Saint-Nom-la-Breteche Red Course
For decades this was where the stars came to play in autumn. Fred Hawtree's Red Course, the Rouge, was the championship heart of the Trophee Lancome, a parkland eighteen rolling through the wooded estates west of Paris near Versailles. It is private, polished and quietly grand: not the longest test in France, but one of the most storied, and a course that asks for finesse rather than force.
Photo: Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Breteche via Google.
The verdict
Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Breteche is one of the grand names of French golf, founded at the end of the 1950s in the rolling, wooded country of the Yvelines just beyond Versailles. The club runs two courses, and the Red, the Rouge, is the championship layout: a Fred Hawtree design from 1959 of par 72 and about 6,253 yards that for more than three decades formed the tournament test, alongside the Blue, for the Trophee Lancome.
That event drew the greatest players of the era to the club each autumn, and the Red still carries the air of a course built to host them. It is parkland golf of the classic European kind: mature trees lining generous but defined corridors, gentle elevation changes, and greens that put a premium on the approach. It does not overwhelm with length, which is exactly why good players rate it. Position off the tee, control of trajectory into the green and a sure touch on the slick, well guarded putting surfaces are what separate a good score from an ordinary one. It is exclusive, and getting on takes planning, but for a golfer who wants to walk the same fairways as the Lancome champions, an hour from central Paris, there are few more rewarding rounds in the country.
Saint-Nom Red at a glance
- Opened
- 1959
- Designer
- Fred Hawtree
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 6,253 yds
- Access
- Private members
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Breteche and leading course databases: Fred Hawtree, opened 1959, par 72, about 6,253 yards. Saint-Nom is a private members' club; when visitor play is arranged, indicative green fees are in the region of 150 euros, varying by season, day and route of access. Always confirm access and current rates directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Red reveals itself slowly. The opening holes settle you into the rhythm of the place, fairways framed by the mature oaks and chestnuts of the old estate, before the routing begins to use the gentle folds of the land to test your shaping and your nerve. There is little water and no contrived drama; the defense is classical, built from trees, fairway shape, bunkering and greens that reward the player who can land the ball on the correct shelf.
The par 3s are a particular pleasure, each demanding a different club and a committed strike to a green that gives little back to the timid. The two shotters ask you to favor one side off the tee to open the approach, and the player who simply aims at the middle and hopes will find the angles closing down. Through the middle of the round the course climbs and falls just enough to leave you with the half blind pitch or the uneven lie that turns a routine par into a scramble, and the closing holes, played back toward the elegant clubhouse, carry the quiet pressure of a course that has seen so many tournaments decided.
What stays with you is the polish. The conditioning is immaculate, the greens run fast and true, and the whole experience has the unhurried confidence of a club that has nothing left to prove. It is a course for the golfer who values shotmaking and history over raw spectacle, and on a crisp Ile-de-France afternoon there are few finer places to play.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members' club; visitor play is limited and usually arranged through a member, a recognized booking partner or a tour operator |
| Green fee | Around 150 euros when visitor play is available (indicative 2026), varying by season, day and access route |
| Booking | Arrange well in advance through your trip planner; a valid handicap certificate is required and tee time windows for visitors are restricted |
| On the day | Walking parkland golf with caddies and carts available; smart dress code in keeping with a private French club |
| Getting there | In the Yvelines west of Paris near Versailles, roughly 30 to 45 minutes from the city center and from the main Paris airports |
| Best months | May to October, with the classic Lancome window of early autumn often the most beautiful time to play |
Access and fee details verified June 2026 from the club and leading course sources; private club policies and rates change, so always confirm directly before booking.
Where to stay nearby
Most visitors playing Saint-Nom base themselves either in Versailles, a short drive away and a destination in its own right, or in central Paris and travel out for the round. Both work well given the easy connections, and Versailles in particular makes an elegant golf and culture pairing for a long weekend.
Saint-Nom sits at the heart of the cluster of great courses around the capital, so it slots naturally into a wider France golf trip alongside the other classics of the Ile-de-France and the forests to the north.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels near Saint-Nom-la-Breteche.
Build a Paris golf trip
We arrange access to the private clubs around Paris, line up Saint-Nom alongside the other Ile-de-France classics, and base you in Versailles or the city to suit. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Saint-Nom-la-Breteche questions
Who designed the Red Course at Saint-Nom-la-Breteche?
The Red Course, known as the Rouge, was designed by the English architect Fred Hawtree and opened in 1959. It is the championship eighteen of the two courses at Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Breteche, west of Paris.
What is the par and length of the Saint-Nom Red Course?
The Red Course is a par 72 measuring about 6,253 yards. It plays through gently undulating parkland in two nine hole loops and was long the tournament course for the Trophee Lancome.
Can visitors play Saint-Nom-la-Breteche?
Saint-Nom-la-Breteche is a private members' club, one of the most exclusive in France. Visitor access is limited and usually arranged through a member, a recognized booking partner or a tour operator, with a valid handicap certificate required. Always arrange access in advance.
What tournament was played at Saint-Nom-la-Breteche?
The Red and Blue courses combined to host the Trophee Lancome, one of European golf's marquee invitational events, from 1970 until 2003, drawing the era's greatest players to the club through the autumn.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par, yardage and access verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.