There is a wealth of golf courses in northern Brittany and it is so easy to just pop over there for a long weekend or midweek break on the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo. Your trip starts with an extremely tasty dinner on Brittany Ferries – delicious buffet for the first course with lots of shellfish, followed by an excellent main course and pudding. Very good value too.
A great place to stay is the Grand Hotel in Pleneuf Val Andre on the Emerald Coast, about a 40-minute drive from St Malo, which has an excellent restaurant. This very friendly hotel has been welcoming guests since 1895 and the ever-hospitable Assistant Manager lived in the UK for 7 years, so speaks excellent English, but is keen to help you with your French too.
The hotel is situated on the promenade overlooking St Brieuc Bay where the best beaches in Brittany can be found. There is a beautiful view from the bar and restaurant through some lovely old trees and a vast expanse of sandy beach – the perfect place to enjoy the sunset whilst sipping a glass of champagne!
The nearest golf course to the hotel is the Val Andre which is only a five minute drive away and is rated one of the best and probably the most beautiful in France. It is a modern parkland/links course with fast well defended greens and is a challenge to even the best of players. The 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th holes have the most stunning views over the cliffs and beach and 11th hole has a tee about 200 ft above the fairway It is well maintained and is suitable for golfers of mixed abilities. 18 holes, par 72, 6433 yards
Another superb course to play is at the Dinard Golf Club, the second oldest golf course in France and a traditional links course, which was founded by a group of British residents at the end of the 19th century. It was designed by Scotsman Willie Dunn and is the second oldest course in France. P G Wodehouse was known to play here It is a well established course and although not that long a course, is very challenging with a great range of holes. This course also has panoramic views over the coast. With an art deco clubhouse it has a very English feel to it. 18 holes, par 68, 5815 yards.
There are several other golf courses in the area and one could easily fill a week playing on a different golf course each day in Northern Brittany, without having to drive very far. A very enjoyable holiday for any golfer with the added bonus of a variety of great restaurants.
