Charles De Gaulle International Airport

Beauvais-Tillé Airport

To help golfers to decide where to go, we decided to make life easier for them. As we know our site in and out, we often see beautiful features which are not yet known to our audience, like the map view and the filters. We defined a golfing hotspot as the following: "an area relatively close to an international airport with at least four or more golf clubs (18-holes or more) with an 8 or higher, all located close to each other". For a golfer, this would translate to easy access by plane and quite a few kick-ass courses to play without too much driving!

Although Le Touquet Paris-Plage does not have an international airport nearby, it does lie close to Calais. The Channel or <a href="https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Euro Tunnel</a> and the ferries arriving in Calais make it easy to travel to this area from the Kent and London region. At the mouth of the Canche, the elegant resort of Le Touquet Paris-Plage is an unmissable destination in Pas-de-Calais. This area is also known as the Opal Coast or Côte d’Opale and features lofty chalk cliffs, rolling green hills, windswept beaches, scrub-dotted sand dunes, charming seaside towns and some very good golf courses. This makes this a very interesting golf destination, especially when you plan to play the best golf courses in and around Touquet:

The following golf clubs are also definitely worth a visit when planning your golf break to Touquet: <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+hauts-de-france/golf-de-wimereux" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golf de Wimereux</a> - a real links course -, <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+hauts-de-france/nampont-st-martin-golf-club" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nampont St Martin Golf Club</a> and <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+hauts-de-france/aa-saint-omer-golf-club" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aa Saint-Omer Golf Club</a>, which lies slightly more inland. If you want to design your own golf trip to the Touquet area, then we advise you to surf to <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/region/europe+france+hauts-de-france/le-touquet-paris-plage/clubs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">all golf courses in and around Touquet</a>. We really like this relatively unknown golf destination when planning a golf break to France, so make sure to check it out.

Versailles lies just southwest of Paris and is renowned worldwide for the Château de Versailles and the gardens of Versailles, both designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Ryder Cup gala dinner actually took place at the Palace of Versailles just ahead of the action at Le Golf National - the Ryder Cup venue in 2018. Paris has two international airports, <a href="https://www.parisaeroport.fr/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport</a> and <a href="https://www.parisaeroport.fr/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Orly Airport</a>. Orly Airport lies south of Paris, making it the ideal airport for this destination. Since the Ryder Cup 2018, Paris is gaining more and more recognition as a golf destination. The city is lovely and it does have some really good golf courses nearby:

There are also quite some other<a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/region/europe+france+%C3%AEle-de-france/versailles/clubs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> interesting golf courses around Versailles</a> to play when heading over to this area for a golf break. <a href="https://Racing Club de France - La Boulie" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Racing Club de France - La Boulie</a> is a very traditional golf course not to be missed and <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+%C3%AEle-de-france/golf-de-marivaux" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golf De Marivaux</a> is also well worth a visit.

Chantilly is a village in the valley of the Nonette, only 50 kilometres north of Paris located near the international airport of Paris <a href="https://www.parisaeroport.fr/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Charles de Gaulle</a>. Chantilly is surrounded by Chantilly Forest and is known for its castle, Château de Chantilly. The château's art gallery, the Musée Condé, houses one of the finest collections of paintings in France. There are many highly rated golf courses surrounding this lovely village:

It might be difficult to get to play Morfontaine as it is a private golf course, but it is worth the effort! Another gem to play in this area is <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+%C3%AEle-de-france/paris-international-golf-club" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Paris International Golf Club</a> which again is a member-only course, but you can always give it try. Use our site to check <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/region/europe+france+hauts-de-france/chantilly/clubs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the best golf courses in and around Chantilly</a>.

