GOLF HOLIDAYS IN LA BAULE & LA BRETESCHE
Our complete guide to the best golfbreaks on the west coast of France.
Golf holidays - La Baule & La Bretesche
For over a century La Baule has been recognised (mainly by the French) as one of the foremost holiday destinations in France. The town stretches itself along five kilometres of sandy beach that arcs in a south-facing crescent between the two fishing ports at either end: Le Pouliguen and Pornichet. In August the place is heaving with Parisians at their second homes: the rest of the year it bubbles along at a nice steady pace.
La Baule is also, without any question, the premier golf resort in Southern Brittany; possibly in France. Although, technically not in Brittany (it sits in the Loire-Atlantique department below Brittany and west of Nantes on the Atlantic coast) it feels unmistakably Breton. All the locals consider themselves Bretons and indeed there is a movement to have the area re-incorporated into Brittany (very peaceful protesters though!). Golfwise, La Baule has a superb 45-hole complex that is set-back about ten-minutes from the seafront. This has grown from the original Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas course into two excellent, and rather different, parkland layouts; plus a devilish nine-hole course too.
Not far inland, set around the timeless Chateau de la Bretesche, is one of the most peaceful golf courses you will find anywhere, carved through the thick forest where once the Ducs de Bretagne roamed in a quest for venison and wild boar.
La Baule & La Bretesche - golf courses
At La Baule Golf Club, the old Peter Alliss/Dave Thomas design through the woods and lakes has been split into two, with nine new holes added to each loop creating two outstanding 18-hole layouts: Rouge and Bleu. And there was enough land leftover for an additional, rather testing, nine-hole golf course too. The Rouge course at La Baule was the first one to be completed with a nine-holes that match fairly closely the original philosophy of Messrs. Allis & Thomas - a harmonious woodland circuit. The Bleu course was not completed until a decade later and here the new nine is in marked contrast to the originals with lots of water to be negotiated across more open terrain. Either course makes a great day out and it is hard to have a favourite between the two.
The Golf Club at Chateau de La Bretesche, just down the road, has without doubt the most quintessentially French setting for any golf course with its serene Château perched on the lakeshore surrounded by dense, silent forest. Hidden deep in this ancient forest are 18 exceptional holes of golf (and a handful of holiday cottages) that bring British golfers back here for their annual golfbreak year after year. The course is one of those quiet delights where each hole is hidden from the next and you play in your own little world of greenery and birdsong: golf good for the soul.
In addition to the three-and-a-half courses between La Baule and La Bretesche Golf Clubs, there is plenty more choice too. Within an hour's drive of La Baule you can be standing on the First Tee at Pornic, Savenay or the new course at Guérande; a little further afield there is the rather demanding, semi-links, test at St. Jean de Monts or the twisting old woodland course at Nantes-Vigneux - as gnarly as the trees that enclose it.
La Baule & La Bretesche - where to stay
The resort of La Baule was originally a cluster of pretty little stone villas along the seashore, many of these holiday homes still remain although the front row has now been replaced with hotels and apartment buildings (thankfully the more carbuncular of these are steadily being replaced). The town of La Baule itself is these days a conglomeration of cafes, chic boutiques, restaurants, a casino or two and luxurious hotels.
Of these, the best two in town are unquestionably L'Hermitage and Le Royal. Both five-star and both owned by the Barrière group they are as stylish as they are luxurious. Most golfers head for L'Hermitage which sits directly on the seafront and Sea-view rooms have an uninterrupted view of the Ocean and La Baule's famous beach; Le Royal is the big Spa hotel in town with indoor and outdoor pools and an impressive therapy-centre that was added only recently. Both hotels (and the charming, gastro-palace of Le Castel Marie-Louise) offer unbeatable value golf at La Baule, as it is the Barrière group who also own the Golf Club (and one of the casinos in town): so you it makes most sense to stay in utter luxury - and save yourself some money!
If you prefer to stay by the first Tee then the cottages in the quiet of La Bretesche are the place for you. Well equipped, comfortable dwellings where you can self-cater or take advantage of the two restaurants at La Bretesche they make a charming little golf hideaway.
La Baule & La Bretesche - what to see, do and eat
All around La Baule pretty fishing villages abound along the Côte Sauvage - tasteful stops on a day out away from the golf courses. The village of Le Croisic is a postcard of a port with fishing smacks and small yachts lined up alongside the plethora of restaurants serving the day's catch of fish and shellfish - it doesn't get any fresher!
Inland there are medieval towns to explore such as Guérande with its ramparts, narrow cobbled lanes, weekly markets and salt flats.
Between La Baule and La Bretesche there is a vast area of marshland - the Briere National Park, teeming with wildlife and best investigated by punts that are readily available for hire in many places along the roadside.
Getting to La Baule
The very easiest way to golf at La Baule from the UK is via the Brittany Ferries crossings form Portsmouth to St. Malo, Caen or Cherbourg. An overnight sailing with a cabin, followed by a two-hour drive across Brittany will have you on the Tee just after lunch. 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 this lovely part of France!
Flights to La Baule
If you would prefer to fly, then there are several routes into Nantes, or Brittany's capital city Rennes. We can advise on the best flights to Brittany for you, just let us know your preferred departure airport.
