If ever a region of France deserved to be a two-centre golf holiday destination than Brittany is it.
Brittany is made up of 10 very distinct areas and the golf courses in this stunning region are equally varied and equally enjoyable.
Where to start
For your golf holiday in Brittany, let’s start in the south with the glamorous beach resort of La Baule. Reputed to be one of the most beautiful bays in the world, with a nine-kilometre beach of fine sand, it’s a must for any Golf Planet Holidays client looking for a stylish golf holiday.
You have a choice of three marvellous Lucien Barriere hotels on the beachfront, including the superb L’Hermitage Hotel. With 12 different room categories there is something for everyone and our guests can benefit from great value half-board deals if you prefer to dine in rather than stroll into the town.
The two La Baule courses, the Red and the Blue, are just a short drive away. Well-maintained, these courses are designed to keep you in holiday mood. They are not too testing but still represent a challenge. If you are on form, it should produce a good card, if not – get ready to buy the drinks in the convivial clubhouse.
Challenging courses
If you want to challenge your game, drive out to St Jean de Monts. This is a mighty course and not for the faint-hearted, but definitely one for the Brittany bucket-list.
If you wish to explore Southern Brittany to the full on your golf holiday we would suggest pairing a stay in La Baule with time at Domaine de la Bretesche, not far from Nantes. This is a beautiful chateau hotel with some attractive self-catering cottages in the grounds. The idyllic setting is also home to a good 18-hole golf course, where the main distraction is the wildlife who enjoy the beautiful scenery as much as we do.
There’s a gourmet restaurant in the hotel or a more casual restaurant across the courtyard from the bar attractively created in the former stables. For a relaxed night out head to La Roche Bernard and wander along the quayside, dreaming of life on the high seas.
There’s history too
Rennes, the capital city of Brittany, is another of the beautiful towns worth a few days of your golf holiday. You have to visit the mesmerising Cathedral as well as absorbing the medieval timber-framed houses that are dotted around the city centre and tucking into the local gastronomy at the many restaurants
Nearby golf courses at Cice Blossac and La Freslonniere are very enjoyable for most of us, but, if you are looking for a golfing challenge the coastal areas will be more your cup of tea.
Enjoy the high life
You can continue on the road north to Dinard. If you recall the Grand Hotel in Dinard from the TV series Bergerac, you will remember this was the hotel to be seen at, and it is still. The hotel encapsulates the ‘Belle Epoque’ air of this stunning beach town, which was France’s top summer resort until the Riviera took that top spot in the 1930s.
This upmarket resort has more than 400 listed buildings and the Plage de l’Ecluse is instantly recognisable by its rows and rows of stripey tents for holidaymakers. There’s even a Festival of British Cinema every autumn.
And the golf course, well, it’s a wonderfully traditional links, built in 1887 by Scotsman Tom Dunn, with an art-deco clubhouse reminiscent of every PG Wodehouse golfing story. At under 6,000 yards long, it amply demonstrates that length is not a pre-requisite for a great golf course and the outstanding views over the sea complete the picture.
After a round at Dinard on your Brittany Golf Holiday, don’t get lulled into a false sense that golf in Brittany is always relaxing. Head off on the coast road to Pleneuf Val Andre to test your game on an amazing golf course. You’ll need your game to be on form and a good head for heights for the clifftop challenge. The bunkers are tough and on a windy day in particular, scoring well is difficult. If you conquer the card here, you deserve a pat on the back at the very least.
History beckons
Dinard is also a great base for visiting some very attractive towns, including the medieval delight of Dinan. Check out the restaurant guides first and make sure to book a table at one of the top restaurants. Or take the ferry from outside the Grand Hotel in Dinard to St Malo and clamber around the ramparts before heading to the shops or for a lunch al fresco.
The Saint-Malo golf resort is a great place to recharge your batteries, with good three-star accommodation and 27 holes of superb golf. It’s a good destination in its own right, not far from the mesmerising Mont St Michel, or use it as a base before heading further south.
If you want to take a real step back in time, head along the southern Brittany coast to Carnac, known throughout the world for its unique rows of prehistoric standing stones. There are about 3,000 meticulously aligned megaliths, which date from 4000 BC. There are some very attractive traditional hotels in this area and plenty of golf courses, spread about the region. There’s the stunning woodland St Laurent or the wild Golf de Ploemeur Ocean to name but two. You should score well at most of the courses and you will surely enjoy a good lunch in the clubhouses.
How to get there
You definitely need a car to get the best from your Brittany Golf Holiday and once you are there driving is very easy. If you want to self-drive, which has lots of advantages, the most straightforward is the Eurotunnel into Calais and then the motorway down. This is a long journey, about seven hours, so it is worth considering breaking your journey in northern Brittany for a day or two before heading to southern Brittany, if that is your final destination.
The easier journeys are via ferry into Cherbourg, Caen, St Malo, or Roscoff. A popular option is the overnight ferry with a cabin into St Malo and then returning on the afternoon sailing from Caen. Roscoff also has sailings into Cork if you are arriving from Ireland.
There are flights from the UK into Dinard, Rennes and Nantes, where hire cars are readily available.
Time to book
At Golf Planet Holidays we do recommend you give yourself at least a week in Brittany to enjoy this holiday to the full. The golf is definitely worth the journey and it is worth setting time aside to explore this attractive region, which has something for everyone. If you want to explore some options give us a call on 01277 284284 or email info@golfplanetholidays.com
