Golf in Biarritz and the Basque Coast
The birthplace of French resort golf, where an 1888 course still plays beside the lighthouse, Tom Simpson's Chiberta runs through the dunes of Anglet and the pine forests of the Landes hide some of the best value golf in Europe. The courses that matter, the seasons, the costs and how to plan it.
Photograph: Golf de Biarritz, BIARRITZ GOLF ACADEMIE, via Google
Why golf here
Biarritz is where golf first put down roots on the European mainland's Atlantic coast. The British colony that wintered here founded Golf de Biarritz Le Phare in 1888, making it one of the oldest courses in continental Europe, and the game spread along the coast with them: J.H. Taylor laid out La Nivelle above Saint-Jean-de-Luz in 1907, Harry Colt built Chantaco for the family that would marry into the Lacoste name, and Tom Simpson delivered Chiberta in the Anglet dunes in 1927. Within a short drive of one elegant surf town you can play a century and a half of golf architecture.
The setting seals it. The Basque coast stacks ocean, mountains and food culture in a way few golf destinations can match: morning rounds beside the Atlantic, the Pyrenees on the horizon from half the tee boxes, and evenings spent between Biarritz's belle epoque seafront and the pintxo bars of San Sebastian across the border. Green fees that rarely break three figures make it one of the best value serious golf trips in Europe, and the mild Basque climate keeps every course open through winter.
The areas
Biarritz and Anglet
The historic heart of the trip: Le Phare on its plateau behind the lighthouse, Chiberta in the dunes and pines of Anglet ten minutes north, and Arcangues and Makila in the green hills just inland. Four strong courses within twenty minutes of the same hotel bed.
Saint-Jean-de-Luz and the interior
Twenty minutes south, the old fishing port of Saint-Jean-de-Luz holds two classics in Chantaco and La Nivelle, both routed through Basque hill country with the ocean and the Pyrenees in view. The prettiest golf on the coast.
Hossegor, Seignosse and the Landes
North across the Adour, the great maritime pine forest of the Landes hides Hossegor and Seignosse, two of the best inland courses in France, with Robert Trent Jones's Moliets a little further up the coast. Sandy soil, quiet fairways, surf town energy.
The Spanish Basque side
San Sebastian is under an hour away, and with it the Real Golf Club de San Sebastian at Hondarribia, home club of Jose Maria Olazabal, and his own Basozabal design above the city. A two country golf trip with no border friction at all.
The courses that matter
1. Golf de Chiberta
Our pick of the coast. Simpson routed eleven holes through genuine duneland beside the Atlantic and the rest through the pines behind, and the seaside stretch is the closest thing to links golf between Brittany and Spain. Par 70, wind always a factor, and a tee sheet visitors can actually get on.
2. Golf de Biarritz Le Phare
Founded in 1888 and among the oldest courses in continental Europe, set on a gently rolling plateau behind the Biarritz lighthouse and minutes from the beach. A short par 69 of 5,402 meters, but the history, the setting and the original Biarritz green lineage make it unmissable.
3. Golf de Chantaco
Colt's Basque masterpiece, opened in November 1928 by the Thion de la Chaume family and run by the Lacoste family ever since; Catherine Lacoste, the only amateur to win the US Women's Open, grew up here. Refined parkland in the hills above Saint-Jean-de-Luz, all class.
4. Golf d'Hossegor
A British style design threaded through cork oaks and pines behind the surf capital of France, opened in 1930 and sharpened by Cabell Robinson in 2003. Firm, sandy, tree lined and regularly ranked among the best courses in the country. The members guard it lightly; visitors are welcome.
5. Golf de Seignosse
Von Hagge's dramatic par 72 tumbles through 70 hectares of maritime pine forest minutes from Hossegor, with elevated tees, swinging doglegs and severe greens. The boldest modern design in the region and the perfect counterpoint to its classic neighbor.
6. Golf de Moliets
Trent Jones built this par 72 of 6,286 meters through the pines an hour north of Biarritz, finishing with holes that break out toward the ocean. Big in scale, generously bunkered and attached to a relaxed resort village, it anchors the northern end of the trip.
7. Golf de la Nivelle
A hilly, charming par 70 laid out by the five time Open champion above the port of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, with views over the bay, the river and the Pyrenees. It shared hosting of the Open de France with Le Phare in 1971 and 1972. Short on the card, long on character.
8. Real Golf Club de San Sebastian
The oldest club in the Basque Country, founded in 1910 and settled since the 1960s on rolling wooded ground beneath Mount Jaizkibel, on a Pierre Hirigoyen designed par 71. This is Jose Maria Olazabal's home club, and the quiet, old world atmosphere suits the pedigree.