Biarritz is an elegant seaside town on southwestern France’s Basque coast and it has been a popular resort since European royalty began visiting in the 1800s. If you love to surf and play golf, then this is the perfect destination for you. <a href="https://biarritz.aeroport.fr/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Biarritz Airport</a> or Biarritz-Parme Airport is an airport serving Biarritz. It is located 5 km southeast of Biarritz, near Bayonne and Anglet. Biarritz is often overlooked as a golf destination, but this is a pity. The following golf courses near Biarritz are really worth a visit when playing a golf break:

The Biarritz area has even more nice golf courses on display, like <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+nouvelle-aquitaine/golf-de-la-nivelle" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golf De La Nivelle</a> and <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+nouvelle-aquitaine/golf-d-ilbarritz" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golf d'Ilbarritz</a>, which is an impressive training centre with a 9-hole course.  Slightly further away you can play <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+nouvelle-aquitaine/golf-de-seignosse" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golf De Seignosse</a> or <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+spain+basque-country/real-golf-club-de-san-sebasti%C3%A1n" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Real Golf Club de San Sebastián</a> which lies just across the border. In our opinion, this all makes Biarritz a perfect golf destination.

Mougins is a great place to visit on the Cote d'Azur. This medieval village is set amongst pines, olives and cypress trees and offers tourists a panoramic view of the "Baie de Cannes", the Lerins islands and Grasse. Mougins lies quite close to Cannes and Antibes and it is located less than 30 km from <a href="https://www.nice.aeroport.fr/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nice Airport</a>. There are many golf courses in this area, but the golf courses that should top your golf trip bucket list are the following:

When you are visiting this area on a golf break, make sure to check <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/region/europe+france+provence-alpes-c%C3%B4te-d-azur/mougins/clubs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">all the best golf courses around Mougins</a>. Located slightly further away we would recommend <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+provence-alpes-c%C3%B4te-d-azur/golf-de-saint-endr%C3%A9ol" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golf De Saint Endréol</a>, <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+provence-alpes-c%C3%B4te-d-azur/golf-de-roquebrune-resort" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golf De Roquebrune Resort</a> and <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+provence-alpes-c%C3%B4te-d-azur/le-ch%C3%A2teau-de-taulane" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Le Château de Taulane</a>.

We hope you liked this article and that we have inspired you! We will continue bringing you similar articles for other countries as well. So stay tuned!

Other articles in this series:

<ul><li><a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/inspiration/9312e4ac-c775-45b5-a714-fc4331eba273/the-best-golf-destinations-in-the-benelux" target="_blank">The Best Golf Destinations in the Benelux</a></li><li><a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/inspiration/61c25467-771d-433a-8854-9446e3d5586d/the-best-golf-destinations-in-germany" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Best Golf Destinations in Germany</a> </li></ul>

Lovely but well-defended hole at Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort (photo credits: Terre Blanche)

This is the third article in the series of 'Best Golf Destinations'. This time we focus on France, which traditionally is a very popular holiday destination for many Europeans. Since the Ryder Cup was held in Paris at Le Golf National, France is also gaining more popularity as a golf destination. The Play Golf in France initiative - supported by the French golf Federation FFGolf - illustrates this ambition. In this episode, we help you to identify the best hotspots or golf destinations in France. So, where can you find the highest density of highly-rated golf clubs in France which are easy to reach when living abroad? We hope you are inspired after reading this article about the best golfing hotspots in France!

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Leading Courses is all about helping golfers to find the best golf course, based on their location, needs and skill set. But we also like to help you to find the best place to go when planning a golf trip! So, where can you find the highest density of highly-rated golf clubs in France? This is the second article in this series, this time with the best golfing hotspots in France. A perfect start and inspiration for your next golf break to France!

golf destination in France, golf hotspot France, golf trip France, golf trip, golf break France

Om golfers te helpen waar ze naar toe zouden moeten gaan op een golfvakantie gaan we de komende tijd per land golf hotspots identificeren. Omdat we onze site door en door kennen, zijn wij bekend met handige features die wellicht nog niet bekend zijn bij ons publiek, zoals de kaartweergave en de filters. We definiëren een golf hotspot als volgt: "een gebied relatief dicht bij een internationale luchthaven met tenminste vier of meer golfclubs met een 8 of hoger, allemaal dicht bij elkaar gelegen". Voor een golfer betekent dit dat je er makkelijk naar toe kunt reizen waarbij je een flink aantal geweldige golfbanen kunt spelen zonder al te veel te hoeven rijden!

