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By capturing the flick of light across haystacks, smart society parties and sun-kissed landscapes, the works of impressionists such as Monet, Manet and Renoir speak of long summer evenings and convivial warmth.

Plenty of us will be heading off in search of those very things in the coming weeks.

And if you are passing through the Pas-de-Calais region of France, a short drive from Calais, or dropping in on Le Touquet there's a chance to  discover the "forgotten impressionist", Henri Le Sidaner, an elegant man with a neatly trimmed beard.

Golden sands: Le Touquet, in the Pas-de-Calais region of France, is known for its beach

This small coastal town has that magic combination of spectacular beach and manageable culture.

Le Sidaner lived east of here, in Etaples for twelve years, and the two galleries nearby provide a good overview of his work.

The exhibition at La Maison du Port d'Étaples (on until 22 June) based on his journeyings, features paintings of Venice and Brussels and has a sun trap roof terrace.

Take a short drive to the Musée Du Touquet and you'll find a larger collection (showing until 28 September) including Le Table au Soleil, featuring a tea table beneath the trees that makes you want to pull up a chair and pour a cup from the pot.

There is also a painting of Hampton Court's gardens dated 1908. Le Sidaner lived in a house overlooking Bushy Park, near to Hampton Court Palace, in 1907 and was inspired by what he saw.

He also depicted London and told a friend 'It's England seen through French eyes'. A romantic thought. The artist said he owed his success to the British, who both bought his paintings and gave him the warmest of welcomes.

Sand dunes: The Paris Plage beach in Le Touquet is a great place to collect shells and have an ice cream

Le Sidaner adored gardens and painted those at the Palace of Versailles as well as creating his own, in Gerberoy, which is open to the public now until 30 September.

It was here that many of Le Sidaner's sketches were destroyed during the German occupation when soldiers living in the house used them for firewood.

Gerberoy, which is known as France's smallest city, also hosts an annual rose festival (this year's is on 15 June) when the place positively blushes and blooms.

Culture taken care of, you can enjoy the delights of Le Touquet. The beach is its big crowd pleaser.

The expanse of sand winds round to the estuary where children can collect shells and eat ice cream from the waterfront cafes.

Golfers are part of the scene, too, along with posh French with deep tans, bright white hair and lashings of gold jewellery.

Another brilliant thing about Le Touquet is that it's so close. Pop over for the weekend on Eurostar and take a half hour train from Calais Frethun.

It's a charming region - and not at all hard to see why Le Sidaner loved it so much.

Travel Facts
Eurostar offers return fares from £69, eurostar.com. Hotel Jules offers double rooms from £69 per night, +33 (0)3 21 05 09 88, hoteljules.eu. Le Sidaner's gardens at Gerberoy in Picardy, lesjardinshenrilesidaner.com.