There's a long golfing tradition in Picardie, which has some of the oldest and grandest courses in Northern Europe as well as some of the most modern and accessible. With 21 courses to choose from, there is something for everyone, from beginners and 'weekend' golfers to fanatics and real pros. Whether you prefer 9, 18, 27 or 36 holes, you'll find an emphasis on excellent design in the most attractive settings, and naturally all these courses are open to non-members, at very favourable rates (see DATES AND RATES). Par for most of these courses is usually 70-73.

GETTING ON COURSE

Only an hour's drive from Calais, the Baie de Somme area has 3 huge courses taking advantage of the vast sand dunes, links (the term is also used by the French) and river flats for which it is famous. The Golf Belle Dune course is described as 'highly demanding'. Since it's actually within the huge Marquenterre nature reserve, bird spotting is an optional extra, and the same is true of Golf d'Abbeville. Golf de Nampont-Saint-Martin (two 18-hole courses) has a magnificent 15th century chateau for a club house and so many water hazards that players are offered floating balls. If you want variety, try the south of Picardie where there are nine lovely courses around Beauvais, Creil, Chantilly and Compiègne, often with a château or old manor house as an elegant backdrop to a classically designed course of international reputation. Golf de Chantilly, for example, is considered one of the five best clubs in all Europe. Its two 18-hole courses, putting and driving ranges and many other sporting activities are much appreciated by weekender Parisiens. Other courses such as Golf de Saint-Quentin-Mesnil, Golf de Menneville (9-hole) Golf de Champagne and Golf de Val Secret are all near autoroutes (A 26 or A4), while at Bois du Tilleul, tucked away in the magnificent countryside of the Thiérache, you can enjoy 40 hectares of delightful gardens and water features belonging to the nearby château.

NOT ONLY GOLF, BUT ALSO . . .

A golfing holiday in Picardy can be more than just golf. The other facilities on offer at the larger courses are absolutely first-class, with swimmingpools, tennis and badminton courts, jacuzzis, saunas, pro-shops and restaurants of course. For accommodation on the spot, some of it in the luxury category, have a look at our Accommodation Section. This also lists more modest golfer-friendly hotels and chambres d'hôtes which offer golf-themed breaks where arrangements can be made for you at the local course. If golf isn't the abiding passion of all in your party, or you'd like a break from the nineteenth hole, you are never far away from other points of interest for which Picardie is famous, whether 'sporty', cultural or historic. Horse lovers will come into their own around Chantilly, the 'equine capital' of France with its famous race course, stables and Museum of the Living Horse. Wind-surfers, land yatchers and bird watchers will particularly appreciate the Somme courses, and towns like Amiens, Beauvais, Laon, Senlis and Abbeville are famous for their ancient town centres, museums, shopping streets and superb cathedrals and churches. At Golf de Raray, near Compiègne, the chateau and grounds are so lovely that 'La Belle et La Bête' was filmed here (the classic Jean Cocteau version, not Mr Disney's).

DATES AND RATES

Of these 21 courses, nine are open all year, while the rest tend to have a one-day-a-week closing policy (usually a Tuesday) and may be closed for some time during January or February. We don't feel qualified to comment on which courses are the most challenging, welcoming to beginners, drop-dead chic or 'unstuffy', but we would welcome your comments. Rates for non-members do vary considerably according to season and whether it's a weekday, weekend or public holiday. As a rough guide, we estimate that a mid-week 18-hole round at all but the most prestigious courses costs 25-35 Euros (£15-25 approx). This almost doubles at weekends, but there are good reductions from November to mid-March. At top-of-the-range Golf de Chantilly, it's more like 75 Euros (£50) for a midweek round, yet even at the lovely Golf de Raray course with its exquisite château backdrop, 9 holes out of season is only around 20 Euros (£14). If you're in the Beauvais area, Golf du Vivier at Ons-en-Bray is a bargain - about 10 Euros (£7) for 9 holes throughout the year. We will be doing our best to update this information, but do please check with the course concerned yourself before you go if prices are critical to you.