Hoewel er geen internationale luchthaven in de buurt van Le Touquet Paris-Plage is, ligt het wel dichtbij Calais. De Kanaal- of <a href="https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Eurotunnel</a> en de veerboten die in Calais aankomen, maken het relatief eenvoudig om vanuit de regio Kent en Londen naar dit gebied af te reizen. Aan de monding van de Canche is de elegante badplaats Le Touquet Paris-Plage een niet te missen bestemming in Pas-de-Calais. Dit gebied staat ook wel bekend als de Opaalkust of Côte d'Opale en wordt gekenmerkt door hoge krijtrotsen, glooiende groene heuvels, winderige stranden, met helmgras bezaaide duinen, charmante badplaatsen en een aantal zeer goede golfbanen. Dit maakt dit een zeer interessante golfbestemming, zeker als je van plan bent om de beste golfbanen in en rond Touquet te spelen:

De volgende golfclubs zijn ook zeker een bezoekje waard als je je golfvakantie naar Touquet aan het plannen bent: <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/clubs/europa%2Bfrankrijk%2Bhauts-de-france/golf-de-wimereux" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golf de Wimereux</a> - een echte linksbaan -, <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/clubs/europa+frankrijk+hauts-de-france/nampont-st-martin-golf-club" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nampont St Martin Golf Club</a> en <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/clubs/europa+frankrijk+hauts-de-france/aa-saint-omer-golf-club" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Aa Saint-Omer Golf Club</a>, een baan die iets meer landinwaarts ligt. Wil je zelf je golftrip naar de omgeving van Touquet samenstellen, dan raden wij je aan om naar <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/region/europa+frankrijk+hauts-de-france/le-touquet-paris-plage/clubs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">alle golfbanen in en rond Touquet</a> te surfen. We houden echt van deze relatief onbekende golfbestemming, zeker voor een korte golfvakantie naar Frankrijk.

Versailles ligt net ten zuidwesten van Parijs en staat wereldwijd bekend om het Château de Versailles en de tuinen van Versailles, die beide op de Werelderfgoedlijst van UNESCO staan. Het Ryder Cup-galadiner vond ook plaats in het Paleis van Versailles, net voor de actie van start ging op Le Golf National - de Ryder Cup-locatie in 2018. Parijs heeft twee internationale luchthavens, luchthaven <a href="https://www.parisaeroport.fr/en" target="_blank">Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport</a> en luchthaven <a href="https://www.parisaeroport.fr/en" target="_blank">Orly Airport</a>. Orly ligt ten zuiden van Parijs en is daarmee de ideale luchthaven voor deze bestemming. Sinds de Ryder Cup 2018 groeit Parijs steeds meer als golfbestemming. De stad is prachtig en er zijn een aantal echt goede golfbanen in de buurt:

Er zijn ook heel wat andere <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/region/europa+frankrijk+%C3%AEle-de-france/versailles/clubs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">interessante golfbanen rond Versailles</a> te vinden wanneer je naar dit gebied wilt gaat voor een golfvakantie. <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/clubs/europa+frankrijk+%C3%AEle-de-france/racing-club-de-france-la-boulie" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Racing Club de France - La Boulie</a> is een zeer traditionele golfbaan die je niet mag missen en ook <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/clubs/europa+frankrijk+%C3%AEle-de-france/golf-de-marivaux" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golf De Marivaux</a> is zeker een bezoekje waard.

