Let Monaco Life be your guide as we tour the best 18-hole golf courses that the region has to offer.
Whether for business or pleasure, there’s no denying the power of a good round of golf.
The area surrounding the Principality of Monaco – that is to say the south of France or French Riviera as well as Italy’s Liguria just over the border – is full of excellent golf courses. Here is Part I in a series of our favourites.
Right outside of Monaco, in the French town of La Turbie, is the Monte-Carlo Golf Club. Due to the limited space and generally rocky terrain of the Principality, which is totally unsuited to the rolling greens needed for a good golf course, the Monte-Carlo Golf Club is the best that Monaco has got in terms of proximity. And it’s pretty good.
The course sits at 900 metres above sea level so stunning views are one of the biggest draws; nine holes face the Mediterranean and the other nine look out to the often snow-capped peaks of the Alps. The Par 71 and 6,000+ metre course is over 100 years old and open every day. Non-member green fees are €140 during the week and €170 at weekends and on bank holidays. Given that Société des Bains de Mer owns the course, guests at its hotels can get a sizeable discount on both these figures.
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Our next stop is east of the Principality: the Circolo Golf Degli Ulivi in Sanremo. This is another well-established course, having opened in 1932. Nestled between olive trees and mimosa, this “narrow and complex” Par 69 and 5,690 metre course is a beauty year-round and regularly hosts competitions, local and international alike. Click here for a hole-by-hole rundown of the course by Donato Di Ponziano.
Membership fees run at €2,300 for single players and €4,200 for couples. The weekday green fee is €60 and €80 at the weekend.
Now we head west of Monaco and over to the Golf Royal Mougins. This is more of a resort than a course, with a full 18 holes across a challenging Par 71 and 6,004 metres as well as a four-star hotel, spa and restaurant. It also has a Prime Golf Academy that is headed up by Stéphane Damiano.
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It’s one of the newer courses in the region, having been designed by the late Robert von Hagge in 1993, but it still very respected on the European circuit. Green fees are €190 in high season and €110 in low.
Down on the coast, the Riviera Golf de Barbossi is something of an oasis. Located between the sparkling Mediterranean, the red rocks of the Esterel and the verdant forests of Mandelieu, its 5,461 metre and Par 71 course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Senior in 1991 and then redeveloped 15 years ago by its current owners, the Domaine de Barbossi. Luxe in true French Riviera style is to be found here, with a number of high-quality restaurants and spa facilities on site, as well as a hotel, country club and even vineyard. The course also boasts a permanent collection of contemporary art sculptures.
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Green fees are typically €105 during the week although the price does drop down steadily towards the end of the day.
For the complete list of golf courses in the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var, please click here.
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Main photo: Riviera Golf de Barbossi