Golf breaks in lower & Western Normandy

Omaha Beach Golf Club Mer

With a combination of four very different nine hole loops, there's a rich variety of golf at Omaha Beach and a wealth of history and culture. La Mer has holes named after Second World War figures (including Churchill, Eisenhower and De Gaulle). With spectacular views of the D-Day landing beaches and a poignant memorial near the gun emplacements at the back of the sixth green, this course offers Le Bocage (Hedgerow), L'Etang (Pond) and the most recent section, Le Manoir (Manor), to make up a terrific sporting test with different challenges either along the coast or in rich rolling countryside. Be sure to sample calvados, the famously delicious and powerful brandy made from the apples growing in the orchards you'll see on some of the inland holes.

Our opinion: Take a minute when you've played the 6th hole. Favourite Hole: 6th.

Omaha Beach Golf Club Manoir

Situated in Port en Bessin is a new American-style course, Omaha Beach Golf Club Manoir, which has incorporated the 9-hole L'Etang with 9 new exciting holes which play towards the Manoir Gérard. The course offers some spectacular water hazards and the rolling terrain helps complete a superb layout with fantastic views. Your game will be tested as you require accuracy and power to play this course well.

Our opinion: Now one of the best 36 holes complexes in France. Favourite Hole: 9th.

Golf de Caen

Golf de Caen in Le Vallon is a public course but much, much better than most municipal equivalents back in the UK. It boasts top-quality undulating greens and is set in a gently rolling rural landscape. just a few miles north of the city. Laid out, like many of the new generations of French courses, by English architects (Fred Hawtree in this case) in the early 1990s, Caen is an interesting combination of hills and woodland which makes it particularly picturesque in the autumn. It's not the most testing of courses, so it's good for mid to high handicappers but it's certainly an enjoyable round of golf with some challenging holes and more than a few water hazards lying in wait.

Our opinion: The location is perfect for our clients. A good course. Favourite Hole: 10th.

Hôtel Ibis Bayeux, Port en Bessin***

Reference: HF2829

This no-frills, good value for money hotel is right in the centre of Port en Bessin alongside the port where the fish auctions take place each morning. There is a large modern bar where snacks are available all day long and comfortable, air-conditioned bedrooms, all with large beds, look out over the port or the cliff behind. Shops, bars and a good choice of restaurants are within a couple of minutes walk and the famous Omaha Beach golf course is just a short drive up the hill to the clifftops.

Golf Club de St Malo

Designed by Hubert Chesneau, the mastermind behind French Open venue Golf National, and set in the ancient hunting grounds of Mesnil Forest, St Malo has matured very nicely indeed over the past quarter of a century. From first (a relatively gentle par five) to last (a great closing hole with a well-guarded green in full view of the clubhouse terrace), this is amongst the very finest of the new generation of French golf courses and it's only half an hour from the ferry terminal at St Malo. There's water on 13 holes and some fiendishly positioned bunkers but don't be put off because the fairways are mostly generous and the greens true. With an on-site hotel, restaurant and bar it's also an excellent place to stay.

Our opinion: One of Brittany's best - every hotel room is different and the course is top class. Favourite Hole: 6th.

Golf de Granville

Located at Bréville, Golf de Granville is a true links and offers sensational views across to the Channel Islands. Re-seeded over recent years, with refurbished bunkers and celebrating its centenary in 2012, Granville is brimming with heritage and bears many tell-tale signs of the great designer Harry Colt, such as several plateau greens which, combined with the wind, present a real challenge in stopping the ball on the putting surface. If you're looking to put together an itinerary featuring different types of courses then this really has to be on your list. Or, if you're simply seeking a top-quality track then Granville ticks that box too. As an added bonus, it's also on the Bay of Mont St Michel so one of the most popular and romantic tourist destinations is nearby, smack bang on the border of Normandy and Brittany.

Our opinion: A 'must play' if you enjoy links golf. Favourite Hole: 5th.

Golf de Coutainville

Golf de Countainville is a classic links course originally founded in 1925 as 9 holes and extended to 18 in 1996. It makes the most of the natural contours of the land which abounds with wildlife, and the excellent drainage means the course can be played year-round. An easy drive from Cherbourg or St.Malo, Coutainville is certainly worth a visit and after playing you will be assured of a warm welcome in the friendly clubhouse.

Our opinion: An excellent holiday links course. Favourite Hole: 16th.

Mercure le Grand Large, Granville***

Reference: HF2769

With direct access to the beach, the Grand Large is in a superb location in the upper part of town where you can enjoy excellent sea views from the lovely wind-proofed sun terrace. A buffet breakfast is served in the conservatory overlooking the sea each morning and there is also a comfortable bar, small gym and Wi-Fi. Granville has an ancient walled town full of history and is also a quaint seaside resort with a busy port and an aquarium - all just a short downhill walk from the hotel.

Golf Barrière de St Julien

Close to Pont l'Evêque, in the heart of the Pays d'Auge is Golf Barrière de St Julien. This traditional style course, with a sprinkling of water hazards, winds through lush Normandy pastures. A very open course in superb settings in one of France's most beautiful regions. Ponds and lakes make for good water hazards and well-placed bunkers are there to catch the wayward. The 9-hole is a good test for beginners and mid-handicappers whilst the 18-hole will suit players of all levels. Following your round, you can relax in the well-appointed clubhouse.

Our opinion: Another very good course just outside Deauville. Favourite Hole: 9th.

Golf Barrière de Deauville

The original 18-hole course was built by Tom Simpson in 1929 and in the 60s, Henry Cotton designed a further 9 holes. The 27 holes of Golf Barrière run through extremely well-maintained woodland on the edge of Deauville. There are magnificent views across both the town and sea, and although not long, the numerous dog-legs and tight fairways demand accuracy from the tee.

Our opinion: A 'must play' but often busy at weekends with members from Paris. Favourite Hole: 17th.

Golf Club du Champ de Bataille

This course has one of the most visually stunning golf holes you're ever likely to see, the 17th, a short but fiendishly tight par three across a valley simply brimming with 100-year-old rhododendrons. You could almost be at Augusta, although this wonderful championship standard course, Golf Club de Champ de Bataille, is amongst the most beautiful in France and has also been compared with Wentworth and Woburn. In the grounds of a magnificent Louis XIV château, Champ de Bataille, the holes meander through valleys and skirt lakes, all whilst bordering ancient trees and flowering bushes.

Our opinion: A 'must play' when in Normandy. Favourite Hole: 17th.

Hôtel du Golf Barrière, Deauville

Reference: HF2809

This luxurious hotel is in the heart of a golf complex which sits in an elevated position on Mount Canisy overlooking the sophisticated coastal town of Deauville (3k). The accommodation is comfortable and well furnished with bedrooms all having a view over the course. When dining there is either the hotel restaurant or the less formal club house.