Surviving the Autoroute du Soleil: play some golf!

In this blog we will only highlight golf courses along the Autoroute du Soleil which:

•  can be easily reached; the detour should be less than 25 km or 15.5 miles
•  are rated a 7.8 and higher, and 
•  have been reviewed by more than 40 other golfers. 

We'll start in Paris and then work our way down via Auxerre, Baune, Lyon, Valence, Avignon and finally to Marseille.

The first part of the Autoroute du Soleil - the A6 - runs from Paris to Lyon. Some of the clubs mentioned have their own hotel, so it might be a great idea to play and stay at those courses!

If you leave the A7 at exit 14, then you only have to drive 9 km (5.6 miles) to Golf de Fontainebleau. This golf club is rated with a 9.1 and is ranked 3rd in France. So this is definitely a must-play course!

If you take the same exit as Fontainebleau but then head south for 20 km (12.4 miles) you will arrive at Golf Du Chateau D'Augerville which is rated with an 8.6. Golf Du Chateau D'Augerville is a top 20 golf club in France, so golfers find this a really good course. If you also need a place to stay, then staying at the five-star Chateau D'Augerville is a great option!

A bit further south near Poligny you can take the A77 and after 19 km (11.8 miles) you will arrive at Le Domaine et Golf de Vaugouard. This golf club is rated with a decent 7.9 overall. The course is rated slightly higher with an 8.1 out of 10. Le Domaine et Golf de Vaugouard also has a nice four-star hotel, some rooms are located in a romantic castle. The golf course at Le Domaine et Golf de Vaugouard is bookable online via Leading Courses, rates start at €74.

Just north of Auxerre, you have the possibility to head to Golf Du Roncemay, which is rated with an 8.0. The golf club is located 15 km (9.3 miles) from the A6. Take exit number 18 at Sépeaux-Saint-Romain. You can play and stay at Domaine Du Roncemay in their four-star hotel.

If you take the A38 just north of Baune and then the D977bis, you will be able to tee off after less than 10 km (6.2 miles). Hotel Golf Chateau de Chailly is rated 8.0 out of 10 and is bookable online via Leading Courses. Prices start at €54 for 18 holes. Hôtel Golf Château de Chailly is an authentic medieval castle that has been transformed into a luxurious hotel with a gourmet restaurant in a peaceful, countryside location.

If you take the A38 just north of Baune, then you will arrive at Golf de la Chassagne after 24 km (14.9 miles), so just within the limit of 25 km. Golf de la Chassagne is rated with an 8.3 overall. The golf course of Golf de la Chassagne is bookable online via Leading Courses, rates start at €65. Unfortunately, there is no hotel available on site.

The final section of the Autoroute du Soleil - the A7 - runs from Lyon to Marseille. The clubs mentioned in this stretch do not have their own hotel, so you might have to stay in a hotel near these clubs, so either in Valence, Avignon or Marseille.

Although there are quite a few clubs in and around Lyon, only Lyon Salvagny Golf Club ticks all the boxes for the criteria mentioned. This golf club offers two golf courses, an 18-hole course and a 9-hole course. The golf club is rated 8.2 out of 10. This golf club does not have their own hotel, so you would need to stay somewhere just north of Lyon. That will enable you to avoid traffic jams if you leave early enough.

Just 5km (or 3.1 miles) off the A7, just above Valence you will find Golf Des Chanalets. The club is rated with a 7.8 and the course of Golf Des Chanalets is bookable online on Leading Courses. The prices start at €58 for 18 holes.

Just south of Avignon if you take exit 24 and then the D900 then within 22 km (13.7 miles) you will arrive at Golf de Saumane. The course of Golf de Saumane is rated 8.4 out of 10, the club has an overall rating of 8.2.

And the last golf club on the Autoroute du Soleil that qualifies is Golf International Pont Royal. This golf club is ranked in the top of best French golf clubs on our site and the course is bookable online via Leading Courses. Prices start at €65 which is very reasonable for a golf course which is rated at 8.8 out of 10.

We hope this blog has helped you plan your trip to the South of France, especially when you find yourself in one of the many traffic jams during the summer. Just take a quick detour, get off the Autoroute du Soleil, launch our app or website and book yourself a nice round of golf to wind down!