Northern France Golf Holidays

The Cote d’Opale – so called because of its constantly changing opalescent light – sits on glorious sandy beaches just 110 miles from London. In fact, it’s so easy to get to that many clients pop over for a golfing daytrip with a good lunch and visit to the wine and food markets included too.

Holiday golf in France actually started in the south of France in the late 19th-Century but it only really took off in the 1980’s when we started Hardelot Holidays – featuring just one golf course and two two-star hotels. Soon after, we were sending a few hundred clients to sample the classic golf course, the fine cuisine and the small and charming resort. The attractions of Le Touquet soon came calling and we branched out to include the two courses there and hotels Westminster, Le Bristol and Le Manoir.

We calculate that we’ve bought nearly 1m green-fees on the various courses in Northern France during the 30 or so years. That brings in a lot of influence and a lot of friends. However, with nearly courses to share the load, the fairways still have lots of space and the golf courses look to us to help attract discerning British golfers to their fairways. My favourites are Le Touquet La Mer, Hardelot Old, Wimereux and Belle Dune but I am biased towards links golf. Saint Omer hosts the PGA European Tour every year and Arras has hosted the Ladies French Open. The three courses around Lille are good parkland layouts and Le Touquet La Foret and Hardelot Les Dunes are fine holiday courses. So whether you want to play the very best or just have some fun, there’s a golfing combination for you. In fact, we’ve made the choosing easier for you by coming up with three ready-made golfing itineraries: Championship, Crème de la Crème and Budget…So all you have to do is choose your preferred hotel and away you go!

As well as famous golf and easy access, Northern France offers a lot of history – from medieval chateaux to WWII museums and rocket bases. For total relaxation, the beaches are massive and sandy and there are more casinos, clubs and bars than you could try in a month. For food, Northern France offers some great little auberges out in the sticks (we provide you with a list with your tickets), glamorous “haute cuisine” establishments like Le Pavillon at Hotel Westminster and the Perrier World Top 100 retreat of Auberge de la Grenouilliere and brasseries galore where you can wine and dine far better and for far less than back home in England.

Many clients have been going to Northern France as a society or small party every year for many years. Others use Northern France as a “testing ground” to see if they enjoy golf in France; they then venture further afield for longer. Whatever you’re golfing level or holiday need, Northern France provides an exceptionally strong argument for quality, easy access, value, great fun and a real French “flavour”…Just 110 miles from London. For our “Focus on…Northern France” campaign, we’re delighted to offer free hotel (accommodation only) and green-fees for every 8th person in the party. Just give our friendly team and call and find out just how much we can help and how much money we can save you.

Nausicaa in Boulogne gets even better every year and 2015 features new tanks for River Stingrays, the Decorator Crab and an exhibition of how the changing climate affects the oceans. South of Le Touquet lies Berck (not too far from Belle Dune Golf Club) and Berck is famous for its seaside and its International Kite Festival between April 18 and April 26. Near to Calais is famous Dunkirk – a decent port to use for getting to Belgium. On May 21, 50 little ships will be escorted by the RNLI and Royal Navy to reenact the 1940 evacuation. Once there, there will be four days of services, exhibitions and a parade. Head away from the famous coastal golf courses and head inland and what you lose in quality of golf, you gain in culture with the superb Louvre at Lens and the Musee des Beaux Arts in Arras as well as the very moving tributes and memorials to the battles of Picardy and the Somme. From April 9 to August 23, 2015 the Arras Casino of all places houses artefacts uncovered from WW1 in a much discussed Earth and Steel exhibition. And a war from longer ago, but just as talked about, is on show from April to September at the Agincourt Museum. The highlight of the 600th Anniversary will be a reenactment on July 25 & 26. South of Arras and heading towards Chantilly is Chateau de Peronne is the Thiepval Memorial detailing the 141 days of the Battle of Somme and a dedication to the 182 missing soldiers to this day. Chateau d’Hardelot used to be the clubhouse but is now a very fine cultural centre with its Tudor gardens and 19th-Century décor…Very British!