SELF-DRIVE FROM THE TUNNEL · CROSSING INCLUDED

France's number one links sits an hour past Calais.

Northern France golf holidays

La Mer at Le Touquet is a Harry Colt links from 1931, running out and back through the dunes, and it has hosted six French Opens. Drive off the LeShuttle, check into the Westminster or Le Manoir, and you are on the first tee before the rest of the club has reached the M25.

4.9 from real golfers · 13 courses · from £250pp (≈ €285) (≈ $325) (≈ CA$465) (≈ AU$475) (≈ NZ$575) (≈ CHF 265) · ATOL-protected where flights are added

See Northern France breaks · from £250pp (≈ €285) (≈ $325) (≈ CA$465) (≈ AU$475) (≈ NZ$575) (≈ CHF 265) ↓ Build your trip

Northern France is the great golfing secret that hides in plain sight, barely an hour from the Channel and worlds away from the predictable. This is a coast of grand seaside resorts and quiet medieval towns, of pine-backed links and clifftop fairways above the sea. At its heart sits Le Touquet, the elegant Belle Epoque resort whose two contrasting courses — the wooded La Foret and the wind-shaped La Mer — have drawn golfers across the water for generations. North toward Lille lie the parkland clubs of the great industrial city; south, the cliffs of Normandy frame Deauville and Etretat.

We have arranged French golf since 1981. Every itinerary is hand-built and hand-priced around your dates, your group and the courses you want to play.

Why play golf in Northern France

  • A true links-and-pine coast. Le Touquet La Mer and Hardelot Les Dunes give you genuine seaside golf, while La Foret and Hardelot Les Pins offer sheltered woodland play — variety within a few miles.
  • Astonishingly close. Reached by a short Channel crossing, Northern France suits a long weekend as easily as a full week.
  • A spread of distinct clusters. The Le Touquet and Hardelot resorts, the Lille parkland circuit, and the Normandy cliffs each have their own character.
  • Grand resort comfort. From the Barriere hotels of Le Touquet to Deauville and Dormy House at Etretat, the lodging matches the golf.
  • Quietly uncrowded. Outside the British golfing mainstream, these are courses you can play in unhurried calm.

The courses you’ll play

The marquee names sit on the Cote d'Opale. Le Touquet La Mer Golf Club is the celebrated links — humped fairways and sea breezes — while its sister La Foret weaves through pinewoods for a gentler, sheltered round. A short drive south, Hardelot Les Dunes and Hardelot Les Pins Golf Club repeat that links-and-woodland pairing beautifully. Further along the coast you'll find Wimereux Golf Club, Belle Dune Golf Club at Fort Mahon in its dunes, and the parkland charm of Nampont Saint Martin and Saint Omer Golf Club, plus historic Arras Golf Club.

Around Lille sit the parkland clubs: Golf de Brigode, Bondues, Le Sart and Merignies Golf Country Club. In Normandy, the clifftop Etretat Golf Club and the classic New Golf Deauville complete the picture.

Where you’ll stay

Le Touquet is the natural base, and we hand-pick across its range — the grand Hotel Barriere Le Westminster, Le Grand Hotel, Le Bristol, the boutique Red Fox, and Le Manoir Hotel within Le Touquet Golf Resort itself for golf on the doorstep. Just inland, the Best Western Hermitage sits in the lovely fortified town of Montreuil sur Mer.

For the Lille parkland circuit, the Mercure Lille Centre Grand Place puts you in the heart of the city. Saint Omer pairs naturally with the Saint Omer Golf Hotel, and on the Normandy coast the Hotel du Golf Barriere at Deauville and the clifftop Dormy House at Etretat anchor a stay among the cliffs. We match the hotel to the courses you want and the pace you prefer.

Best time to play golf in Northern France

Northern France is a summer game. The season runs roughly from May to September, when the days are long, the coast is at its best and the seaside courses around Le Touquet and Hardelot are in prime condition. June and July are the sweet spot for warm, settled weather; the shoulder weeks of May and September are quieter and often very rewarding, with firm turf and fewer players.

Winter here is cool and frequently wet, with short days and the real chance of waterlogged ground — closer in feel to a British winter than a Mediterranean one. We generally steer trips toward the late-spring-to-early-autumn window and build your dates around the most reliable conditions.

A sense of Northern France

History & heritage

This is a region layered with history. Le Touquet itself — Le Touquet-Paris-Plage — was conceived as an elegant Channel resort, and its Belle Epoque villas and broad promenade still set the tone. Inland, Montreuil sur Mer is a jewel of ramparts and cobbled streets, immortalised in Victor Hugo's writing. The wider Cote d'Opale and the plains around Arras carry the deep imprint of the World Wars, with memorials and remembrance sites woven through the landscape. Lille brings a different note entirely: a handsome Flemish-French city of grand squares, its Grand Place a fine base for the parkland courses nearby.

