Aqualud was a beachfront water park in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, on France’s Channel coast in the Pas-de-Calais department. Opened in 1985, it was one of France’s earliest water parks and the first built in the Hauts-de-France region, drawing families from across the region for more than three decades with its distinctive glass-pyramid design set right on the seafront. It followed Aqualand Cap d’Agde, which had opened on the Mediterranean coast in 1983 as the country’s first water park, but Aqualud brought the concept to northern France with a twist: an enclosed, heated pyramid that let it operate through the region’s cooler weather.
The park closed in 2019 and never reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic made its economics unworkable, leaving its glass pyramid empty on the Touquet beachfront. By 2023 the site had passed from operator Parques Reunidos to hotel group Naos, which has pursued a five-star hotel redevelopment called “The Dune” on the property.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, Pas-de-Calais, France
- Opened: 1985
- Closed: 2019 (permanently, following pandemic closure)
- Total area: About 8,000 m² (4,000 m² indoor, 4,000 m² outdoor)
- Peak annual visitors: About 200,000 (mid-2000s)
- Operator: Parques Reunidos (via LB Investissement)
- Notable feature: First water park built in the Hauts-de-France region, housed under a beachfront glass pyramid
The Ride Experience
Inside the glass pyramid, Aqualud packed a dense lineup of slides and pools into its 4,000 m² heated indoor hall, kept around 27°C year-round. Named slides such as the Grand Canyon, Magic River, Black Hole, and Twister gave visitors a mix of enclosed tube rides and open flumes, while the indoor space also held soaking pools and jacuzzis for cooler months.
The outdoor half, open only in summer, added the Kamikaze speed slide along with the Splash and Aqua River attractions, plus dedicated shallow zones for younger children like Kid’s Lagoon and Kid’s Island. Together the two halves let Aqualud operate as a genuine four-season attraction, unusual for a French water park of its era.
Closure and What Remains
Aqualud shut for renovation work and then for the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, and operator Parques Reunidos never reopened it, citing capacity limits and fixed costs that made the business unworkable post-pandemic. The site sat empty on the Le Touquet seafront for several years afterward.
In March 2023 Parques Reunidos transferred the property to hotel group Naos, which has pushed the “The Dune” project: a planned five-star, roughly 130-room hotel with spa and underground parking to replace the old water park. The plan drew legal challenges from local opponents, and as of the most recent reporting the glass pyramid still stood, unused, awaiting the outcome of the redevelopment.
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Aqualud Le Touquet FAQs
Is Aqualud in Le Touquet still open?
No. Aqualud closed in 2019 and never reopened after pandemic-related shutdowns; the site is slated for redevelopment into a hotel.
Was Aqualud France’s first water park?
No. That distinction belongs to Aqualand Cap d’Agde, which opened on the Mediterranean coast in 1983. Aqualud, opened in 1985, was the first water park built in the Hauts-de-France region and brought the concept to the Channel coast.
What is planned for the old Aqualud site?
Hotel group Naos, which acquired the property in March 2023, has proposed “The Dune,” a five-star hotel of about 130 rooms, though the project has faced legal challenges from opponents.
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