Golf holidays - Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is (yet!) another glorious Renaissance French town steeped in history and dominated by a huge château with vast formal gardens. It lies to the southeast of Paris so a little further to drive around the French capital if you are coming down from Calais, but you will be rewarded with superlative golf courses, a small yet lively town, aeons of history and very few other tourist golfers.
Unlike Versailles, Fontainebleau is geographically separated from Paris by a few thousand acres of forest; this lends it its own identity with quite a bohemian feel to the streets, crammed full of cafés, bars and restaurants with their al fresco dining in the Summer months. It is a compact place too, so very easy to get to know in an hour's stroll and no problems with traffic when you are heading to the golf course.
When to visit? Similarly to Chantilly and Versailes, the best time to play in Fontainebleau is July and particularly August: during these months Paris is deserted, so are the Golf Clubs, while everyone is away at the seaside. Help yourself to the empty Fairways!
Fontainebleau Golf Clubs
As well as history, the area is rich in golf courses too. The forests of Fontainebleau extend far to the Southeast and this woodland lends itself perfectly to golf. The big attraction is of course Fontainebleau Golf Club itself: a privilege to play this Tom Simpson classic, easily one of the finest old courses you will find anywhere in the world. Those who have played Chantilly (or lucky enough to squeeze past the gatekeepers at Morfontaine) will recognise the gentle hand of the master craftsman.
The next nearest golf course to Fontainebleau is Cély, a total contrast as it's a more modern style of golf course on a gently sloping hillside that rises in front of its château style clubhouse (although only dating from the last Century!). Heading deeper into France, the golf course at Château d'Augerville is a little woodland treasure tucked away in the forest around the impressive white château. There are also rooms in the Chateau d'Augerville and a fine restaurant to boot, making it a lovely little spot for a quiet, dare we say romantic, golfbreak.
Sadly, the nearby courses at Belesbat and Fontenailles are currently closed (we live in hope); this means that the next best golf courses are a little spread out either south into the countryside or north into the Parisian suburbs. Maybe consider playing a couple of courses twice or staying in two or three places? Alternatively, you could use Fontainebleau as a break on a veritable golf tour down into Chablis and Burgundy country…
Fontainebleau - Where to stay?
There are effectively two choices of where to stay: close to the chateau and restaurants in Fontainebleau or out in the countryside around Augerville. In Fontainebleau, there are two main hotels: the very upmarket Aigle Noir guesthouse (they don't have a restaurant) or Le Napoleon Hotel. Both are slap-bang in the centre of town convenient for chateau visits and dining out. Le Napoleon has just been totally refurbished (more rebuilt in truth!) so both offer luxurious rooms.
For a quieter kind of golfbreak, the Chateau d'Augerville has some splendid rooms in the chateau itself and more in the old stable buildings on the other side of the moat. With 18-holes on-site, a fine restaurant, extensive wine cellar (and a chocolatier), it's a great place for a hideaway holiday.
Getting to Fontainebleau by car
For many living in the southeast of the UK, the easiest way to get to Fontainebleau will be via the Eurotunnel or P&O ferries to Calais. From here it is about a four hour drive to Fontainebleau, skirting around Paris to the East. Or take the pretty route further East via the rolling hills of Reims and the champagne vineyards to the South.
There are some very good golf courses on the way down though, so consider breaking your journey with a game of golf (or a even a night's stopover) en-route: Chantilly, Reims, Arras or even a round with Mickey at Eurodisney!
Getting to Fontainebleau by air
If you prefer to fly, then the closest airport is Orly, which is south of Paris, so much easier on the driving too. There is not a huge number of flights into Orly, however there are some quite surprising connections so it is worth asking us to investigate this option for you if you would rather fly than drive.
