families will appreciate the space available for children to play safely.
Dog owners are equally well catered for, with plenty of coastal walking opportunities nearby.
For visitors staying in Saint Cécile, Berck provides a wonderful mix of wildlife, beach scenery and traditional seaside charm, all within a very short drive.
Explore Montreuil-sur-Mer
Just 25 minutes inland from Saint Cécile, Montreuil-sur-Mer feels like stepping into a completely different world.
While the coast is all about beaches and sea views, Montreuil offers history, culture and some of the most attractive streets in northern France.
Despite its name, the town is no longer on the sea! Centuries of silting gradually moved the coastline away, leaving behind a beautifully preserved medieval settlement surrounded by impressive fortifications.
The town’s most famous feature is its ramparts. Visitors can walk almost the entire circuit of the ancient walls, enjoying panoramic views across the surrounding countryside. The walk is relatively easy, family friendly (even for those of us with strollers!) and offers some of the best photo opportunities in the region.
History enthusiasts will enjoy wandering through the cobbled streets and historic squares, and the town centre is packed with independent shops, traditional bakeries and excellent restaurants.
Unlike larger tourist destinations, Montreuil retains a genuinely local atmosphere and feels wonderfully relaxed. The weekly market is particularly worth visiting if you’re staying in self-catering accommodation and want to stock up on regional produce.
Le Pot du Clape is a fantastic spot for an affordable and local lunch, with delicious soups, quiches and great sandwiches. Their lovely outdoor space at the back can accommodate dogs and kids… there’s just a few steps for those with pushchairs. I opted for the Le Maroilles quiche – a traditional cheese formerly made in the abbeys of this region and very strong!
For food lovers, history buffs and anyone looking to balance beach days with cultural sightseeing, Montreuil-sur-Mer makes an outstanding day trip from Saint Cécile and adds another dimension to an Opal Coast holiday.
Is Saint-Cécile Plage Worth Visiting?
Absolutely.
If you want all the benefits of a northern French beach break without Le Touquet prices, Saint-Cécile Plage is an excellent alternative.
It’s particularly ideal for…
- Families with young children
- Dog owners
- Budget-conscious travellers
- Weekend breaks from the UK
- Relaxed seaside escapes
Between the huge beaches, easy LeShuttle access, practical accommodation and genuinely relaxed atmosphere, it offers fantastic value for money.
And honestly? I’d take the quieter beach and lower restaurant bill over Le Touquet glamour any day!
Saint-Cécile Plage FAQs
Is Saint-Cécile Plage cheaper than Le Touquet?
Yes.
Accommodation, restaurants and parking in Saint-Cécile Plage are generally much cheaper than Le Touquet, especially during weekends and school holidays.
Is Saint-Cécile Plage good for dogs?
Very much so.
The beach is spacious, many accommodation providers are pet-friendly and travelling via LeShuttle makes access from the UK extremely easy with dogs.
How far is Saint-Cécile Plage from Calais?
Saint-Cécile Plage is around 45 minutes by car from Calais and the LeShuttle terminal.
Is Saint-Cécile Plage good for families?
Yes.
The relaxed atmosphere, spacious beach, apartment accommodation and quieter setting make it excellent for families with young children.
Where should I stay in Saint-Cécile Plage?
Evancy Trésors d’Opale is a great option for families and dog owners thanks to its apartment-style accommodation, beach access and pet-friendly facilities.
What is there to do near Saint-Cécile Plage?
Visitors can enjoy beaches, coastal walks, seafood restaurants, local markets and day trips along the Opal Coast including Le Touquet and Montreuil-sur-Mer
Practical Tips for Visiting the Opal Coast
Getting There
Le Touquet airport offers flights from the UK. As always, I use Skyscanner to find the best flight deals.
Alternatively, LeShuttle offers Channel Tunnel connections for those travelling by car from Folkestone to Calais in just 35 minutes.
Ferries from the UK also sail regularly to Calais. Check out FerryHopper to compare prices and times.
From Calais, it’s a 45 minute drive to Saint-Cecile Plage.
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My trip to Saint-Cecile Plage was gifted by Pas de Calais Tourisme and Evancy Tresors D’Opale but, as always, all views are my own.
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