La Bresse

Situated an hour’s drive north of Lyon, close to the small commune of Bourg-en-Bresse, the 18-hole layout at Golf de la Bresse is laid out in a wonderful rural setting, extending to more than two hundred acres of a nature preserve. In such a tranquil setting, the course finds itself in complete harmony with its surroundings.

Jeremy Pern designed more than a dozen courses in France during the 1980s and this is one of those creations. It was commissioned towards the end of that decade, when the architect routed the layout in two returning nines, each of which conclude with long, demanding par fives doglegging left from tee to green.

There’s a mix of open and woodland holes here, with not a hint of residential encroachment to spoil the ambience of a beautiful bucolic landscape. Water comes into play at a couple of holes on the back nine, most notably at the par three 12th, where the green sits behind a small lake.

Highlight holes include the 405-metre 6th, rated stroke index 1, and the 194-metre 8th, where a large bunker guards the front left hand side of the green. On the inward half, the short par four 11th is another delightful hole, doglegging sharply right to a green that sits by the lake.