When tired of the same old courses in the UK, many golfers look to destinations like Spain and Portugal for their fix of greens and fairways to "attack", but this isn't practical for a short golf break. Normandy is the answer: It's local for British golfers, has a wide selection of smart courses, some splendid hotels and enough attractions to keep you busy even when you're off the courses.
The Location
Nowadays it's easier than ever before to get across to France for a visit. Normandy is particularly easy, with a vast choice of traditional and super-fast ferries and the 35 minute Eurotunnel crossing. For golfers in the south, a golf break in Normandy is actually easier to get to than a trip up to Scotland.
Once you get there, Normandy is picturesque with a "very French" mix of ports and resorts, of villages and fields, of chateaux and bustling bars. It's different enough to feel like a proper break, while comfortingly familiar to Anglophiles.
Hospitable Hotels
In terms of welcoming lodgings for a golf holiday, Normandy is very well served. There's everything from the best in luxury and service (Hotel Normandy Barriere, Deauville), smaller charming hotels (Dormy House, Etretat) and city-based accommodation (Mercure Centre, Rouen) to choose from, and the service and atmosphere of them is very friendly. Many of these hotels have excellent restaurants but if you're looking to explore further afield there are plenty of charming eateries offering very reasonable prices. Diners will of course be entranced with the famous seafood,
especially the shellfish. For non-fish eaters, Normans are hearty eaters and love cooking with cream and Calvados. And with a different cheese for every day of the year...Camembert, Livarot and Pont-l'Eveque are all local specialities.
Celebrated Courses
The best thing about a golf holiday in Normandy is its excellent courses. There are many good courses in the region but ones which deserve a special mention are Etretat (one of the best links in France and conveniently adjacent to the Dormy House hotel),
Chateau de la Chouette (a real hidden gem!), Golf Parc (some of the best target golf in the country) and, my personal favourite, Champ de Bataille which is quite stunning and very testing in parts. All told, we recommend 21 courses golf courses in Normandy - you'll be very pleasantly impressed with our choice.
Plenty to Do
Of course the region is best known for the historic Normandy beach landings of June 1944 and there's plenty to honour the memory with some fascinating museums. On top of this, the region is also home to the Bayeux tapestry and the breathtaking Mont St. Michel - one of the most visited sites in the whole of the country.
For a bit of a change from the UK's courses, a Normandy golf break is a great idea. It's local, reasonably priced, has plenty to see and do and of course has some truly memorable golf courses. Take a golf holiday in Normandy and rediscover your love of the game.
Morgan Clarke is the Managing Director of French Golf Holidays, a company that has been providing bespoke golf holidays for over 25 years. They are experts in the best places to play and stay, offering golf holidays in Normandy and throughout the rest of the country.
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