Food & wine

You are, of course, in France, and the table rewards you. The coast around Le Touquet and Boulogne is built on the sea — expect superb fresh fish and shellfish, served simply and well. Inland and toward Lille, the cooking turns to the hearty Flemish-influenced fare of the north: rich, warming and generous. The grand hotels of Le Touquet and Deauville carry their own dining rooms of real ambition, while Montreuil sur Mer has long punched above its size at the table. A long, unhurried lunch between rounds is part of the pleasure here, and we are happy to point you toward the rooms worth booking.

Beyond the fairways

There is plenty to fill the non-golf hours. Le Touquet offers a wide sandy beach, smart shopping and the gentle rhythm of a classic resort, while neighbouring towns reward an afternoon's wandering. Montreuil sur Mer invites a walk along its ramparts; Lille is a full city break in itself, with museums, markets and that magnificent Grand Place. In Normandy, the dramatic cliffs and arches of Etretat are among the most photographed in France, with Deauville's boardwalk and elegance close at hand. The war heritage around Arras and the Cote d'Opale offers a moving day for those who wish to explore it.

Getting around & exploring

A car is the natural way to travel here, and most of our guests bring one over on the crossing or hire on arrival. The clusters are compact: the Le Touquet and Hardelot courses sit close together on the coast, the Lille clubs ring the city, and the Normandy courses group around Deauville and Etretat. Distances between regions are very manageable on good French roads, so it is straightforward to combine, say, a few days at Le Touquet with the Lille parkland circuit. We plan the routing around your courses and hotels so the driving stays short and the golf stays the focus.

Getting there

Northern France is among the easiest of all golf destinations to reach. The short Channel crossing by ferry or tunnel lands you within an easy drive of Le Touquet, Hardelot and the Lille courses, which is why so many guests bring their own car. If you prefer to fly, flights are arranged as a separate, ATOL-protected add-on rather than part of the ground package, and we are glad to advise on the best routing. As a ground-only specialist, we focus on building the hotels, golf and transfers around your dates; the travel-to-France element we tailor to how you wish to make the journey.

Good to know

  • Ground-only specialists. We arrange your hotels, golf and transfers. Flights, where you want them, are a separate ATOL-protected add-on — never bundled in.
  • Bring the car. The short Channel crossing makes driving over the simplest option for most groups.
  • Plan for summer. Roughly May to September is the season; winter is cool and wet, so we build dates accordingly.
  • Combine the clusters. Le Touquet, Lille and Normandy each have their own feel and pair well over a longer trip.
  • Hand-built, hand-priced. Every itinerary is curated around your group and the courses you most want to play.
  • Established 1981. Four decades of relationships across the region sit behind every booking.

The courses you’ll play in Northern France

Merignies Golf Country Club, Lille — Northern France golfMerignies Golf Country Club, LilleDesigned by Michel GayonPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover this course →Arras Golf Club, Northern France — Northern France golfFrench Ladies Open hostArras Golf Club, Northern FranceDesigned by Jean-Claude CornillotPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover this course →Belle Dune Golf Club, Fort Mahon — Northern France golfBelle Dune Golf Club, Fort MahonDesigned by Jean-Manuel RossiPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover this course →Bondues Golf Club, Lille — Northern France golfBondues Golf Club, LilleDesigned by Robert Trent Jones Sr & JrPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover this course →Golf de Brigode, Lille — Northern France golfGolf de Brigode, LilleDesigned by Harold J. Baker and John HarrisPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover this course →Hardelot Les Dunes Golf Club — Northern France golfHardelot Les Dunes Golf ClubDesigned by Paul Rollin and Jean-Claude CornillotPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover this course →

Golf resorts — stay & play on-site

Dormy House, Etretat — Northern France golfDormy House, EtretatEtretat Golf Club, Normandy · Le Havre Golf Club, Le Havrefrom£440 (≈ €505) (≈ $575) (≈ CA$815) (≈ AU$835) (≈ NZ$1,025) (≈ CHF 465)per personDiscover this resort →Hotel du Parc, Hardelot — Northern France golfHotel du Parc, HardelotHardelot Les Pins Golf Club · Hardelot Les Dunes Golf Clubfrom£305 (≈ €345) (≈ $395) (≈ CA$565) (≈ AU$575) (≈ NZ$705) (≈ CHF 325)per personDiscover this resort →Hotel du Golf Barriere, Deauville — Northern France golfHotel du Golf Barriere, DeauvilleNew Golf Deauville Golf Club, Normandy · L’Amiraute Golf Club, Normandyfrom£725 (≈ €835) (≈ $955) (≈ CA$1,355) (≈ AU$1,375) (≈ NZ$1,685) (≈ CHF 775)per personDiscover this resort →Le Manoir Hotel, Le Touquet Golf Resort — Northern France golfLe Manoir Hotel, Le Touquet Golf ResortLe Touquet La Foret Golf Club · Le Touquet La Mer Golf Clubfrom£250 (≈ €285) (≈ $325) (≈ CA$465) (≈ AU$475) (≈ NZ$575) (≈ CHF 265)per personDiscover this resort →Saint Omer Golf Hotel — Northern France golfSaint Omer Golf HotelSaint Omer Golf Club · Wimereux Golf Clubfrom£395 (≈ €455) (≈ $515) (≈ CA$735) (≈ AU$745) (≈ NZ$915) (≈ CHF 415)per personDiscover this resort →

