The airport of Touquet Paris-Plage (Hauts-de-France), officially inaugurated its new name in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II on Saturday morning, May 17.
The ceremony began with the unveiling of a plaque in front of the Aéroport International Le Touquet - Elizabeth II, followed by the arrival of nine flag-bearing paratroopers.
The symbolic ribbon cutting was performed by official figures including the mayor of Le Touquet, Daniel Fasquelle, the mayor of Witney in England (with which Le Touquet is twinned), Owen Collins, and British ambassador to France, Menna Rawlings.
Local MP (Pas-de-Calais), Philippe Fait, said: “Backed by the patronage of the President of France, this symbolic ceremony celebrates the ties of friendship between France and the United Kingdom, as well as the unique history linking Queen Elizabeth II to our beautiful resort of Le Touquet.”
Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
A wall mural in the Elizabeth II terminal was also revealed during the inauguration, as well as a second plaque featuring a historical text and an exhibition in the airport’s foyer.
Speeches were made on the tarmac of the runway and then a brass band played the English and French national anthems. Three small aircraft flew overhead leaving a trail in the colours of the French flag.
The day coincided with the Le Touquet Air Show which took place along the town’s beach in the afternoon.
Approved by the King
Officials from the airport requested approval from the King to rename the site, in September 2022.
“The proposal was made to the British Crown barely six days after the death of ElizabethII, in order to pay tribute to the exceptional life of Her Majesty and in memory of Her Majesty’s uncle (Edward VIII) who was a frequent visitor to the resort by plane. The young Elizabeth sometimes accompanied her uncle who enjoyed sand yachting and horse riding.
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“The generous acceptance of the Mayor’s proposal by King Charles III further reinforces the image of Le Touquet as ‘the most British of French resorts’,” reads a press release published by the local mairie.
The airport was an early destination for cross-channel commercial flights in the 1920s when the resort with its beach and casino were prized by Parisian high society and British aristocrats alike.
In the 1950s, the airport was briefly France’s third greatest in terms of passenger use behind only Paris Orly and Nice.
Le Touquet also hosted the England Rugby Team during the 2023 Rugby World Cup and the town hall restored its bells to chime to the same melody as Big Ben in London.