9. Golf d'Arcangues
A rolling par 72 of 6,106 meters in the hills behind Biarritz, created by the d'Arcangues brothers on family land with the Pyrenees filling the horizon. The 15th century farmhouse clubhouse is among the most handsome in France. Honest, scenic golf ten minutes from town.
10. Makila Golf Club
An American style par 72 of 6,176 meters opened in 1992 in hilly, wooded country between Bayonne and the coast. Wide playing corridors, big shaping and mountain views make it the friendliest warm up round of the week.
11. Basozabal
The Real Nuevo Club de Golf de San Sebastian Basozabal sits minutes above the city, an Olazabal design stretching to 6,499 meters through mountainous terrain with lakes in play on both nines. Technical, varied and the natural second round of a San Sebastian day.
Designers, dates and rankings verified June 2026. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Window | What to expect | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| May to June | Warm, long days, courses in full trim, town lively but not yet packed | Prime season; the best all around window |
| July to August | Hot, busy beach high season, peak green fees and the fullest tee sheets | Book well ahead; play early, beach late |
| September to October | Warm ocean, soft light, emptying fairways, the surf contests in town | Prime season; our favorite time on this coast |
| November to April | Mild Basque winter, every course open, occasional Atlantic rain fronts | Genuine value; one of Europe's best winter golf secrets |
The Atlantic moderates everything here: frosts are rare, the courses on sandy Landes soil drain quickly, and a dry winter week can feel like April. The trade off is that rain can arrive in any month, so pack for four seasons whenever you come.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marquee green fee | Around €55 to €105 | Le Phare around €105 in July and August; Chiberta, Hossegor, Arcangues and Moliets mostly €55 to €90 by season |
| Strong regional course | Around €40 to €70 | The wider field of Landes and Basque clubs, lower again in winter |
| A long weekend, all in | Around €700 to €1,400 per person | 3 to 4 rounds, a 4 star hotel, a car, excluding flights |
Indicative third party figures for the 2026 season, shown to set expectations only. We are a guide, not an operator, and never quote our own pricing. Always confirm directly before booking.
Getting there and around
Biarritz Pays Basque Airport sits ten minutes from the center of town and five from Chiberta, with direct flights from Paris, London and a spread of European cities, heaviest in summer. Bordeaux is the bigger gateway, about two hours up the A63, and San Sebastian's small airport at Hondarribia sits beside the Real Golf Club for anyone starting on the Spanish side. On the ground the trip is wonderfully compact: Le Phare, Chiberta, Arcangues and Makila are all within about twenty minutes of a Biarritz hotel, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and its two courses about twenty minutes south, Hossegor and Seignosse around forty minutes north, Moliets about an hour, and San Sebastian roughly fifty minutes down the coast. A hire car is essential; the reward is that you never face a long transfer all week.
Where to stay
Biarritz itself is the natural base, with the grand seafront hotels around the Grande Plage putting every French course within half an hour and the restaurants of the old port on your doorstep. Saint-Jean-de-Luz makes a quieter, prettier alternative beside Chantaco and La Nivelle, and Hossegor suits a group that wants surf town energy with Seignosse and the forest courses outside the door. For the full two country version, split the week: four nights in Biarritz, then two in San Sebastian for Basozabal, Hondarribia and the best eating city in Spain. Let one planner line up the right base for each leg.
Plan your Biarritz golf trip
Tell us the courses you want and roughly when. One concierge costs the whole trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Biarritz golf questions
When is the best time to play golf in Biarritz and the Basque Country?
May, June, September and October are the prime months, with warm days, quieter tee sheets and the coast at its best. The mild Basque climate keeps the courses open all year, and winter golf here is a genuine secret. July and August bring beach crowds and peak fees, so book well ahead if you travel then.
What is the best golf course on the Basque coast?
Golf de Chiberta in Anglet, Tom Simpson's 1927 design through dunes and pines beside the Atlantic, is our pick and the closest thing the region has to a true links. Le Phare, founded in 1888, and Harry Colt's Chantaco are the historic heavyweights, with Hossegor and Seignosse leading the forest golf of the Landes.
How much does a golf trip to Biarritz cost in 2026?
Indicative 2026 green fees at the marquee courses run from roughly €55 to €105 depending on season. A long weekend with a good hotel, a car and three or four rounds typically lands around €700 to €1,400 per head excluding flights. Always confirm directly before booking.
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