Golf de Fontainebleau, France

Inaugurated in 1909, the Golf de Fontainebleau course is one of the oldest in France.

Created by Frenchman Julien Chantepie, redesigned in 1920 by Tom Simpson, alongated and modified by Fred Hawtree, its located in the Fontainebleau Forest, near the town, on the ancient imperial hunting grounds. Its narrow fairways are bordered with various species of trees such as pines, silver birch, wild cherry, beech and centenary oak. It is very well equipped with 103 fine sand bunkers and also, dense outcrops of brooms, lilacs, ferns and wonderful jennets, which makes the course so attractive and difficult. And, according to the seasons, a symphony of colours and the scents of nature awaits you.

Due to its sandy ground, the ground is soft and is perfectly playable at any moment however bad the weather conditions may be. Its Norman style clubhouse is decorated with tree frescoes painted by Paul Tavernier, member of the Barbizon school. A great traditional golf club, many golfers consider Fontainebleau as one of the best in Europe. In 2001, it was ranked by the Golf European magazine readers, as number 1 in France and is classed 17th in the Golf World Top 50 Continental golf courses.