Many people opt for Portugal, Turkey or Spain for their annual golf trip, but what about driving down to Le Touquet in northern France instead?
The NCG Top 100s Tour made the visit in early April, doing so for the second year in succession, and it might well be the easiest golf trip to continental Europe that you can enjoy.
You don’t have to park up and leave your car somewhere. You don’t have to get your luggage and golf clubs out of the boot and drag it across two airports. You don’t have to ration yourself to half a dozen balls and one pair of shoes. You don’t have to check in and trust your precious golf clubs to the baggage handlers.
There are two simple options. You can drive to Folkestone to get on the Channel Tunnel, where you stay in your car for the 45-minute journey to France. Or you drive to Dover to get the ferry, which takes slightly longer, but you can get out of your car and enjoy the restaurant and shops on the ferry.
Then, when you get to France, you don’t have to go through passport control as you’ve already done that bit at Folkestone or Dover. You don’t have to wait around with fingers crossed, hoping to see your golf clubs coming round the airport luggage carousel in one piece. No, you just continue on in your car for the short run to Le Touquet.
RELATED – NCG Top 100s: Le Touquet
Five great golf courses between Le Touquet and Hardelot
It isn’t just Le Touquet that this part of France has to offer when it comes to golfing attractions. Within 20 miles sits Golf d’Hardelot, with another 36 holes to add to the 45 that are on offer at Le Touquet.
Le Touquet
There are 45 holes of golf at Le Touquet. Those are split across two 18-hole courses – La Foret and La Mer – along with a 9-hole track – La Manoir.
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The three were all designed and constructed prior to the Second World War, but the area became desolate and the courses overgrown. However, over the next few decades, work was put in to bring Le Touquet back to its former glory.
La Foret is not just the oldest course at the venue, but it is also one of the oldest golf courses in all of continental Europe. Its history dates back to 1904, La Foret taking its name from the forest setting.
Recent renovations of the resort have seen new greens implemented on some holes. The fairways are wider than they look, as tall trees overhang tee boxes, making you feel somewhat claustrophobic at times. There are also streams and bunkers to watch out for on La Foret, a course that is a test, but does also give you some good opportunities to score well.
1928 saw work begin on La Mer, designed by Harry Colt and flowing through the dunes of the region. La Mer’s 18-hole course is as close to a links course as it gets in France.
When you think of links golf, you think of undulating greens. La Mer certainly has that as one of its defences. There will be some holes where you think you’re in for an easy two-putt, but think again. The undulations are subtle, and some of them are very unforgiving!
If you have a moment when you get to the 18th tee, make sure to go up to the very top of the dune on the left of the tee box. From there, you have a panoramic view of the course, as well as being able to see the sea (la mer in French) to the west.
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If you weren’t sure about the venue’s championship credentials – La Mer played host to the Open de France on six occasions, with the great Seve Ballesteros taking the victory at Le Touquet in 1976.
The resort also has a short 9-hole course – La Manoir. It was designed and constructed in the middle of the La Foret course, and provides a great alternative for those not wanting to play a full 18. There is just the one par 5, while the course also has a trio of par 3s to make it a par 34.
Then, there is the wonderful clubhouse. Filled with memorabilia from the resort’s time as the Open de France host, and with panoramic views from the dining area and terrace, it is a great place to relax either before or after a round of golf at Le Touquet.
Hardelot
Less than half an hour down the road sits the 36-hole venue of Hardelot. Again, like Le Touquet, its two 18-hole layouts are very different.
Like Le Touquet’s La Mer, Les Pins at Hardelot has had a British influence. Tom Simpson – known for designing the likes of Muirfield, Royal Porthcawl, Sunningdale New and Cruden Bay – was the man behind Les Pins.
The course was designed in the mid-1930s and, as its name suggests, the tall French pine trees line pretty much every single yard of these fairways. That doesn’t mean it isn’t scoreable though. Avoid some of the largest bunkers on the continent and you can certainly make some birdies – beginning with the opening par 5.
The younger of the two courses at Hardelot is Les Dunes, which only opened in 1991. It was the brainchild of Paul Rollin and Jean-Claude Cornillot, and it has bedded in beautifully with its surroundings.
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Hilly terrain, steep run-offs and sand dunes are all part of the charm of the course. There are also holes which are tree-lined, and even the odd lake here and there. It is a beautiful golf course, and one that will test every aspect of your game. If you have a good score in your hand coming down the last, will you lay up short of the lake and try and get up and down for par and go for glory with your long approach shot?
Le Manoir – the perfect boutique accommodation
Le Manoir Hotel is the perfect place to stay during your time in northern France. From rooms facing out over the road, you can actually see the clubhouse and the start of both La Foret and La Manoir courses. The clubhouse is only a two-minute walk from the hotel lobby, so you don’t even need to drive to the club for a game of golf.
The building was constructed shortly before the First World War as a family home for Allen Stoneham, with the road that the golf club sits on now being named after the Englishman. Recently, the hotel has undergone renovations, but its style has remained the same.
It is a boutique hotel – there are only 40 rooms – but all the little details have been thought of. The rooms are quaint, and there’s none of this electronic key card lark – you get a proper key with the Le Touquet logo on. You can even hand the key back to the reception desk when you leave to go and play golf for the afternoon.
There is a lovely bar area with a big-screen projector, perfect for watching sport during the evening. Across the other side of the lobby sits the restaurant, which is beautifully decorated. The food is sublime, both at breakfast and in the evenings, while room service is also available at Le Manoir if you don’t want to go downstairs.
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At the back of the hotel, there are gardens to enjoy, with the resort being in a lovely estate. During the summer months, the swimming pool (which is heated) opens up, while there is both tennis and snooker to enjoy throughout the year – with rackets and cues provided.
So, if you’re one of those golfing groups that has flown to Portugal, Spain or Turkey for the last few years on their annual golf trip and is looking for something different, why not just catch the ferry or rail-crossing over to France and spend a week at Le Touquet? You won’t be disappointed!
NCG Top 100s Rankings
The Le Touquet Resort has become a staple of the NCG Top 100s: European Resorts list, having been a part of the top 25 for a number of years now.
It is one of three French resorts to be inside the top 25 on the NCG Top 100s: European Resorts list, alongside Cabot Bordeaux and the Evian Resort.
NCG Top 100s: European Resorts
You can stay and play at Le Touquet on the NCG Top 100s Tour in the 2026 season!
- Book your spot to stay and play at Le Touquet on the NCG Top 100s Tour in March 2026 here.
Get in touch with Le Touquet
Now have your say
Have you ever made the trip to Le Touquet to play golf? Let us know your thoughts on the French resort with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
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