Monday: the Old Course of Cannes-Mandelieu

Old Course © OT Mandelieu-La-Napoule

Just twenty minutes from Nice airport, Mandelieu-La Napoule is a charming little town in the Alpes-Maritimes which has two of the most beautiful golf courses in the region. And one of the oldest in the country. the Cannes-Mandelieu Old Course was born in 1891 from the will of Tsar Nicholas II's brother, Grand Duke Michael of Russia, who had a passion for the little white ball. Then redesigned by the legendary Harry Colt, the course was the playground of the Duke of Windsor or Sean Connery, before becoming one of the favorite training grounds of our best French players. This shows the quality of this par 71 bordered by immense, often hundred-year-old umbrella pines, cork oaks and mimosas, one of the peculiarities of which is that it crosses the Sagne twice (you have to take a ferry). , this river which partially materializes the border with the Var. Special mention for hole 13, which ends facing the sea and the Estérel. “Perhaps the most beautiful par 5 on the Côte d'Azur,” says Victor Dubuisson.

https://www.golfoldcourse.com/index.php

Or sleep ?

Ideally located near the two courses of Mandelieu-La Napoule, golf island comes barely to open your doorss on the banks of the Sagne. This 4 * hotel with a refined style is embellished a pretty palm garden and a heated outdoor swimming pool with hot tubs. Possibility to join the Old Course by boat from the pontoon!

http://ilotdugolf.fr/

Tuesday: Barbossi

© Riviera Golf de Barbossi

Still in Mandelieu-La Napoule, you will be amazed by the golf course of Barbossi, designed thirty years ago by the American architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. The departure in relief of the hole n ° 8 cut in the rock and its fairway along the Riou is one of the highlights of the course, just like the sequence from 10 to 13, wild and majestic with the red rocks of the Estérel massif as a backdrop. The par 4 drivables of 7 and 15 spice up this superb golf course a little more, adorned with some twenty works designed by a few big names in contemporary art that line the 18 holes. The terrace of the restaurant Le Riviera offers a beautiful overview.

https://www.domainedebarbossi.fr/riviera-golf-de-barbossi/

Where to dine?

Stretched out on the beach in the shade of the medieval Château de la Napoule, the restaurant lounge The Buccaneer is the unmissable spot in the city. Beyond the exceptional setting, the menu is of high quality and gives pride of place to local cuisine and fish. Special mention to the "homemade" cocktails.

https://boucanier.fr/

Wednesday: the Royal Mougins

© Royal Mougins Golf Club

About twenty minutes drive from Mandelieu, the Royal Mougins is a beautiful setting sculpted in 1993 by Robert Van Hagge in the middle of rivers and terraces. The par 3 of hole n ° 2 in low angle is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular of the Côte d'Azur and immediately puts you in the mood. This course as hilly as it is varied is distinguished by its strategic interest, the choice of the club at the start being preponderant. Like Barbossi, the restaurant's terrace offers an incredible view of the golf course and the Tanneron hills.

https://www.royalmougins.fr/fr/

Or sleep ?

Close tou course, Royal Mougins Hotel & Spa has spacious rooms (50 m² minimum) furnished as an apartment, with two flat screen satellite TVs, a hi-fi system and an iPod docking station. Possibility of'access directly to your room with your golf cart. Hotel guests have free access to the driving range and au Spa by "Cinq Mondes".

Thursday: Saint Donat

© Golf de Saint Donat

About ten minutes from the Royal Mougins, the golf course Saint Donatus is one of the most beautiful courses on the Riviera. Nestled on the banks of the Mourachonne river and the Grand Vallon de Grasse, this varied 18-hole landscape with trees is the work of Robert Trent Jones Sr. We gain altitude on the return holes, notably with the spectacular slides of the 13 and 15, two par 5 in the shape of a postcard with the mountains of the hinterland in the distance.

https://golfsaintdonat.com/

Or sleep ? (and dinner) ?

?? In Cabris, this beautiful hilltop village including the Côte d'Azur a the secret, the warm welcome of L'' Auberge du Vieux Château will delight golfers and… moviegoers, with photos of legendary actors and films on display in the lobby. This former XNUMXth century stable and guard room^e century offers tasty Mediterranean cuisine, prepared according to the seasons with a terrace that looks (very) high over the sea and the hinterland of Cannes. A real crush.

https://www.aubergeduvieuxchateau.com/

Friday: Claux Amic

© Golf du Claux Amic

Near Cabris, the golf course Claux Amic is a beautiful surprise nestled at an altitude of nearly 600 meters on the reliefs overlooking Grasse. You meander through the heart of a vast forest of oaks, pines and brooms in peace (no road or houses in the area), accompanied by deer and deer who at times keep you company on the course. Rather short but very technical, with some devious overhangs, this charming 18-hole course reveals at hole 3 a breathtaking view of the bay of Cannes, the Lérins islands and the pre-Alps. On a clear day, you can even see Corsica ...

https://www.claux-amic.fr/

Saturday: the Old Course de Valescure

© Old Course de Valescure

Direction the Var, for one of the oldest courses in France, created in 1895 by British aristocrats. Bordered by umbrella pines and cork oaks, the Old Course of Valescure barely exceeds 5000 meters in length, but the narrowness of the fairways, numerous water obstacles and rather small greens add to the game. A scent of history hangs over this old-fashioned par 68, designed by Harry Colt , and perfectly manicured. Like the astonishing impression of swinging on a billiard table… English of course.

https://www.golfdevalescure.com/

Or sleep ? (and dinner) ?

?? Close to the sandwedge of hole 1 (and putter from the putting green), the Najeti Golf Hotel de Valescure is a 4 * which will be particularly suitable for sports golferss with tennis courts and archery available, not to mention the outdoor swimming pool, jacuzzi and spa, always welcome after 18 holes. The Les Pins Parasols restaurant serves quality Provencal cuisine in the evening. Hotel guests benefit from a 20% reduction on golf green fees.

https://www.valescure.najeti.fr/fr/

Sunday: Roquebrune Resort

© Roquebrune Resort

About ten minutes from Saint-Raphaël and Sainte-Maxime, the golf course Roquebrune Resort is a haven of peace surrounded by nature and a real golfing challenge, with its many sloping fairways and the mistral, which rarely lacks breath in the region. Hole n ° 9 overlooks the course and offers a 180 degree view of the Massif des Maures and the Mediterranean. A par 71 that knows how to defend itself, adorned with around forty bunkers, a dozen sculptures by the Egyptian artist Salem and… a few sheep in the wild. The resort includes an intimate 5 * (the Daya Hotel & Spa), with four suites and one bedroom.

https://www.golfderoquebrune.com/

Where to have lunch and dinner?

Before or after your trip, La Table de Louis serves tasty local products in a cozy atmosphere. The opportunity to taste a dew from the Château Vaudois, the wine estate adjacent to the golf course which offerse exceptional vintages.

https://www.ledaya.fr/la-table-de-louis/restaurant-roquebrune-sur-argens-181.htm

Your golfing week is coming to an end but nothing prevents you from prolonging the pleasure even longer, since the Côte d'Azur conceals a string of exceptional courses, between Nice and Saint-Tropez. These include: La Grande Bastide, Opio-Valbonne, Cannes-Mougins, Estérel, Sainte-Maxime, Saint-Tropez, Saint-Andréol, without forgetting of course in the hinterland Taulane and the essential resort of Terre-Blanche , as well as the very private Vidauban.

Frank Crudo

For more information : @visitcotedazur @Mandelieulanapouletourism #Grasse Country

To read our last article on the same subject :

Mandelieu-La Napoule, the art of golf