France - Chantilly, Paris & Versailles

Welcome to the land of the Kings. Chantilly, Paris and Versailles are synonymous with royalty, style and panache but not necessarily for golf.

However, in the northern suburbs of Paris and into Chantilly beyond lay seven courses of which Chantilly Vineuil, (ranked 1 in Europe), and the Jack Nicklaus Paris International are the best known. The hidden gems are Longeres (Vineuil's sister course), and the great Tom Simpson 36 hole masterpiece called Golf International Du Lys. Add to this the classy Apremont and the elegant Chateau Raray and you'll begin to appreciate there is strength in depth. The recent addition of the superb L'Isle Adam adds even more variety and quality.

There are three main areas we suggest you consider as a base:

Enghien Les Bains

Just to the north of Paris lies the northern suburb of St Denis and within it is the small spa town of Enghien Les Bains. Set on a lake it's an exciting area with plenty of restaurants, a theatre and a casino. All are within walking distance yet only 15 minutes by train and you're in Paris City centre. All the courses are all pretty easy to get to as you're going out of Paris - Paris International is within a 20 minutes drive.

Chantilly

A little further to the north than Enghien Les Bains but still only 30 mins from the city centre Chantilly is an area rich in history and of great natural beauty. Probably best known for its world famous Chateau's, there are 7 courses within a 30 mins drive. A holiday here allows you to experience something little more classy and typically French whilst a night out in Paris, a day at Chantilly's famous horse race track or the world famous Chateau are viable options.

Versailles.

To the South West of Paris centre is the region of Des Yvelines, which touches the Valley of Chevreuse and the enormity of the Palace and official buildings of Louis XIV in Versailles. The Golf National is home to the French Open and the Novotel is its 19th hole.