The north and south of Paris, from Chantilly to Versailles and Fontainebleau, the selection of truly superb golf courses is staggering. This is spoil-yourself-country, the magnificent hotels and gourmet restaurants and the famous tourist spots, all contribute to the loveliness of Paris.

An hour from the airport or a couple of hours drive from the coastal ports, the golf and the historic sight-seeing opportunities are right here. Dolce Chantilly and Mont Griffon are golf-hotels with their own courses, so is Domaine de Raray where paintings listed as National Treasures hang in the clubhouse, converted from an historic chateau.

And while Vineuil nears its centenary, Apremont was laid out in the forest a decade ago. Chantilly has many of the finest hotels to be found in France.

Paris International was created by Jack Nicklaus, so was Cely on the other side of the city at Fontainebleau. The writer Voltaire lived nearby, at the converted chateau-golf-hotel Domaine de Belesbat, with its new course maturing splendidly.

There are 36 holes at Prieure, at Courson-Monteloup and at Golf National, close to the beautiful palaces at Versailles, and many more to choose from. For sheer opulence and grandeur try the Trianon Palace Hotel where a tunnel connects to the more gentle, Hotel Pavillon. Paris needs time, to play and explore.

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Golf courses guide

Golf courses in France