Golfing The French Riviera

Synonymous With The Film Festival, Cannes On The Cote D’Azur Has Plenty Of Golf Too

- Benny Teo

Even in the dead of night, it doesn’t take much to sense the appeal of Cannes. That starts in the air on the descent into Nice-Cote D’Azur airport. A crazy quilt of golfers, autumn sun-seekers and locals returning from a weekend away in London are on the last flight of the day, touching down around midnight. There are even some football fans flying in to see AC Monaco in Uefa Champions League action a few days later.

The result is an eclectic mix of baggage and humanity mingling about at the luggage carousel before a mad rush to exit the airport. Even at this late hour, there’s a certain vibe in the air.

Welcome to the French Riviera.

Cannes is famous for its film festival and the hedonistic feel the small city on Nice’s doorstep gives off to tourists and locals alike. But I’m here to golf, and though most visitors have stars and the Cote D’Azur’s crystal blue hues in their minds, there’s plenty of green to go around as well.

There are 10 courses within an easy drive of the world-famous Croissette, the stretch of waterfront that is one of Europe’s most desired addresses. Golf de Claux Amix was my personal favourite of the quartet that I managed to tee it up in and around Cannes.

Claux Amix and its property, a fixture in the area for a quarter-century, underwent extensive renovations that saw a new hotel cum apartment complex open in 2016, burnishing the course’s reputation that has been helped by hosting the acclaimed La Riviera Grasse Pro-Am every year.