Les Bordes vs Morfontaine: Which Should You Chase?
France's two most coveted tee times sit behind gates, and they could not be less alike. Les Bordes is the modern superclub, 45 holes of von Hagge and Gil Hanse in a 1,400 acre Sologne estate. Morfontaine is the opposite: Tom Simpson's 1927 masterpiece north of Paris, unchanged, unhurried and reachable only through a member. Our verdict: Morfontaine is the greater pilgrimage, Les Bordes the greater trip, and which to chase depends entirely on which door you can realistically open.
Photograph: Les Bordes Golf Club, via Google
The verdict, up front
For pure architecture, Morfontaine wins. Simpson's Grand Parcours, framed by heather, pines and the sandy heath of the Oise, is routinely ranked the best course in continental Europe, and the 1913 Valliere nine beside it may be the most charming short course anywhere. Nothing at Les Bordes, fine as it is, carries that weight of history.
For the experience around the golf, Les Bordes wins just as clearly. Robert von Hagge's brutal, beautiful Old Course of 1987, Gil Hanse's heathland inspired New Course of 2021, the Wild Piglet short course, lodging and estate life make it the only place in France where a group can live inside a world top tier club for days. Morfontaine offers a clubhouse lunch and a handshake; that is the point of it.
Access decides the real ranking. Both are private. Morfontaine requires a member introduction, full stop. Les Bordes is members and guests too, but the club has run limited invited stay and play experiences since 2025, and operator relationships occasionally open the gate. If you have no member contact at either, Les Bordes is the one you can plausibly chase; Morfontaine is the one you earn through friendship.
Head to head
| Les Bordes | Morfontaine | |
|---|---|---|
| The golf | Old Course, von Hagge 1987; New Course, Gil Hanse 2021; Wild Piglet short course; 45 holes | Grand Parcours, Tom Simpson 1927; Valliere nine of 1913; quietly maintained, never lengthened for fashion |
| Setting | 1,400 acre estate in the Sologne forest, Loire Valley, two hours south of Paris | Sandy pine and heather heathland near Senlis, around 45 minutes north of Paris |
| Access | Members and guests; limited invited experiences since 2025; some operator routes | Member introduction only; no packages, no workarounds |
| Cost picture | No public green fee; access comes bundled with invitations or member hosting | No public green fee; your host arranges the day |
| Stay | On estate lodging and estate dining; built for multi day visits | None; stay in Chantilly or Senlis and treat it as one perfect day |
| Best for | A group that wants to live inside a modern superclub for a long weekend | The architecture pilgrim with a member friend and one day to spend perfectly |
Neither club sells tee times to the public. Facts verified June 2026 from club and published design records. Always confirm access arrangements directly before traveling.
Who should pick which
Chase Les Bordes if
You travel as a group, you want the golf and the stay fused into one place, and you are willing to work the channels: the club's limited experience programs, an operator with a relationship, or the long game of knowing a member. The reward is two genuinely different championship courses in one forest, von Hagge's water lined examination and Hanse's homage to the great French heathland school, which he openly modeled on Simpson's work at Morfontaine, Chantilly and Fontainebleau.
Chase Morfontaine if
Your golf bucket list is about architecture rather than amenity, and you have, or can honestly cultivate, a member connection. One day there outweighs a week most places. Pair it with the visitor friendly Simpson twins, Chantilly Vineuil and Fontainebleau, both within an hour, and you have the great French heathland pilgrimage with one private jewel at its heart.
The honest alternative
If neither door opens this year, do not sulk; France's accessible bench is deep. Chantilly and Fontainebleau take weekday visitor bookings, Le Golf National's Albatros gives you the Ryder Cup stage, and our best courses in France ranking and France destination guide map the full route. A Paris and Loire week that plays the open Simpson courses while the enquiries go out is a great trip in itself. Check tee time availability at the bookable courses.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Design and access facts verified June 2026 from club and published records. Last reviewed June 2026.