NORTH BRITTANY GOLFING HOLIDAY GUIDE
The best places for golfbreaks in Northern Brittany.
Golf holidays - North Brittany
Holidays in the North of Brittany are eternally popular amongst British golfers thanks to the combination of beautiful coastal scenery, charming Breton villages, wonderful seafood, welcoming locals and ease of access from the UK. Even in the height of the Summer it never gets too warm as there is always a cooling breeze off the Channel.
Golf courses in northern Brittany are mainly concentrated around the Dinard and St. Malo region - extremely convenient as there happens to be a Brittany Ferries port there as well! Strung out along the rugged North Brittany coastline you will find a daisy-chain of high quality golf courses to play. All of which are worthy of consideration for your next golf holiday in France and the reason why so many of our golfers return year after year.
North Brittany - golf courses
The very best courses to play golf on holiday in North Brittany are loosely grouped around Dinard and St. Malo: golf courses stretch from Le Tronchet in the East to Pléneuf Val-André in the West along the picturesque Côte d'Emeraude - a rugged pastiche of granite outcrops and sandy coves.
Starting at the second oldest golf course in France Dinard, a splendid old seaside golf course full of indescribable charms, head West via the holiday courses at Pen Guen and Sables d'Or, until you reach the remarkable Pleneuf Val Andre - a wondrous layout that plunges from atop the cliffs to the waves below. Carrying on even further to the West you will find two more hidden gems of Brittany St. Samson and Sables d'Or on the Côte de Granite Rose deep in the seafaring heart of Brittany; any further west and you will need to start swimming!
Turning East and slightly inland from Dinard, there is a delightful Parkland golf course around the Château des Ormes, which has a curiously British feel about the place - despite the unmistakably French setting! A little further along and deeper into the woods, you will find the testing course of St. Malo Le Tronchet; a tough golf course that leads you on a long winding trip through the dense, dark forest.
Should you be a fan of links golf then one of France's very few, true links courses is at the foot of the Cherbourg peninsula at Granville. Strictly speaking it is in Normandy, but golfing wise it fits nicely with the golf courses of Northern Brittany (and very handy if you are sailing back from Cherbourg).
North Brittany golf holidays - where to stay
Dinard is the stand-out location for golf holidays in North Brittany: in the heart of the golfing action, plenty to see, do and eat in town and all just ten minutes from the ferry terminal at St. Malo. What could be better? Here the Grand Hotel Dinard**** is the class act. It has been here for a long time but never ceases to get better; everytime we visit ther seems to have been another improvement in one way or another. we can't recommend it highly enough.
Another great place to stay for a Brittany golfbreak is the ancient (and rather peculiar) town of Dinan further up the river Rance. The town is built in two parts: the medieval market town on top of the riverside cliff, and a smaller expansion of riverside restaurants and a rather good hotel down below.
If you like to be on top of your golf course on holiday then there are plenty of options. Fans of Pléneuf-Val-André (and who isn't?) will appreciate the comfortable rooms, sea-views, spa and excellent cuisine at the Spa Marin Val André; countryside cousins wil enjoy the verdant setting of the nice little three-star hotel on the Le Tronchet course and the simple hotel at Saint Samson is very good value if you want to get-away-from-it-all in a secluded spot near Roscoff.
Northern Brittany - the area
The landscape of North Brittany is a panoply of stark limestone coastline interspersed with sandy coves and rockpools. The Breton villages that run alongside the seashore are hewn from the local rock so look and feel at one with the Brittany landscapes. Inland as the ground rises away from the water, herds of chocolatey-brown Charolais cattle roam the lush green fields against a backdrop of towering stone spires that rise skyward from every village and hamlet.
The seafaring traditions in Brittany are as strong today as they have ever been and fresh fish and shellfish are landed early every morning to make it to restaurant tables in time for lunch. Oysters, lobster, langoustines are on every menu, as is one of Brittany's greal epicurean triumphs - Soupe de Poissons a rich, velvety reduction of the Atlantic Ocean that is served with croutons, grated cheese and rouille (a spicy garlicky mayonnaise) that makes this a dish not to miss!
Getting to Northern Brittany
The very easiest way to play golf in Brittany from the UK is via the Brittany Ferries crossings from Portsmouth to St. Malo or Roscoff. An overnight sailing with a cabin, followed by a ten-minute drive across the dam at the mouth of the Rance will have you on the first Tee at Dinard by eight o'clock!
Alternatively, day crossings are very good value if you have the time to spare; there are also Fastcraft sailings if you are in a little more of a hurry to get to the golf courses in this fabulous part of France!
Flights to Northern Brittany
If you would prefer to fly, then there are several routes into Brittany's capital city Rennes and more limited services into Le Havre. We can advise on the best flights to Brittany for you, just let us know your preferred departure airport.