Hotels — play the area’s courses

Le Grand Hotel, Le Touquet — Northern France golfLe Grand Hotel, Le TouquetLe Touquet La Foret Golf Club · Le Touquet La Mer Golf Clubfrom£515 (≈ €595) (≈ $675) (≈ CA$955) (≈ AU$975) (≈ NZ$1,195) (≈ CHF 545)per personDiscover this hotel →Mercure Lille Centre Grand Place — Northern France golfMercure Lille Centre Grand PlaceLe Sart Golf Club, Lille · Golf de Brigode, Lillefrom£315 (≈ €365) (≈ $415) (≈ CA$585) (≈ AU$595) (≈ NZ$735) (≈ CHF 335)per personDiscover this hotel →Best Western Hermitage, Montreuil sur Mer — Northern France golfBest Western Hermitage, Montreuil sur MerLe Touquet La Foret Golf Club · Le Touquet La Mer Golf Clubfrom£675 (≈ €775) (≈ $885) (≈ CA$1,255) (≈ AU$1,285) (≈ NZ$1,575) (≈ CHF 715)per personDiscover this hotel →Dormy House, Etretat — Northern France golfDormy House, EtretatEtretat Golf Club, Normandy · Le Havre Golf Club, Le Havrefrom£440 (≈ €505) (≈ $575) (≈ CA$815) (≈ AU$835) (≈ NZ$1,025) (≈ CHF 465)per personDiscover this resort →Hotel du Parc, Hardelot — Northern France golfHotel du Parc, HardelotHardelot Les Pins Golf Club · Hardelot Les Dunes Golf Clubfrom£305 (≈ €345) (≈ $395) (≈ CA$565) (≈ AU$575) (≈ NZ$705) (≈ CHF 325)per personDiscover this resort →Holiday Inn, Le Touquet — Northern France golfHoliday Inn, Le TouquetLe Touquet La Foret Golf Club · Le Touquet La Mer Golf ClubPlayed on tailored stay & play breaksDiscover this hotel →

Ready to play Northern France?

Tell us your dates and group — we’ll build a tailored itinerary and hand-priced quote, usually within 15 minutes.

Plan my Northern France trip →Talk to a specialist · 01277 284284

ATOL & PTS protected · Tailor-made since 1981

What golfers say about Northern France

4.997 reviews

We booked 2 nights at The Westminster with three rounds of golf. Hotel was brilliant cannot be faulted. Both courses at Hardelot and then Les Dunes were superb. Simon and Heather at Golf planet spent a huge amount of time on our booking for 13 and…

frank nash · Northern France · 5 days ago

Our experience with Simon and Golf Planet Holidays was terrific! Simon was very accommodating and responsive to all of our requests. I would certainly recommend Simon for any Le Touquet trips and we will be using Simon again next year for sure!

Jack Nash · Northern France · 4 days ago

Played Bondues near Lille..two great courses, in great condition despite the drought we have suffered over the summer. Stayed in Lille, itself near the Grande Place which was lively and fun..recommended!

Anthony Kendall-Tobias · Northern France · 3 years ago

Frequently asked questions

Golf holidays in Northern France — answers to the questions our golfers ask most.

How long is LeShuttle crossing time to France

The Eurotunnel LeShuttle from Folkestone to Calais takes about 35 minutes, which makes a self-drive trip genuinely easy for the Northern France golf resorts. Le Touquet, Hardelot and the courses around the Somme are roughly two to three hours on from Calais, so you can load the clubs, drive on and be on the first tee the same day, and on those breaks we can include the crossing in the price. For the south and southwest, such as Biarritz, the Riviera and Provence, most golfers fly into Nice, Marseille, Biarritz or Bordeaux and we arrange transfers on the ground.

How much does a golf holiday in France cost?

Golf holidays in France start from £235 (≈ €265) (≈ $305) (≈ CA$435) (≈ AU$445) (≈ NZ$545) (≈ CHF 245) pp with Golf Planet Holidays. That is a tailor-made ground package, and the final price depends on your hotel, the courses you play and the season.

When is the best time to play golf in France?

May, June, September and October are the best months, with comfortable temperatures and courses in peak condition. The south of France stays playable into late autumn.

Where should I play golf in France?

There are more than 700 golf courses in France. As first steps we would recommend Northern France. There are ten great courses here.  Chat with us about the various choices if you wish to venture further afield.

How many golf courses are there in France?

We feature 130 courses and 102 resorts across France including Saint Malo Golf Club and Sept Tours Golf Club. Your specialist matches the courses to your group's standard and budget.

Is it easy to get around in France?

Getting around France is straightforward. Self-driving is the most popular option — if you've come via Le Shuttle, you already have your car. Trains are excellent for city-to-city travel, particularly from Paris to Bordeaux (2 hours on the TGV). Within golf regions like the Algarve or Brittany, a hire car gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace. We include all airport or station transfers in our packages and can arrange inter-course transfers, so you're never left without options.

Still have a question? Ask our golf travel team — a free, no-obligation quote, no call centre.

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