The 10 Best Golf Courses in the South of France

Terre Blanche is simply the finest golf resort in the South of France — full stop. Terre Blanche has two 18-hole courses designed by Dave Thomas: Le Château and Le Riou, and has scored very high in the annual Golfers Choice Awards for years, even reaching number one in 2017. Le Château is a demanding 6,616-metre par-72 course ranked 14th by Golf World Magazine UK's Best Courses in Continental Europe, featuring spectacular water hazards and championship-calibre greens. Le Riou is slightly more forgiving but technically demanding, and exclusively reserved for club members and hotel guests. Once owned by Sean Connery and later acquired by German entrepreneur Dietmar Hopp, the resort has become one of Europe's premier golf destinations. The five-star hotel, the spa, the dining — everything is world-class. Block off a full weekend.

If you want to feel like a Tour pro for a day, Royal Mougins is your place. Founded in 1993 and designed by world-famous American architect Robert von Hagge, this par-71 extends 6,004m through a lush, wooded vale in the heart of a Provençal forest, just 10 minutes from Cannes. Spectacular holes trace their path through luxurious villas, with slick roller-coaster greens defended by huge white bunkers. Green fees include buggies and plenty of range balls. Royal Mougins is a reference on the French Riviera for the quality of its championship course and for its preserved natural environment, with all the top-of-the-range services making it a unique place. The terrace restaurant overlooking the 18th is the perfect place to replay your round over a glass of Provence rosé.

Playing golf 900 meters above Monaco with the Mediterranean shimmering below you is an experience that belongs on every golfer's bucket list. Set on a hilltop about 900 metres above the Principality, the Monte Carlo Golf Club is a classic dating back to a 1911 design by golden-age architect Willie Park Junior. Meandering along the lower slopes of Mont Agel, this par-71 delivers interesting routing, dramatic elevation changes, natural hazards, uneven lies, and some wonderful views — with exposure to the prevailing Mediterranean winds making the narrow fairways a genuine challenge. Holes 5 and 7 offer spectacular views of Monaco itself — you can even see the Italian coast on a clear day. The club was founded under the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM), the prominent Monegasque company responsible for Monaco's finest luxury hotels and casinos. It hosted multiple editions of the Monte-Carlo Open — Seve and Woosnam both won here. What more do you need?

Taulane is the wildcard — and arguably the most spectacular course on this entire list. Located between the Côte d'Azur and the Gorges du Verdon, this 18-hole mountain course designed by Gary Player sits at 1,000 meters altitude at the foot of the Verdon mountains, set in the heart of a splendid 18th-century château in unspoiled nature. The air is crisp, the views are breathtaking, the elevation adds distance to every shot, and the sense of isolation is complete. A true mountain golf experience unlike anything else in the region. Note: the course is closed from late October to early April, so plan your visit for the spring or summer season. Worth every minute of the drive.

This is where history meets impeccable condition. Located in Mougins, this historic club (est. 1923) hosts its 18-hole par-72 course through the protected Valmasque forest, with a slightly hilly layout crossed by a river and dotted with water hazards. Greens are fast, tricky, and superbly maintained. The signature opening par-4, with a narrow fairway flanked by water, sets the tone immediately — this course means business. Cannes-Mougins is also a proud bearer of the "Golf for Biodiversity" label from the French Golf Federation and the National Museum of Natural History, underscoring its commitment to its stunning natural setting. The stone clubhouse is magnificent, and yes, Seve Ballesteros and Ian Woosnam are both on the Honours Board.

The oldest golf course on the Côte d'Azur, and one of the most atmospheric in all of France. The Cannes-Mandelieu Old Course was designed by Harry Colt in 1891 at the request of Grand Duke Michel of Russia. The "Grand Old Lady" of the Côte d'Azur sits on flat land under spreading parasol pines, split into four quarters by a river and a railway line. But the truly singular feature — unlike anywhere else in golf — is the ferryman. You cross the Siagne River by ferry from hole 2 to hole 3, and again from hole 12 to hole 13, a truly unique experience during a round of golf. Don't forget to tip the ferryman — it's tradition. The Norman-style clubhouse is gorgeous and dripping with history. This is a pilgrimage course, pure and simple.

If there's one course that perfectly captures the soul of the French Riviera hinterland, it's Opio Valbonne. One of the two historic golf courses of the South of France, this 18-hole par-72 layout sits in a protected 220-hectare estate between sea and mountains, shaded by century-old trees — with a Gallo-Roman aqueduct winding through the fairways. The front nine demand precision and smart iron play; the back nine reward those who can shape the ball off the tee. The crown jewel is the par-3 18th, a gorgeous downhill hole finishing in front of the terrace. The fairways are bordered by olives, oaks, and pines, and the course fits perfectly into the Provençal landscape. Stay the night at the Château de la Bégude, a charming 17th-century bastide sitting right on the course, and you'll never want to leave.

Claux-Amic is the region's best-kept secret — a beautifully rugged course perched in the hills of Grasse that rewards players who love strategy over raw power. Located at 600 meters altitude above Grasse, this 18-hole par-72 course offers exceptional views across the bay of Cannes, the Lérins Islands, and the Estérel mountains. This historic estate, formerly a hunting lodge, is surrounded by a centuries-old stone wall, with narrow fairways winding through pine, oak, and broom forests. The course is technical and requires tactical accuracy more than raw distance — holes 3 and 12 in particular offer panoramas that will make you forget what score you're playing. The atmosphere is relaxed and authentic, with a friendly restaurant terrace tucked into the forest edge. A hidden gem.

When you want to escape the glitz and just play golf in nature, the Golf de l'Estérel delivers every time. Located at the foot of the majestic Massif de l'Estérel near Saint-Raphaël, this 18-hole par-71 championship course designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones Sr. is surrounded by lush Mediterranean pine trees and serene natural beauty, providing a challenging yet rewarding layout. Its pronounced relief, umbrella pine forests, and doglegs make it a unique course — demanding concentration and variety in both the long game and short approach play. Very sunny, with a beautiful panorama of the Estérel massif and a breathtaking sunset. The club also features a 300-meter driving range and an academy course by Jeremy Pern. A classic Riviera experience without the premium price tag.

Grande Bastide is the most accessible and social course on the Riviera, and golfers of all levels love it for exactly that reason. Filling a large, shallow bowl just outside Grasse, it has a very North American feel — with plenty of water and sand meeting your eye under the gaze of the overlooking hills. Designed by Cabell Robinson, once a partner of Robert Trent Jones Senior, it offers wide-open fairways and greens protected by numerous bunkers and water obstacles, with magnificent views of Grasse, Opio, and Châteauneuf de Grasse. It's compact, fun, and forgiving enough for a casual round but punishing enough for those who get sloppy. A great first stop for visiting golfers who want to ease into the region's courses before tackling the trickier ones.