Golf City Guide #4 Paris
A city of perennial charm, with pilgrimage-worthy restaurants, iconic monuments and two thousand years of history, Paris is the beating heart of France. The most-visited city in the world is simply unmissable, especially if world-class golf is to your taste.
Think arts, architecture, shopping, gastronomy, entertainment, nightlife and sport; Paris is a city of diversity and one that is constantly being reinvented. The urban heartland is one to get lost in, a maze of boulevards forming its 20 arrondissements (districts) woven around the banks of the River Seine; there’s big ticket monuments at every turn, myriad galleries and museums and gastronomy to die for around every corner. In Paris, you just need to keep walking and see what you find. Food is always good, wine is often inexpensive, and there’s always a landmark or lush green space to be stumbled upon.
The golf
On the doorstep of the city, on ground that surrounds the Palace of Versailles, are 36 holes of pristine manicured golf known as Le Golf National. It was here on the Albatros course that Europe, after losing out at Hazeltine in 2016, regained the Ryder Cup trophy in 2018, winning 17 1/2 - 10 1/2 victory over the USA. This venue had been the home of French golf since its construction in 1991, host of the historic Open de France that dates back to 1906, with winners including Sam Torrance, Colin Montgomerie, José María Olazábal and Tommy Fleetwood. Built to the TPC model, it has an air of Florida throughout despite the unremarkable tract of land upon which it was built, with every fairway perfectly cut and every green demanding precision.
While the Versailles venue has had much golfing attention since its Ryder Cup hosting, there are other golfing treasures reachable from Paris, none more so than Morfontaine, the old polo pitch that was converted into a six-golf course in 1906 and has developed into arguably the best in France. Carved out of the natural landscape by Tom Simpson, the architect also behind Royal Lytham & St Annes and Ballybunion, it’s a heathland paradise few will get the chance to play due to its exclusivity; so, rather than head north, go an hour south of the city, and another Simpson design, Golf de Fontainebleau will give you what you desire. Winding through the forest rich with beech, oak and pine, this relatively short track (6,074 metres) defends itself with difficult-to-reach greens and is invariably rated among the top 20 in Europe.
© La Poule au Pot
Food and drink
French cuisine is world famous, and where better to sample the tastes of the nation than the capital? If you’re not eating heartily in France, you’re not doing it right, from steak frites in an atmospheric brasserie, a galette in a street café or pastries from one of hundreds of the city’s patisseries.
© La Poule au Pot
© La Poule au Pot
Upscale dining still reigns supreme in Paris with 121 Michelin star restaurants, including 10 three-star establishments, but that doesn’t tell the full story. French cuisine is all about excellent and sophisticated food made with fresh, seasonal and locally sourced produce, and you can equally find that at three-star Pierre Gagnaire and the less pricey restaurants such as La Poule au Pot.
© Clover Grill
Breaking away from the confines of haute-cuisine, brassieres offer simpler yet outstanding experiences. Le Comptoir du Relais is a recent phenomenon; you’ll do well to get a dinner table, so arrive early for lunch for your best chance of the renowned fois gras. Clover Grill, a modern French steakhouse also by award-winning Jean-François Piège is another popular place among the locals.
© Clover Grill
© Clover Grill
Attractions
Paris is much more than the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre: there are must-see cultural landmarks, such as the century-old Notre-Dame, that will quench the thirst of any fan of architecture; the Musee d’Orsay and Musée de l'Orangerie are some of the world’s best collections of impressionist art; and the Paris Catacombs offer a unique perspective on the city from below. For the best views of Paris, pass by the long queues at the Eiffel Tower (it’s not even the best view of the city) and take in the vista from the top of the Arc de Triomphe or the viewing deck at Montparnasse Tower. You could also book tickets to climb the Tour Saint Jacques, a 16th century former church tower, or, if you really want to push the boat out, take a cruise on the Seine, catching all the sights from the water via the Grand Palais and the Conciergerie - there are also night cruises if you want to see the City of Lights in all its glory.
On the outskirts of the main city is one of the finest attractions on offer in the region, namely the staggering indulgence of the Palace of Versailles. The world had never before seen grandeur quite like it, and it was the stark contrast between this most sparkling of architectural jewels and the lot of the everyday people that made it a symbol of the French Revolution. Easily accessible by train, don’t miss out on the 800 acres of the most pristine, manicured parks and gardens, private opera house and Hall of Mirrors.
To delve into the history of another famous French figure then visit Château de Fontainebleau, the haunt of Napoleon, accessible via Garde de Lyon, and for history and architecture all in one, take a trip to the Basilica of Saint-Denis, a masterpiece of Gothic art and the last home of the kings and queens of France. The medieval town of Provins is further away but well worth a visit for its ramparts and cobbled streets, a truly unique journey back in time.