Golf Normandie Côte d’Albâtre – LCG

Midway between Dieppe, Etretat and Rouen, it is composed of a variety of facilities and thus offers a comprehensive golfing experience. The jewel of this ensemble is naturally the 18-hole Les Vallons course (par 72, 6,715 yards), built by the French architect Alain Prat (Pléneuf-Val-André, Baugé, Gujan-Mestras) renowned for his straightforward layouts, absolutely playable for beginners, but which are also able to pose a challenge to more experienced golfers (with a slope of 133 from the back-tees). The course’s fairways, which tend unsurprisingly to be rolling and wooded, stretch out through the heart of Normandy’s Pays de Caux. While it is a genuine parkland course, in places it also evokes the classic links style, with its tall yellow grass that borders the playing surface. The rhythm of the holes is undoubtedly pleasant, both visually and technically. Deserving special mention is the 3rd hole, where the architect seems to have brought all his know-how to bear, as well as 13th and 18th holes, whose atmosphere sometimes gives the impression of being far from Normandy.