The Pas-de-Calais - so close and so much to offer!
The Pas-de-Calais is the most popular and visited region in France as far as golf is concerned. There are some fantastic championship courses, including those at both the Golf du Touquet and Golf d’Hardelot, and some lively and fascinating towns where the choice of accommodation is varied and can cater for all types of golfer.
The Golf du Touquet: the championship La Mer links course
To get there, the most requested method of travel is going through the Channel Tunnel via Eurotunnel. Taking only 35 minutes, this is the quickest and arguably the most convenient way to travel. However, you can also travel in the more traditional mode by taking the P&O ferry from Dover to Calais. This gives you the opportunity to get one last English breakfast in before embracing the French food and attacking the local golf courses.
The hub for golfers and the heart of the action is Le Touquet. This unique town, made famous by holidaying Parisians, hence the name Le Touquet-Paris Plage (Paris’ beach), houses a number of hotels ranging from 2* to 4*, and is renowned for having a great nightlife. The choice of restaurants, bars and casinos is of massive appeal but you must book nearly a year in advance if you wish to visit over a weekend in the mid to high season.
The Golf du Touquet: the delightful parkland La Fôret course
However, let us not mistakenly assume that this is all the town has to offer. With some elegant boutiques, pretty beaches and the famous Hôtel Westminster with its brand new Nuxe Spa, the other more discerning golfers and non golfers alike, will feel very comfortable. The Westminster is one of, if not the most popular hotel in the region, and benefits not only from its central location to Le Touquet town centre, but also the fact that residents get reduced rates on both the Golf du Touquet and the Golf d’Hardelot.
Before touching on the golf courses, Le Touquet’s other more popular hotels include the 2* Hôtel Red Fox, right in the centre of town, and the 3* Le Manoir Hotel, located opposite the Golf du Touquet, where you can get very attractive golf packages. The Golf du Touquet has two courses; the championship links course La Mer, and the parkland La Fôret. Both are wonderful but the gem is La Mer, having hosted the French Open a number of times. At around 7,000 yards, it is a real test of your game, especially when the wind is up. The signature hole is the par-3 10th, and the view from the 18th tee makes for a fine finish to your round. La Fôret is a completely different test, with the premium being on accuracy rather than length. The par-3’s in particular are very tricky, but if you’re on your game a good score is achievable.
The Golf d'Hardelot: The Dunes course, undulating and probably the more challenging of the two fine courses here
25 minutes up the coast back towards Calais is the small coastal town of Hardelot. Without doubt, the Golf d’Hardelot is one of the most prominent golfing venues in France. Again, you will find two courses here, the older yet shorter Les Pins, and the newer, more undulating and arguably more challenging, Les Dunes. Both courses are fantastic and offer completely different challenges. The wooded Les Pins is reminiscent of The Berkshire, with tree-lined fairways and challenging greens. The closing stretch is particularly memorable, with 2 par-5’s separated by a par-3, which can easily ruin a good card. The Dunes is less wooded but no less challenging, with many blind shots, doglegs and well placed bunkers making this a real test for all golfers. One word of caution though for the first time visitor, the courses are located separately and there is a short three minute drive between the two clubhouses.
Golf de Belle Dune - part links, part woodland and great value for money
Alongside these two famous golf venues, the Golf de Belle Dune, 30 minutes drive south along the coast from Le Touquet, is an absolute gem. The course runs through a nature reserve and is quite magnificent, not only for the exquisite surroundings but also the quality of golf. The first few holes wind through woodland, but around the turn the course resembles a links, with towering dunes and undulating fairways. If the wind blows, the stretch from 8 to 13 will be a real test of accuracy and control. When you consider this is one of the cheapest courses in the region, you can understand why this is so popular. The Golf de Wimereux, a links course, is another which is often requested, and as it is located only 20 minutes from Calais, it is perfect course to play on the first or last day.
Not too far from the Golf de Belle Dune, and only 10 to 15 minutes drive from Le Touquet, you will discover the fortified town of Montreuil-sur-Mer. The town is much quieter than Le Touquet and has some wonderful restaurants. The old architecture and quaint buildings make it very popular with groups and couples looking for something a little more characteristic than Le Touquet. The impressive 3* Hôtel Hermitage is the place to stay, with its large rooms, English style bar and renowned restaurant, look no further. Still not made your mind up? Well there is the only Wine Society shop in France just round the back of the hotel where you will find a number of bargains waiting to be snapped up.
30 minutes drive inland from Calais you will come across the small and much less famous town of St Omer. This isn’t as lively as Le Touquet but still caters for a number of golfers every year, as availability and cost are very favourable. The Aa-Saint-Omer Golf Club is a superb course, although be warned, it is not for the faint-hearted! The course is extremely hilly, and the climb up the 18th tends to finish most people off! Having said that, the quality is undeniable and the course annually hosts one of the events from the European Challenge Tour. There is also a brand new 3* hotel which has been built onsite, the Aa-Saint-Omer Hôtel du Golf. A top-class restaurant, trendy bar area and with rooms looking out over the course, expect this to be a popular hotel in the near future. If you are looking for something a bit more refined, look no further than the Hôtel Chateau Tilques. This sublime 4* hotel is elegant, full of character and has an outstanding restaurant renowned throughout the region for its haute cuisine. Jamie Oliver was also once a trainee chef there for a year!
The Golf d'Arras: host to the Arras Open de France Dames on the Ladies European Tour
A further 30 minutes drive south, and approximately an hour from Calais, you will come across the market town of Arras. This lovely town is known for its large open square next to the cathedral, which is surrounded by restaurants and bars that provide ample entertainment for golfers on an evening. The Golf d’Arras is just 10 minutes drive from the town centre, and is a fabulous course which hosts the French Open on the Ladies European Tour every year. The front nine is quite flat with water coming into play on most holes, with the back nine being more undulating and more wooded. With a 3* hotel onsite, the Hôtel du Golf d’Arras, the brand new clubhouse, which is full of large TV screens showing a myriad of different sports, the town has firmly established itself as a must visit area.
The Pas-de-Calais is certainly an area to visit if you want to play golf in France but be warned that certain areas, especially Le Touquet, can get extremely busy over weekends in the mid to high season, so book early! However, the biggest mistake is to assume once you have visited Le Touquet, you have done all you need to do in the region. This couldn’t be further from the truth and by straying off the beaten track, you will discover just that.
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