Summer Road Trip to France with DFDS - Part Three
Travel · 20 Oct 2026 · 4 min read
Dinard to Jersey
Art deco links, a Breton hideaway and two Channel Island classics
DinardArt deco by the sea
Following a 90-minute drive from St. Just in Brittany, we arrived at the stunning Dinard Golf Club, with its Miami-style art deco clubhouse.
Dinard Golf Club
Established in 1887, this historic club is spectacular - some of the most stunning scenery imaginable, paired with a delightful old-fashioned links course.
It’s not a long course, and it’s quirky in places, but the experience is so much more than just playing golf. Sitting well above sea level, the course affords views of the rugged coastline from so many angles that we kept stopping for photographs as one jaw-dropping backdrop appeared after another.
A round at Dinard
One jaw-dropping backdrop appeared after another.
The post-golf experience was great too; the vibrant clubhouse was busy, and lunch was clearly a ritual many enjoy at Dinard!
L’Oisette, Epiniac
That evening, we checked into L’Oisette, a private house on the edge of Les Ormes Golf Club. The hosts looked after us wonderfully in their beautiful home, which sits right on the fairway. The house is spacious and comfortably furnished, with plenty of room to relax after a day on the course, and it’s listed on Booking.com, so it’s easy for other travellers to book.
Waking up to golfers passing on an adjacent fairway and riders out on horseback made us truly appreciate the lifestyle of north-west France.
Why it works for groups: given its location, size and the sheer beauty of the surroundings, L’Oisette would make a fantastic base for a group of golfers wanting easy access to Les Ormes and the wider Brittany golf scene, or equally for a family who want golf to be part of a broader holiday without it dominating the trip. It’s the kind of place that could anchor several days of exploring on its own.
Granville · CombourgGranville, again
L’Hypothèse
Back to Granville Golf Club for another round, then dinner in the delightful village of Combourg at a restaurant called L’Hypothèse, to round off a long day on the links.
The menu leant into classic Breton fare, and we washed it down with a locally produced cider - crisp, refreshing, and the perfect match after a day in the sun. A relaxed, satisfying way to end a long day on the links.
Saint-Malo → St HelierSunrise sailing to Jersey
Saint-Malo is beautiful - and watching the sun rise over it from the deck of our DFDS ferry en route to St Helier, Jersey was a special experience.
After a short 90-minute crossing, we headed to our accommodation for the next two nights: the Somerville Hotel in St Aubin, a picturesque harbour village across the bay from St Helier. The Somerville involved a bit of a climb, but it was worth it for the view across the bay.
La Moye Golf Club
From there it was on to La Moye Golf Club. The moment you walk in, you sense you’re at a top-quality club - everything felt a little less sun-scorched than in France, and the clubhouse, overlooking the sea, was seriously impressive.
The sea is visible from most of the holes at La Moye, and the course has drawn contributions from many notable architects since it was first laid out in 1902 - not least James Braid in 1934. More recently, two dramatic new holes have been added by Mackenzie & Ebert.
Saint-Malo sunrise to La Moye
The course itself is excellent, the food outstanding, and the atmosphere exactly what you’d expect from a busy, popular members’ club.
Grouville, JerseyRoyal Jersey
A round at Royal Jersey
Royal Jersey Golf Club
Next was Royal Jersey - a historic club with links to Harry Vardon, Ted Ray and Tommy Horton. The statue of Harry Vardon at the entrance gates, followed by the impressive clubhouse - which, given its location close to the shoreline, could pass for a prestigious yacht club - sets the tone perfectly for a delightful golf club.
Medieval forts and castles dot the coastline, and the setting is stunning. The first hole provides a daunting tee shot, requiring a laser-straight strike between a large stone fort and the sea.
Jack Nicklaus once called it one of the most intimidating opening tee shots in golf!
The course itself is great fun, with wonderful views throughout. It’s relatively short but tricky in places, offering plenty of challenging and exacting shots. The food, once again, was superb.
St Helier → PooleThe journey home
The journey home was via a DFDS ferry from St Helier to Poole - four stress-free hours, giving us plenty of time to reflect on a fabulous tour.
A good old-fashioned road trip, made possible by three DFDS sailings, let us experience wonderful courses, restaurants, towns and sights along the way. Of course, travelling by boat and car isn’t as fast as flying, but the freedom of having your car and all your belongings to hand is genuinely enjoyable.
Food for thought: it did occur to us that if you were travelling in the other direction - from France, or indeed anywhere on mainland Europe - and made the crossings at the same ports, you’d have all the Kent coast courses to play, plus the tremendous heathlands around Bournemouth and everything in between. Not sure we could have coped with that much golf!