Chantilly ligt in de vallei van de Nonette, slechts 50 kilometer ten noorden van Parijs en vlakbij de internationale luchthaven van Paris Charles de Gaulle. Chantilly wordt omgeven door de bossen van Chantilly en staat bekend om haar kasteel, Château de Chantilly. De kunstgalerie van het kasteel, het Musée Condé, herbergt een van de mooiste collecties schilderijen van Frankrijk. Wat voor golfliefhebbers nog veel belangrijker is, er zijn veel hoog gewaardeerde golfbanen rondom dit mooie dorp te vinden:

Het is misschien lastig om op Morfontaine terecht te kunnen omdat het een privégolfbaan is, maar als het lukt dan is de moeite zeker waard! Een ander juweeltje in dit gebied is de <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/clubs/europa+frankrijk+%C3%AEle-de-france/paris-international-golf-club" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Paris International Golf Club</a>, welke wederom een members-only golfbaan is, maar je kunt het altijd proberen. Gebruik onze site om <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/region/europa+frankrijk+hauts-de-france/chantilly/clubs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">de beste golfbanen in en rond Chantilly</a> te bekijken.

Biarritz is een elegante badplaats aan de Baskische kust in het zuidwesten van Frankrijk en het is al een populaire badplaats sinds het Europese koningshuis er in de 19e eeuw heenging. Als je van surfen en golfen houdt, dan is dit jee perfecte vakantiebestemming. <a href="https://biarritz.aeroport.fr/en/" target="_blank">Biarritz Airport</a> of Biarritz-Parme Airport is de luchthaven die het gebied rond Biarritz bedient. De luchthaven ligt 5 km ten zuidoosten van Biarritz, in de buurt van Bayonne en Anglet. Biarritz wordt vaak over het hoofd gezien als golfbestemming en dat is echt jammer. De volgende <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/region/europa+frankrijk+nouvelle-aquitaine/biarritz" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">golfbanen in de buurt van Biarritz</a> zijn echt een bezoek waard tijdens een golfvakantie:

In de omgeving van Biarritz zijn nog meer mooie golfbanen te vinden, zoals <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/clubs/europa+frankrijk+nouvelle-aquitaine/golf-de-la-nivelle" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golf De La Nivelle</a> en <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/clubs/europa+frankrijk+nouvelle-aquitaine/golf-d-ilbarritz" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golf d'Ilbarritz</a>, een indrukwekkend trainingscentrum met een 9-holes golfbaan. Iets verder weg kun je <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/clubs/europa+frankrijk+nouvelle-aquitaine/golf-de-seignosse" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golf De Seignosse</a> of <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/clubs/europa+spanje+baskenland/real-golf-club-de-san-sebasti%C3%A1n" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Real Golf Club de San Sebast</a>ián spelen; deze laatste golfbaan ligt overigens net over de grens. Dit alles maakt naar onze mening Biarritz tot de perfecte golfbestemming.

Mougins is een geweldig dorpje aan de Cote d'Azur. Dit middeleeuwse dorp ligt tussen de pijnbomen, olijven en cipressen en biedt toeristen een panoramisch uitzicht op de "Baie de Cannes", de Lerins-eilanden en Grasse. Mougins ligt vrij dicht bij Cannes en Antibes en op minder dan 30 km van de luchthaven van <a href="https://www.nice.aeroport.fr/en" target="_blank">Nice</a>. Er zijn veel golfbanen te vinden in dit gebied, maar de golfbanen die bovenaan je bucketlist voor een golftrip naar dit gebied moeten staan, zijn de volgende:

Wanneer je dit gebied aandoet tijdens een golfvakantie, zorg er dan voor dat je <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/region/europa+frankrijk+provence-alpes-c%C3%B4te-d-azur/mougins/clubs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">de beste golfbanen rond Mougins</a> speelt. Iets verder weg raden wij <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/region/europa+frankrijk+provence-alpes-c%C3%B4te-d-azur/mougins/clubs" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golf De Saint Endréol</a>, <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/clubs/europa+frankrijk+provence-alpes-c%C3%B4te-d-azur/golf-de-roquebrune-resort" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golf De Roquebrune Resort</a> en <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/clubs/europa+frankrijk+provence-alpes-c%C3%B4te-d-azur/le-ch%C3%A2teau-de-taulane" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Le Château de Taulane</a> aan.

We hopen dat je dit artikel leuk vond en dat we je hebben geïnspireerd! We zullen ook soortgelijke artikelen voor andere landen schrijven. Dus blijf ons volgen of schrijf je in voor onze nieuwsbrief!

