Part 1

Only a golfer will fully understand how a family wedding invitation in Brittany could turn into a golfing road trip that started in Dover and ended in Poole, Dorset - but that’s exactly what happened this August, courtesy of DFDS Ferries.

Driving down to Brittany was the obvious choice. Between the wedding outfits, the presents, and a venue that sat a fair distance from both Rennes and Nantes airports, taking the car made the decision easy.

The obvious route into France was Dover to Calais, though Newhaven to Dieppe was also on the table. But the pull of Le Touquet and Hardelot golf resort, just 30 minutes from Calais, proved impossible to resist - surely it would be madness to pass by without stopping for a round or two. That single thought snowballed by the day, eventually growing into a wonderful two-week adventure across northern France and back to England via Jersey.

Day 1

A 5.30am start for the 9.30am crossing from Dover was no hardship - there was a genuine buzz of excitement about what lay ahead, and with a 2.30pm tee time booked at Les Pins, Golf d’Hardelot, we were on a mission.

Given how many people travel on the first day of August, the Port of Dover worked brilliantly - the signage was clear enough that even the most nervous traveller would have no trouble finding the right boat.

No sooner have the White Cliffs of Dover faded into the background than the French coast comes into view, and with the weather close to perfect, being out at sea is a joy.

A coffee and croissant, a browse round Duty Free, and before you know it you’re sailing along the French coast into the Port of Calais. Thirty minutes later, the first tee awaits at Les Pins.

The pines are everywhere, as the name suggests, with the course weaving its way through the forest. It’s ranked 10^th in France by Golf World, and it lives up to that billing, with plenty of elevation change and beautifully crafted holes. There are plans for a new clubhouse to replace the slightly underwhelming current one - when that arrives, it will only add to the experience. A great start to the trip!

The final act of the day, before dinner, was checking into the renowned Le Manoir Hôtelsituated directly opposite the Le Touquet golf resort. It’s been a popular haunt for golfers for many years, and it’s clear that standards have been maintained to a very high level.

It’s also worth mentioning the Étaples Military Cemetery nearby, with over 11,000 graves from both World Wars - an unforgettable and haunting experience that brings home how deeply this stretch of coast is bound up with both conflicts.

Day 2

The prospect of playing La Mer at Le Touquet for the first time in decades was exciting. My memory of the first round, played in thoroughly rough weather, was hazy at best - beyond recalling it as a typically strong Harry Colt design. This time the weather couldn’t have been more different, with not a cloud in the sky; fortunately, the course was every bit as good as I remembered. It isn’t a typical links, sitting some way back from the sea and carrying a fair number of trees, but it plays very much like one, with dunes and sand-based playing surfaces throughout. Without the wind it was a strong enough test; with it, it would have been very tough indeed.

After some well-earned cocktails on the hotel terrace, we headed into town to the famed fish restaurant Pérard. You just knew it was going to be good - it’s attached to a fresh fish market - and sure enough the seafood was outstanding and incredibly good value. A fine Sancerre complemented the food perfectly, and a stroll down to the beach and through the town rounded off an excellent day.

Day 3

La Forêt is great fun, if quite a bit easier than La Mer. As the name suggests, it’s carved out of the forest and has a lovely tranquillity to it, which, combined with a less punishing design, makes for a hugely enjoyable round. The shade from the trees was welcome too.

After a light lunch in the busy clubhouse, we hit the road for Deauville. Reflecting on this first stage of the trip, we agreed we needed longer next time - we hadn’t managed to play Golf d’Hardelot’s Les Dunes, Wimereux or Belle Dune, all quality courses in the area. We agreed that there’s a reason this golfing region has endured with a British audience: the golf is excellent, certainly, but there’s also a special, laid-back ambiance to the place, backed up by a lively town with great food and wine.