[Jon Heise]

Hey all, could use some international experience here.  Me and the Lovely will be spending about nine days in Paris and Normandy in May.  I've got time for one or two games while there, and I'm looking for suggestions.


Obviously, would love to make a visit to places like Golf de Fontainebleau, Golf de Morfontaine, and it looks like there is limited outside play at St Germain.  Would not know how to go about organizing a visit to them - would it be poor form to write a letter?


For Normandy, I've found Golf d'Etretat (http://golfetretat.com/) that looks like a fairly solid course on a spectacular site.  Seems many options near Bayeux that are interesting and affordable, but would love to hear some opinions from my well traveled GCA friends.


Where should I go?!  Will I even have time to play in between bottles of champagne?

[C. Sturges]

Jon,
Plan on taking your clubs!  Most of these clubs allow limited outside play like clubs in the UK.  I played last summer and the clubs were very welcoming.  I used a language translator program and emailed Fountainebleau and St. Germain and they both were able to offer tee times.  Chantilly is also worth looking into. I believe you need a member to play Morfontaine, but if you can play both courses.  The 9 hole course is the best 9 hole course I have ever played.
Not sure how the courses will play in May, but in June they played as well as any links/heath land course I have played.  It was a wonderful surprise how great the golf was, not just in the Paris area.
Hope this helps,
chris

[Tim Gallant]

There is an organisation called Private Golf Key that I believe could help get you onto Morfontaine for a price (I haven't used them personally, but know others who have). I think they put together packages and can help with access to any course in the Paris area. That said, it certainly isn't cheap, but is an option.

[Tom_Doak]

It's a ways further west than you are talking about, but the best course in Normandy [I think it's in Normandy] is Granville, a Harry Colt links along the west coast.

[David_Tepper]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf_de_Granville_Baie_du_Mont_St_Michel

[Jordan Standefer]

Watch out for the bunkers in Normandy!

Clubhouse and Practice Green


Bunker entrance underneath tee box


Anti-aircraft positions adjacent to teeing grounds (Clubhouse in distance)


I took these last March at while visiting family in the area.

Golf de la Presqu'lle du Contentin is located on the Normandy coast, not far from Utah beach.  Although I wouldn't recommend Contentin for the traveling golfer, I can highly recommend a WWII tour operator if you like.

[Mike_Clayton]

St Cloud in Paris isn't the best course in the city - but it's a good one few ever mention.

[David Jones]

I played both Fontainebleau and St Germain with a phone call to the club followed by a quick 'parlez vous Anglais?' which worked just fine. Fontainebleau was tremendous, St Germain was fine.  It's also worth having a look at the National near Versailles which is no problem to get on. Tim is right re Private Golf Key who can sort Morfontaine on a week day as well as Chantilly. Still saving up for that though!!

[David Kelly]

Saint-Germain, which I would highly recommend, is available to play on weekdays with an email to the secretary info@golfsaintgermain.org

Keep in mind that St. Cloud and Saint-Germain are northwest of Paris on the way to Normandy and La Havre, Chantilly and Morfontaine are northeast of Paris and Fountainbleu is considerably south of Paris.


You can't go wrong with any of those courses although Morfontaine and St. Germain are my favorites.

[Steve Lang]

    I'd concur with Shivas, and suggest alternatively you consider taking your 8 iron, disguising it as a walking stick and going out to Versailles and get some great photo ops at the palace and in the gardens... now that's perhaps a once in a life time play!

[Adam Lawrence]

I'm not sure id agree. Of course it's a great city with innumerable wonderful things to see, do, eat and drink. But Morfontaine, if you can get on, is one of the world's great golf experiences. Is it as good as seeing the Gioconda or going up the Eiffel Tower? Only you can say.

[Sean_A]

I agree with Adam. Sometimes a golf experience while traveling can be just as rewarding as anything else.  If the right course is on offer and one is keen...why not?  Hell, I spent a week in Venice and found time to play the club there...very worth while and a welcome break from the hordes. It was cool to see an Italian club...and the course isn't anything special..not sure why Ran has it #14 on his RoW courses to play.  That said, I did get burned a bit by Royal Zoute when visiting Bruges...time and effort not well spent as my eye let me down  .


Ciao

[John Mayhugh]

Saint-Germain and Morfontaine are special enough to compete with plenty of the other Paris attractions (sorry Luxembourg Gardens, catacombs, Pompidou, etc.).  If you were in Paris for just three days, then maybe golf doesn't make sense.  But you cannot see everything in one trip anyway, so why not take a little time for something you enjoy?  Both of those courses are fantastic, and you also get to experience some different golf culture. 

If neither of them works out, Fontainebleau is also well worth seeing and could be combined with a day trip to that chateau.

[Martin Lehmann]

I never had the opportunity to play Morfontaine, which I still regret. I have played Fontainebleau though and I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the place. If Morfontaine is even better, that course must be out of this world!


Last two years I competed in a pro-am that was organized in and around Deauville, a nice town at the Normandy coast. Most courses were pretty mediocre. But the courses next to the beautiful and stylish L'Hôtel du Golf Deauville were quite nice. Especially the old track from the 1920s. A classic parkland layout designed by Tom Simpson. Maybe not his most spectacular work, but a joy to play.

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