Golf de Chantilly (Vineuil course)

Golf de Chantilly's Vineuil course (also known as the "Old Course") is a true “aristocrat” of French golf, widely regarded as one of the country's finest layouts. Located just over a kilometre from the sumptuous Château de Chantilly, the mix of open parkland and tree-lined holes are laid out on gently undulating terrain, surrounded by the Forêt de Chantilly.

At this prestigious and much revered club, the out-and-back course is full of understated excellence, with a big dash of old world charm. Here you'll find some of the best putting surfaces and green complexes on any course around Paris. The immaculately maintained, large testing greens are fronted by equally impressive aprons.

Easy to walk (until the final trio of holes), the gently rolling layout offers generally good width fairways, defended by plenty of stylish bunkering. Water hazards don't play any part in proceedings, and that perennial heathland duo, heather and gorse, are also absent. Chantilly's courses are certainly of the parkland genre ... tree-lined in parts, more open in others.

Here at Chantilly you can enjoy the special atmosphere of a wonderfully quiet woodland environment, on a revered parkland golf course that blends many open as well as tree-lined stretches. Immediately to the east is the Dolce Chantilly resort and golf course, but you'll not be aware of its presence on the other side of a thick band of trees and bushes.

Pick of the holes: created in Chantilly's modern era by Martin Hawtree, the 11th is simply sublime. On this exquisite mid-length par-3, the green complex is beautifully mounded and bunker-defended.
And you'll not easily forget the 16-17-18 trio ... a surprise package in terms of elevation changes. These three closing holes capture the greatest amount of elevation change on the course, courtesy of a small ravine that threads its way through them. Both the 16th and 18th greens (as well as the Longères course's 9th and 18th greens) sit snuggly in front of the distinctive clubhouse.