France - Pas de Calais
After a short hop across the Channel you can be on the course in less than two hours
GETTING THERE
SeaFrance (www.seafrance.com) offers ferry crossings, taking 70 minutes from Dover to Calais.
Alternatively you could take the Eurotunnel (www.eurotunnel.com) from Folkestone to Calais which takes 35 minutes.
WHERE TO PLAY
East of Calais, Dunkerque has 27 holes featuring plenty of water and playing around ancient fortifications designed by the famous Vauban in the 17th century.
South of Calais lies Hardelot which boasts two courses ? Les Pins and Les Dunes ? and is incredibly popular with the British.
Le Touquet, further south, again has two courses ? La Forêt and La Mer. Further south still lies Belle Dune. This links course opened in 1992 but has established itself as one of the premier courses in France. The fairways gently undulate and there are fine views of the Channel.
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WHERE TO STAY
Le Manoir hotel is close to the Le Touquet courses and offers golf packages.
Le Bristol is in the centre of Le Touquet and is a good budget option 150 yards from the beach.
OFF COURSE
The area is rich in war history, particularly around Dunkirk. Visit the enormous concrete Nazi bunker near Watten built by thousands of prisoners of war. Hidden in a forest it was intended to shelter a factory for manufacturing rocket fuel.
The north region near the Belgian border is the one part of France where beer is drunk in preference to wine and offers a great variety of beverages. Go shopping in Roubaix while in December, Calais has a Christmas market with an open-air skating rink.
CONTACTS BOOK
A golf pass allows you to play six courses in the region. Visit www.golfencotedopale.com to find out more
Dunkerque
W: www.golf-dk.com
Hardelot/Le Touquet
W: www.opengolfclub.com
Belle Dune
W: www.golfencotedopale.com