Morfontaine Golf Club
Hidden in pine forest north of Paris, Morfontaine is Tom Simpson's heathland masterpiece and, by most reckonings, the finest course in France. Completed in 1927, this par 70 of about 6,545 yards is also one of the most private clubs in Europe, a course more admired than played and revered by those who know it.
Photo: Golf de Mortefontaine via Google.
Morfontaine is a private members club with no public green fee and no online booking. Play is for members and their accompanied guests, with a member introduction the only reliable route on. We can advise on whether access is realistic for your group; always confirm directly before planning a visit.
The verdict
Morfontaine is the course French golf measures everything else against. Tom Simpson, the English architect who did some of his best work in France, laid it out for the duc de Gramont on sandy, pine clad ground in the Oise, the original nine completed in 1913 and the full eighteen by 1927. It is heathland golf of the purest kind, an understated par 70 of about 6,545 yards where the genius is in the angles, the green sites and the absence of anything showy.
What makes it great is restraint. There are no forced carries or postcard gimmicks, only a sequence of holes that ask a quiet, relentless series of questions, the bunkering set exactly where a good player wants to be and greens that reward the approach hit from the correct side. Simpson tinkered with it until his death, and Kyle Phillips later restored its detail with a light hand. It is ranked the number one course in France for good reason. See our best of France ranking and the golf in France guide.
Morfontaine at a glance
- Course completed
- 1927
- Designer
- Tom Simpson
- Type
- Heathland
- Par
- 70
- Holes
- 18
- Yardage
- About 6,545 yards
Designer, dates and ranking verified June 2026 from LINKS Magazine, top100golfcourses and Planet Golf. The Grand Parcours, designed by Tom Simpson, was completed in 1927 as a par 70 of about 6,545 yards, around 5,985 meters, with the original nine dating to 1913 and Kyle Phillips restoration work in 2005 and 2009. Morfontaine is a private members club with no public green fee. Always confirm access directly before planning a visit.
The holes worth the trip
Morfontaine reveals itself slowly. The opening holes run through corridors of pine and birch on sandy turf that plays firm and fast, and the round settles into a rhythm of decisions rather than a parade of signature shots. The five par 3s are a study in variety, each a different length and shape, and on a course this understated they carry much of the test.
The greens are the heart of it. Simpson built subtle, tilted surfaces that gather a good shot and repel a careless one, and the bunkering frames the line so the eye is constantly being asked to commit. There is no water to speak of and little length by modern standards, yet the course holds its own against anything because the strategy never lets up. Position off the tee dictates everything that follows.
To walk Morfontaine is to understand why architects make a pilgrimage here. It is golf stripped to its essentials and built to perfection, a heathland routing that feels inevitable, as if the holes were always there in the forest waiting to be found. Few who play it ever forget it.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club; among the hardest courses to access in Europe, with no public green fee and no online booking |
| How to play | Play is for members and their accompanied guests; a member introduction is the only reliable route on |
| Green fee | No public green fee is published; visiting play is by member arrangement only |
| Etiquette | A traditional, discreet club; smart golf dress and a respectful, member led approach are expected |
| Pace | Walking only, caddies and trolleys by arrangement; the experience is unhurried and old fashioned in the best sense |
| Getting there | At Mortefontaine in the Oise, about 48 km north of Paris and close to Chantilly |
Access verified June 2026; Morfontaine's policy is private and tightly controlled, so always confirm directly before planning a visit. Ask about access through our trip desk.
Where to stay nearby
Most visitors base themselves at nearby Chantilly, a handsome town with its chateau, racecourse and the great Chantilly golf course, another Tom Simpson and Harry Colt classic. From there both Morfontaine and Chantilly sit within a short drive, and central Paris is under an hour for a city and golf trip.
For a fuller golf break around the capital, add Le Golf National and the classic clubs west of the city. See our golf in France guide and the best courses in France ranking for how Morfontaine fits a wider itinerary.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Chantilly and Paris.
Build a Paris golf trip
Morfontaine is hard to reach, but a trip built around Chantilly and the great courses near Paris is very much within reach. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation, and advises honestly on what access is realistic.
Morfontaine questions
Can you play Golf de Morfontaine as a visitor?
Morfontaine is a private members club and one of the hardest courses to access in Europe. There is no public green fee and no online booking; play is for members and their accompanied guests, with a member introduction the only reliable route. Always confirm access directly before planning a visit.
Who designed Morfontaine and when did it open?
Tom Simpson designed Morfontaine. The original nine hole Valliere course dates to 1913 and the eighteen hole Grand Parcours was completed in 1927. Kyle Phillips carried out sympathetic restoration work in 2005 and 2009.
Where is Morfontaine and what is the course like?
Morfontaine sits in pine forest and heathland at Mortefontaine in the Oise, about 48 km north of Paris. It is a par 70 of about 6,545 yards, an understated heathland design routed through sandy ground, widely ranked the number one course in France.
Is Morfontaine ranked the best course in France?
Yes. Morfontaine is consistently ranked the finest course in France in major course rankings and sits among the top courses in continental Europe, prized for the purity and subtlety of Tom Simpson's heathland design.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, dates and ranking verified June 2026; access policy verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.