Andere artikelen in deze serie:

<ul><li><a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/inspiration/9312e4ac-c775-45b5-a714-fc4331eba273/de-beste-golf-bestemmingen-in-de-benelux" target="_blank">De Beste Golf Bestemmingen in de Benelux</a></li><li><a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/nl/inspiration/61c25467-771d-433a-8854-9446e3d5586d/de-beste-golf-bestemmingen-in-duitsland" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">De Beste Golf Bestemmingen in Duitsland</a></li></ul>

Mooie maar goed verdedigde hole op Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort (foto credits: Terre Blanche)

Dit is het derde artikel in de serie 'Beste Golf Bestemmingen'. Deze keer richten we ons op Frankrijk, dat van oudsher een zeer populaire vakantiebestemming is voor veel Europeanen. Sinds de Ryder Cup in Parijs op Le Golf National werd gehouden, wint Frankrijk ook aan populariteit als golfbestemming. Het initiatief Play Golf in France - ondersteund door de Franse golffederatie FFGolf - illustreert deze ambitie. In deze aflevering helpen we je de beste hotspots of golfbestemmingen in Frankrijk te ontdekken. Dus, waar vind je de hoogste dichtheid van hoog aangeschreven golfclubs in Frankrijk die gemakkelijk te bereiken? We hopen dat je na het lezen van dit artikel over de beste golf hotspots in Frankrijk geïnspireerd bent geraakt!

Bij Leading Courses zijn we continue bezig om golfers te helpen om de beste golfbaan te vinden, gebaseerd op hun locatie, behoeften en vaardigheden. Dus ook bij het plannen van je golfreis willen we je graag helpen om de beste plek te vinden om naartoe te gaan! Dus, waar vind je de hoogste dichtheid van hoog aangeschreven golfclubs in Frankrijk? Dit is het derde artikel in deze serie, dit keer met de beste golf hotspots in Frankrijk. Een perfecte start en inspiratie voor je volgende golfvakantie naar Frankrijk!

golfbestemmingen in Frankrijk, golf hotspot Frankrijk, golf trip Frankrijk, golftrip, golf vakantie Frankrijk

A lot of golfers don’t realize that the large cities in Europe like London, Rome and definitely Paris all have great golf courses. Because people usually visit these cities for sightseeing they don’t know that just outside there are often very nice, old and beautiful designed courses. Just to give you an idea, in Île de France, the region with and around Paris, there are over 80 golf courses. The courses I played during this week were all less than an hour from the Eiffel tower, except Les Aisses and Les Bordes that are approximately 2 hours from La Tour Eiffel.

Planning the trip to play the 3 best golf courses in France

When planning a trip like this there are several factors to take into account; <ul><li>When are the desired courses open for guests (most common is during weekdays)?</li><li>In France, most courses are closed one day a week for maintenance, but not on the same day everywhere</li><li>If the club is members-only how can you get an invitation?</li><li>The sequence of the courses, I like to build up and save the best for last</li><li>In France the most important meal on a golf course is lunch, most restaurants at golf courses don’t serve dinner, especially during the week they close early, so plan accordingly</li></ul>The average rating on Leading Courses of the courses I played was 8,9. This is ridiculously high for seven courses located so close to each other, another confirmation that there are great courses close to big cities. Further down this article, you will find the ratings of the individual courses. When I planned this trip I did most of my research on Leading Courses and contacted people in my network in France. The courses L’isle Adam, St. Germain, Chantilly I booked/reserved via the site or email. Les Aisses was arranged by one of my Ambassadors in France <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/user/104778/profile">Yves Charmy</a> but it is also easily bookable via Leading Courses or directly by phone/email. Morfontaine I was lucky to be invited through a member of Fontainebleau, they have a hospitality agreement with the classic Tom Simpson course. He also invited me to play Fontainebleau. At Les Bordes I was invited because I’m studying to be a golf course architect and wrote an email to the manager. In the world of exclusive golf courses, there are a couple of pointers. <ul><li>Never ask a member to play on his/her exclusive course they should invite you.</li><li>If you have access to a great course yourself you can always ask the member of the private course for a game, maybe they will invite you on their course</li><li>When you are there be sure to bring a nice gift, like a bottle of good scotch or something original from your home country</li><li>After playing send them a thank you note including some details of the course you liked, always include an invitation to your home course or a top course you have access to. (I invited the Fontainebleau member to join me at Les Bordes)</li><li>Check hospitality agreements of the desired club. Maybe sometimes it is easier to approach a member of one of those courses instead of directly getting in touch with the desired exclusive course</li></ul>Easiest accessible are l’isle Adam, Les Aisses &amp; St Germain all week &amp; weekend, Chantilly and St Germain are open for guests during the week. Les Bordes and Morfontaine are accessible all week &amp; weekend as long as you are hosted by a member.

