Paris Region: an International Golfing Destination
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- Paris and its region, an International Golfing Destination
With more than 60 golf courses to its credit, it's no wonder Paris Region attracts golf lovers from around the world. And in these times of reopening, the desire to get some fresh air and let off steam is omnipresent. Here’s an overview of the region’s top golf circuits.
Lord of the greens
The Golf National, designed by the architect Hubert Chesneau, has been the site of the French Open since 1991. It was here, on its three 9- and 18-hole circuits, that the greatest moments in French golfing history unfurled. Walk in the footsteps of champions as you tackle the Albatros course, whose narrow, undulating fairways have challenged some of the world's top golfers.
Perpetuating these lofty heights, next head to the Château de Versailles, 1-day Pass in hand, to (re)discover the Sun King's dazzling estate. Finally, still aiming high, don't forget to stop off at the One Nation Paris Luxury & Fashion Outlet, reachable by shuttle bus from Versailles, where you can enjoy top designer shopping at outlet prices.
The swing of nature
Amid luxuriant greenery, the Forest of Fontainebleau is home to two of France's most beautiful golfing domains. The Exclusiv Golf – Château de Cely, which overlooks the Fontainebleau palace, boasts an incredible landscaped 18-hole course, complete with waterfalls and stunning flower beds. Meanwhile, the historic Golf de Fontainebleau, designed by Tom Simpson, offers a chance for total escape, with a magical 18-hole circuit dotted with heather and rocky outcrops.
Set just beside these prestigious golf courses, it's easy to access the treasures of the Château de Fontainebleau and the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte – the 17th-century masterpiece that inspired the Château de Versailles.
Golf and Van Gogh
Fans of elevated greens, blind shots, wide fairways and sloping greens should head north of Paris. At 30 minutes from the capital, the Golf Hôtel de Mont Griffon, with its 18- and 9-hole circuits, at the heart of the Oise-France Regional Nature Park, and the Golf de l’Isle Adam, created by the celebrated American architect Ronald Fream, with its 18-hole circuit dotted with ancient trees, offer an exceptional golfing backdrop. After your game, make a detour to the sublime Cistercian Abbaye de Royaumont.
Next, why not hop into a vintage Citroën 2CV, available through the “4 Roues sous 1 Parapluie” agency, and head for Auvers-sur-Oise to pass in front of the Auberge Ravoux (closed in 2020) where Vincent Van Gogh stayed in room n°5…
Western forests
The Exclusiv Golf de Courson with its unique 36-hole circuit, offers a spectacular course in the heart of the countryside, just 30 minutes west of Paris. Its modular course, which offers six combinations of 18-hole circuits, is classed as one of the best in Europe. If you're looking for a bucolic idyll, in the shade of ancient oak trees, you should also try the Golf des Yvelines, nestled on the outskirts of Rambouillet Forest, whose 18-hole circuit provides a truly bucolic getaway.
Admire the remarkable English-style garden of the Château de Courson, dotted with camellias. It is also on the garden side that the Château de Saint-Jean-de-Beauregard, classified as a historical monument, reveals its beauty, with its vegetable garden which is among the most beautiful in France.
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- Copyright image: Claude Rodriguez