Golf in the Loire Valley
Ninety minutes from Paris, in a UNESCO landscape of chateaux and vineyards, sits one of the finest golf clubs in Europe. Les Bordes pairs a von Hagge forest classic with a Gil Hanse heathland masterpiece, set among the wider courses of Orleans and Tours. The golf, the season, the costs and how to plan.
Photograph: Les Bordes Golf Club, via Google
Why golf in the Loire Valley
The Loire Valley is the garden of France, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of royal chateaux, medieval towns and famous vineyards strung along the country's longest river, barely ninety minutes south of Paris. It is not a high volume golf coast in the manner of the Algarve, and that is exactly the point. You come here for one extraordinary club and a handful of pretty courses, wrapped in the food, wine and history that make the region one of the great cultural escapes in Europe. For a discerning group or a golfing couple, it is a trip that balances serious golf with everything else a fine holiday should hold.
The reason the wider golf world now talks about the Loire is Les Bordes, set in the Sologne forest near Orleans and quietly regarded as one of the best golf clubs on the continent. Its Robert von Hagge Old Course, a dramatic, water laced par 72 through the trees, has long been considered the designer's masterpiece, and in 2024 it was joined by a Gil Hanse New Course on sandy heathland that was rated inside the world top 100 almost immediately. Around it, the public courses near Orleans and Tours, among them Golf des Aisses, Golf de Limere and Golf de Touraine, give visiting golfers a full schedule between the chateaux.
How to think about a Loire Valley golf trip
Around Orleans
The golfing heart, home to Les Bordes in the Sologne forest, plus Golf des Aisses and Golf de Limere. The natural base for a trip built around the great club and the upper valley chateaux.
Around Tours and Amboise
The cultural core of the valley, where Golf de Touraine and the courses near Amboise sit minutes from Chenonceau, Chambord and the Vouvray vineyards. Golf and sightseeing in equal measure.
The chateaux pairing
Not golf, but the soul of the trip. Days off or afternoons spent at Chambord, Chenonceau and the Loire wine cellars are what set this destination apart from a pure golf break.
The courses that matter
Les Bordes Old Course
Widely held to be von Hagge's masterpiece, a tree lined par 72 carved through the Sologne forest and intertwined with a striking complex of lakes. Water threatens at every turn and the course demands precise, committed golf. Long the jewel of French golf and still one of the toughest, most beautiful inland tests in Europe.
Les Bordes New Course
Hanse's wide, natural, fescue heathland layout on sandy soil, the polar opposite of the Old in style and already ranked inside the world top 100 by Golf Magazine. Firm, running ground golf with options off every tee, it has turned Les Bordes into arguably the best all round golf club on the continent.
The Wild Piglet and practice
The estate's playful 10 hole short course, holes from roughly 65 to 135 yards, plus a Himalayas putting green. Made for an evening match and a glass of something after the main round, it rounds out a golf experience few clubs in Europe can match.
The courses around Orleans and Tours
Beyond Les Bordes, Golf des Aisses on its sandy heath, Golf de Limere by Orleans and Golf de Touraine near Tours give visiting golfers accessible, enjoyable parkland and forest rounds among the chateaux, the everyday golf that fills out a Loire itinerary.
Designers, opening years, pars and yardages verified June 2026 from Les Bordes Golf Club and leading course databases. Les Bordes is a private club where play is reserved for members and resident guests of the estate. Course profiles are added across the site as the directory grows. Always confirm visitor access and fees directly before booking.
When to go
| Season | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| May to June | Warm, long days, courses lush and fast running | Prime season, the valley at its greenest and best |
| September to early October | Settled, mild, harvest in the vineyards | The other sweet spot, golf and wine country at peak |
| July to August | Hot, busy with summer holidaymakers | Good golf, pair early rounds with chateaux afternoons |
| November to March | Cool, damp, short days on forest soils | Quiet and low season, golf possible but at its softest |
The Loire golf season runs spring to autumn. Late spring and early autumn give the best mix of weather, conditioning and the wider pleasures of the valley.
Indicative costs
| Item | Indicative 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Public course green fee | Around €45 to €90 | Golf des Aisses, Limere, Touraine and similar |
| Les Bordes access | Members and resident guests | Private club; play arranged through a stay on the estate |
| A few days of golf, all in | Around €1,200 to €3,500 per person | Hotel or estate lodging, several rounds, 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
The Loire Valley is one of the easiest premium golf destinations to reach from northern Europe. Paris is the gateway, about ninety minutes north of Orleans by car or a fast train to Tours or Orleans, with both Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports within comfortable reach. A hire car is essential once you arrive, both to move between the courses, which are spread along the valley, and to explore the chateaux and vineyards that make the trip. Distances are short and the driving is gentle, on quiet country roads through some of the prettiest landscape in France, so building a day around a morning round and an afternoon chateau is simple.
Where to stay
For the full experience, stay on the Les Bordes estate itself, where the lodging unlocks access to the two great courses and puts you minutes from the first tee. Beyond it, the valley is full of character hotels and chateau stays around Orleans, Blois, Amboise and Tours, ideal for a group that wants to combine golf with the region's food and wine. Couples often base in one of the smaller riverside towns and spoke out, while a golfing group can comfortably split the trip between the upper valley around Orleans and the cultural heart near Tours.
Plan your Loire Valley golf trip
Tell us your group, your dates and whether you want a stay built around Les Bordes, a tour of the valley courses, or golf paired with the chateaux and vineyards. One concierge costs the trip to the head and replies within one working day, with no obligation.
Loire Valley golf questions
How many golf courses are there in the Loire Valley?
Around a dozen, spread between Orleans and Tours and led by the exclusive Les Bordes. The wider region includes Golf des Aisses, Golf de Limere and Golf de Touraine, a string of parkland and forest courses set among the chateaux and vineyards.
Which is the best golf course in the Loire Valley?
Les Bordes is the standout, one of the best golf clubs in Europe. Its von Hagge Old Course, a tree lined par 72 through the Sologne forest, is considered his masterpiece, while the Gil Hanse New Course, opened in 2024, is already rated inside the world top 100. Both are private, members and resident guests only.
When is the best time to play golf in the Loire Valley?
The season runs spring to autumn, with May, June, September and early October the prime months for warm, dry days and the courses at their best. Midsummer is pleasant, while winter golf is possible but cool and damp on the forest soils.
How much does golf cost in the Loire Valley in 2026?
Indicative 2026 green fees at the public and resort courses run from roughly €45 to €90. Les Bordes is private, with play reserved for members and resident guests of the estate, so access comes through a stay rather than a public fee. Always confirm directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers, opening years, pars and yardages verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.