<ul><li>Fontainebleau, Les Aisses &amp; L’Isle Adam are closed on Tuesdays for maintenance </li><li>Chantilly is closed on Thursdays for maintenance </li><li>St Germain is open all days </li><li>Les Bordes; Monday is maintenance day but you can play </li><li>Morfontaine Like Les Bordes only possible to play if you are hosted by a member. Maintenance is done every day since there are not many players…</li></ul>

I started my trip driving down from the Netherlands straight to <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+hauts-de-france/golf-de-chantilly">Golf de Chantilly</a>. After a 5 hour drive, I had lunch on the terrace looking out over the two 18 holes courses. The most famous - and host to several French Opens - is Le Vineuil, designed by Tom Simpson in 1909. The second course is called Longeres and was designed by Donald Steel. My 14:00 tee time was perfect to enjoy the course in the Autumn light. If you want more detailed information <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+hauts-de-france/golf-de-chantilly/reviews?minimumHandicap=18&maximumHandicap=30&fromYear=2020&untillYear=2020&visitorStatus=gold">check my review on Chantilly</a>. In general, I really liked the green complexes and sometimes unexpected hole designs. The course was very, very dry due to the dry summer. I definitely want to play it again in springtime and hopefully have time to play the Steel course as well.

From Chantilly I went to my Airbnb in Précy-sur-Oise smack in the middle of the first three courses and my affordable place to stay for two nights. The next morning, I went to <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+%C3%AEle-de-france/golf-de-l-isle-adam">Golf De L'Isle Adam</a> where I was invited by a member to play the challenging course. The course is very undulated with curvy super-fast greens. More detailed <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+%C3%AEle-de-france/golf-de-l-isle-adam/reviews?minimumHandicap=18&maximumHandicap=24&fromYear=2020&untillYear=2020&visitorStatus=gold">info can be found in my review.</a> The food in the clubhouse is excellent and across the entrance of the course, there is a very nice hotel with another two restaurants. Everything is very close to Charles de Gaulle international airport so great access for international players as well.

Playing Golf de Morfontaine, the best golf course in France

On the third day, one of the absolute highlights of this trip, <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+hauts-de-france/golf-de-morfontaine">Golf de Morfontaine</a>. This club has two courses, the Grand Parcours (18 hls.) and the Valière (9 hls.), both designed by Tom Simpson, who is the designer of three of the courses on this trip, Chantilly, Fontainebleau and the 27 at Morfontaine. He is also responsible for Ballybunion (old), Muirfield, Royal Aberdeen and Royal Antwerp. In <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+hauts-de-france/golf-de-morfontaine/reviews?languageCode=en">my review on Morfontaine</a> you can read more details. The main reason why Morfontaine is number 1 in many lists of best golf courses in France on several rankings is in my opinion that every hole (all 27!) could be the signature hole of a very good course. The dimensions, or maybe better, the proportion of grass (fairways, tees and greens), heather and trees are perfect. That’s why they built 27 instead of 36 to get it just right. In my opinion, the best order of play is to start with Valière in the morning then break for lunch. After lunch, play the Grand Parcours 18 holes course. The lunch on the terrace of the old-school clubhouse is perfect and so are the locker rooms, all very classic. Unfortunately, the shirts and sweaters in the pro-shop are for members only. If you ask the manager nicely she might give you a cool Morfontaine pitchfork.

