Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The villa Saint-Augustin, Thalassa, Phébus and Borée is a seaside villa located in Touquet-Paris-Plage, at the corner of the Rue de la Paix and the boulevard of Dr Jules Pouget. Built in 1897 by architect Ladislas Gasiorowski for Augustin Legay, an Arras industrialist, it is one of the few large family villas still existing on the seafront. Originally, it consisted of three parts: Saint-Augustin, Phébus and Borée, before most of it was divided into Saint-Augustin and Thalassa. Today, three of the four parts still belong to the Legay family.

The villa, built in stone of Marquise, is distinguished by its imposing and neat architecture, with facades in stone and stone, balconies, terraces and various skylights. It embodies the grandiose style of the late 19th century, typical of the first Touquet-Paris-Plage era. Damaged by the 1944 bombings, it was restored to the same facade, while maintaining its historical character. The villa has been listed as a historic monument since 1998 for its facades and roofs.

The villa Saint-Augustin, Thalassa, Phébus and Borée is a unique architectural testimony of the seaside period of the Touquet-Paris-Plage. It reflects the importance of family villas in the development of this seaside resort, where the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie came to spend their holidays. Its rigorous maintenance and preservation make it a symbol of local heritage, recalling the golden age of the resort.

The materials used, such as grey stone and red bricks, as well as wooden decorations and axe iron roofs, illustrate the architectural know-how of the time. The villa, although closed inside after the damage of 1940, retains an unchanged facade, offering an authentic overview of the seaside architecture of the late nineteenth century.

External links