The South of France is golf for people who appreciate the finer things. The courses run through Provençal pine and vineyard, along the Riviera coast and up into the hills behind Cannes and Nice, and they come with the light, food and scenery that made the region famous.
It is an easy trip: short flights to Nice, Marseille or Montpellier, good roads, and a cluster of excellent courses within an hour or two of each other. The golf ranges from grand five-star resorts to characterful older clubs, and the shoulder seasons — late spring and early autumn — are close to perfect.
Base yourself near the Riviera (Cannes, Nice) for coastal glamour and the best resort course in France, in Provence for vineyard golf and hill villages, or around Montpellier for the quieter, better-value Languedoc coast.
Standout courses
Terre Blanche (Le Château)
from €160Tourrettes, near Cannes
France's finest resort golf — two Dave Thomas championship courses in the hills above the Riviera, immaculate and dramatic, at a five-star spa resort. The signature destination of the region.
Golf de Saint-Endréol
from €80La Motte, Provence
A spectacular course through a Provençal valley of rock, water and vineyard, with the famous par-3 13th plunging to a lake. Wild, scenic and great value.
Golf Old Course Cannes-Mandelieu
from €90Mandelieu, Riviera
One of the oldest courses on the continent (1891), a flat, characterful layout among towering umbrella pines beside the sea — a slice of Riviera golf history.
Golf de Barbaroux
from €70Brignoles, Provence
A Pete and P.B. Dye design inland in the Var, a proper strategic test among the pines and rock outcrops, and excellent value away from the coast.
Golf de Fontcaude / La Grande-Motte
from €55Montpellier & Languedoc coast
The Languedoc coast offers quieter, cheaper golf near Montpellier — a relaxed, sunny alternative to the Riviera with beaches and Roman towns nearby.
Good to know
When to go
April to June and September to October are the best months — warm and dry without the July–August heat and crowds. Coastal courses stay playable through a mild winter.
How to plan it
Fly to Nice for the Riviera and Terre Blanche, or Marseille/Montpellier for Provence and the Languedoc. A hire car is essential; most courses are within an hour or two of each base.
More than golf
This is a region to slow down in — vineyards, hilltop villages, markets and Mediterranean beaches. Build rest days around Aix-en-Provence, the Luberon or the Riviera towns.
Etiquette & booking
Standards are high at the resort courses; collared shirts and soft spikes are expected and tee times should be booked ahead in season. Buggies are available at most clubs.