After Morfontaine I went to play <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+%C3%AEle-de-france/golf-de-saint-germain">Golf de St Germain</a>, this traditional club has a 9-hole short course and an 18 hole Championship Course. Both courses are designed by the famous Golden Age architect Harry S. Colt. It’s the first time I ran into a ‘short’ course by Colt. The short course is an excellent warm-up as it has a couple of par 4’s and the rest par 3’s. The holes can help you get used to attacking the big course after lunch. <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+%C3%AEle-de-france/golf-de-saint-germain/reviews?fromYear=2020&untillYear=2020&visitorStatus=gold">In my review of St Germain</a> you will find more details about my experience but the course is really great to play with a lot of menacing bunkers looking at you and beautiful designer tricks by the old master. What always amazes me with Colt courses is the originality of the holes there are always a couple you would never think of, most of the time the existing landscape leads to these original creations… The other thing that I will really remember of St. Germain is the beautiful men’s locker room. It’s on the first floor and there is a little cubicle when you enter where you can leave your shoes to be shined. The original dark wood lockers and the traditional lamps make it absolutely perfect.

On the fourth day, I played <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+%C3%AEle-de-france/golf-de-fontainebleau">Fontainebleau</a> with a member. We arrived quite early because there was a competition and we wanted to get out there before them. We had a quick coffee and a croissant and went to the first tee on the right of the clubhouse. What is really amazing about this third Tom Simpson design on the trip is the use of the hill in the corner of the property. This hill is used in 7(!) holes and after you finish you have the idea the course is quite undulated but the only height difference was the single hill…If you want to read more details about my experience <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+%C3%AEle-de-france/golf-de-fontainebleau/reviews?minimumHandicap=18&maximumHandicap=20&visitorStatus=gold">read my review via this link.</a> I was really amazed by the atmosphere of this club tucked away in the woods near the famous city Fontainebleau. Of all the courses I played this would definitely be my favourite to join. Another very impressive memory is the enormous oak trees on the left of the 9th hole, on the tree are little signs stating the king and the year going back as far as 1570 when king Charles was ruling France.

On Sunday, the 5th day of our trip we went to <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+centre/les-aisses-golf">Les Aisses</a>, a heathland course just over 2 hours drive from the Eiffel Tower. It is situated beautifully in nature with a nice country style clubhouse that really fits in the surroundings. When we were visiting they had a lot of problems with wild boars opening up the fairways and damaging them. But they had some plans to prevent that. The course was designed by Olivier Brizon and later renovated by Martin Hawtree. Currently, they were looking at some other Hawtree updates. There is also a 9 holes course but due to the very dry summer and the fact that they used the water for the 18 holes course, it was currently closed. Pick the correct tee when you play here because it can play quite long at some holes. If you want to <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+centre/les-aisses-golf/reviews??minimumHandicap=18&maximumHandicap=19&fromYear=2020&untillYear=2020&visitorStatus=gold">read some more details follow this link.</a>

