Top 10 Most Beautiful Golf Courses in France

Throughout France you'll find some superb golf courses: in the north, in the south,and even in the mountains. The most renown is The Albatros in Guyancourt/Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines but the beauty of it could be questioned, due to the airport which disrupts the quiet a golf player needs. Nevertheless, the best European players produce some of their best games there at the French Open.

Have a look at the 10 best French courses not to miss:

1-ETRETAT:

Famous for its cliff as well as its sea views, it remains quite hard to find golf courses with such a picturesque location to attract its customers. Located between Le Havre and Fécamp on the Upper Normandy coast, golf courses can rarely enjoy such a superb site, overhanging the sea and bay of Etretat. Classified among the best golf courses in Europe by the famous specialist newspaper Golf magazine, it is easily accessible by ferry since it is near Le Havre port. If you come to play golf in Etretat, you will discover quite a hard course as soon as the wind blows. But whatever your score, you will undoubtedly have many a magic moment- pure pleasure for golf lovers!

2-SPERONE:

Let's stay by the seaside! A magnificent course in Corsica called Sperone is located near Bonifacio at the very south of the Ile de Beauté as it is called by the French. This time you're faced not with cliffs but with clear waters and a magnificent view of the corals. With views over the sea, the bays and even the Sardinia Mountains, the charming creeks are sometimes flooded by the tide which means Sperone has its own natural ponds on the course.

3-DINARD:

Set in Brittany close to Saint Malo, the Dinard golf course is one of the oldest in Europe as it was built in the late 19th century. It was founded by a small colony of British people during the Industrial revolution when the railway and the enthusiasm of a new lifestyle arrived. This course extends over 12 acres of dunes and fields along the coast. The view over the Channel is stunning and the number of lost golf balls due to the wind should be impressive as well.

4-PONT ROYAL:

Absolutely marvellous! A stone's throw from Aix-en-Provence on the French Riviera, the Pont Royal Golf course enjoys a magnificent view over several streams and the mountains. Set in Mallemort, Pont Royal benefits from many prestigious residences with individual swimming pools enjoying a breathtaking view over the mountains and the course. It is surrounded by a nature full of fragrant herbs and undulating hills, where hikers had been coming until 1989 when the golf was created. Nowadays, tourists and locals form the population of the area, which offers all amenities from a post office to the tourist information office. This cohabitation gives its charm to Pont Royal, as tourists bring activity, and residents contribute to the durability of the region. Classified one of the best courses in Europe, the 18-hole golf was designed by the recently late Spanish champion Severiano Ballesteros.

5-EVIAN:

Shrine of the female golfer, the Evian Masters Golf Club is one of the 4 Grand Slam tournaments on the Female Golf Tour. Overlooking the Leman Lake in the French Alps, the view is absolutely magnificent and its greens are perfect. The resort's residents are always welcome with no entrance fee. It is located only 45km from Geneva airport.

6-LA BAULE:

La Baule Golf courses are just a few kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean. Well known by British golfers for the quietness of the surroundings and the quality of the greens, La Baule is among some of the most challenging courses. It has three different courses:

Lucien Barriere golf course: The presence of several water obstacles makes these greens a delicate challenge.
Diane Barriere Desseigne: this course offers a clear contrast of styles between holes out in the wide open, and those which weave their way around a 5-acre lake.
Francois Andre: situated in a marvellous natural setting, this golf links is suitable for all levels whilst also respecting the standards of difficulty applicable to modern courses.

7-CHAMP DE BATAILLE:

Located between Rouen and Evreux in Normandy, the Champ de Bataille Golf Course surrounds a superb castle. It has a huge garden and beautiful ponds which constitute the icing on the cake!. The course has even recently been named the finest course in the region "thanks to its design, the exceptional setting and the quality of maintenance according to European Golf, a specialist magazine".

8- LE TOUQUET:

Set on the Cote d'Opale in Northern France, The Touquet Golf Course called La Mer has strong British connections not because it was laid out by British architects, but because it was originally the playground of the British gentry. Nominated as the most stunning golf course of the Nord Pas-de-Calais, La Mer is perhaps one of the only true links course in France with its high tees that enable a very distant view.

9- FONTAINEBLEAU:

There is one of the largest and most beautiful French forests in Fontainebleau. A place of history and royal association, the course is situated in an ancient walled site, which strengthens the historic atmosphere. Opened in 1909, its greens are small and well guarded: an excellent short game is paramount for any golfer on this course! There is a little rough here but this is offset by the thickness and density of pine and oak trees.

10-CHANTILLY:

One of the most beautiful courses in Europe and set in the forest of the Ile de France, it was built in the same years as Fontainebleau and hosted numerous French Opens; including the 1913 Open de France before the test was definitely based in Guyancourt (see above). With 36 holes, many famous players teed off here, including the great Bobby Jones and The Golf Channel's Nick Faldo. Faldo even won the French Open at Chantilly.

This top 10 has been compiled due to their beautiful landscapes and panoramas, the course characteristics and the availability of French properties in this area. Now take your clubs and enjoy a great afternoon in one of these courses...