Leonce DEPREZ

Léonce Deprez played football for France at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, but was much better known for his local political career. His sports career started out in athletics, winning the 1943 French cadet championship in the 55 metre hurdles. He was also a top tennis player as a youth, but then became a football goalkeeper with Stade Béthunois.

Deprez first served as a deputy mayor for 21 years of his hometown of Le Touquet, and in 1971 was elected mayor, a post he would hold for 30 years. He promoted Le Touquet, once a small seasonal resort, as a centre of tourism. In 1975 he co-created Enduro du Touquet, an event that brought 300,000 people to Le Touquet in the middle of winter. Under his guidance Le Touquet became a top tourist destination in northern France, with high-end sports, equestrian, and tennis centres. He and his wife also ran a local printing press and started several local newspapers, including Les Echos du Touquet, Montreuil-Hebdo, and Le Journal de Montreuil.