The last day was reserved for <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+centre/les-bordes-golf">Les Bordes</a>, this very exclusive club founded by Baron le Bich and&nbsp;his Japanese friend Mr Sakurai has been ultra-exclusive since its start as in the beginning there were just 2 members (the founders). Baron le Bich was the owner of the Bic pens and a razor company. By 2008 when the Baron and Mr Sakurai had passed away, investors took over and there were about 20 international and 4 local members. The course and the lodges were always in pristine shape, ready when one of the members would show up for a round or a weekend on the estate. The course is designed by Robbert von Hagge, who got total freedom and unlimited funds to built his dream course. The result is a very demanding course where everybody who breaks 80 from the back tee receives his or her name on a board in the clubhouse. The green complexes are amazing but you do not want to miss the green because you will be in double bogey land straight away. If you want to read more details <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/clubs/europe+france+centre/les-bordes-golf/reviews?minimumHandicap=19&maximumHandicap=20&fromYear=2020&untillYear=2020">follow the link to my review of Les Bordes</a>. Recently there are new owners. They have definitely not changed the target group for members, still very international and very exclusive, but there are some more openings. Also, they were finishing a new 18 holes course by the famous architect Gil Hanse (who designed Castle Stuart, The Olympic Course in Rio de Janeiro, Streamsong). This course will be more playable and a sort of an inland links type where lesser experienced golfers can have a great time. He also created the 10 hole ‘Wild Pig’ short course. These one-shot holes in the tranquil forest will be super for an evening drink and some wedge shots. Unfortunately, both courses were not yet entirely finished when we were there, a good reason to go back. When we asked the manager when we could tee-off he showed us the buggy and said whenever you want, we were the only two players on the course the entire day…

And so my trip to visit some of the best golf courses in France came to an end. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I would recommend this trip to anyone. Especially if you live within a 500 KM radius of Paris - that includes golfers from London - &nbsp;this is a great trip to take. So hop on a car, train or plane whenever it’s possible and I assure you you’ll have a great time! And - if you're on a budget, don't be put off by these, more exclusive, courses. In <a href="https://www.leadingcourses.com/region/europe+france+%C3%AEle-de-france/paris">the Paris area</a>, you can play more than 80 golf courses, so surely you will find some courses that suit you.

Les Bordes from above (photo: Julien Tizot).

When I came up with a plan to organize a golf trip that included the 3 best golf courses in France (Les Bordes, Morfontaine and Fontainebleau) and 4 other great courses around Paris, the first thing I had to worry about was access. Both number 1 and 2 in France are very exclusive and hard to get access to. The other clubs are mostly member clubs and accessible during the week for a reasonable green fee.

Les Bordes Golf - please credit Julien Tizot

When Leading Courses evangelist Leonard came up with a plan to organize a golf trip that included the 3 best golf courses in France (Les Bordes, Morfontaine and Fontainebleau), the first thing he had to worry about, was access.

Visiting the 3 best golf courses in France

France

Grand Parcours (championship course)

Vallière

Golf de Morfontaine is beautifully situated in the woods north of Paris. The 9 holes course 'Valière' was built in 1913 and the 'Grand Parcours' an 18 holes course was added in 1927.

The holes are embedded in the woods and very well designed. The par 3's are amazing and the surroundings are very tranquil.

Golf De Morfontaine

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Fantastic maintained and naturally integrated into the forest. Large terrain. The heather can be tough. Some highway background noise.

Morfontaine is uniek (gebleven). De toegang door een slingerende bosweg is veelbelovend. Vervolgens blijken in de loop der jaren veel bomen gekapt te zijn waardoor de heide kans gekregen heeft zich te ontwikkelen. Het prachtige klassieke clubhuis komt in zicht en je hebt gelijk zin om te spelen in deze oase van heide en grove dennen. De baan is geweldig. Super onderhouden. Alle holes en greencomplexen zijn een lust om te spelen. Vanwege deze kwaliteiten is deze baan door de beoordelaars van het gezaghebbende tijdschrift Golf World verkozen tot de eerste baan van continentaal Europa. Er is niet geknutseld aan deze baan. De "Classic" van Simpson is helemaal in haar waarde gelaten. Hulde voor dit beleid van de afgelopen 90 jaar. Als men er mag spelen (via vrienden) kost dat 170 euro. Maar als liefhebber is dat de ervaring waard. zeker wanneer bedacht wordt dat de nieuwste aanwinst in Nederland 150 euros kost en overrated banen in de UK en de nieuwe banen in de Algarve meer kosten.

Beste golf van Continentaal Europa. Heb de gelegenheid gehad hier te spelen (geen greenfee's, enkel op uitnodiging) en de reputatie is zeker niet gestolen. Prachtige baan, super fairways en goede greens. Clubhuis wat ouderwets maar met massa's charme maar zeer goede bediening.

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