Lunch on the greens

Whether you’re a fan of the little white ball or not, having lunch at a golf-cub restaurant is always a privileged experience. A tour of tables and greens…

Very little often suffices for “a break in routine” and the treat of an outing with a breath of fresh air. A pretty table with a view of a golf-course, for example. Managers of these restaurants all agree : the setting plays a primordial role for guests who come to their establishments. For while the majority of their clients are indeed golfers, from 55 to 60 % of those who cross their threshold for a leisurely lunch are not there to play. And it’s understandable… The Victoria Golf Club in Valbonne enjoys a very enviable location, right at the heart of a forest. Charm goes hand-in-hand with history at the Château de la Bégude, with its 17th-century country house and cosy ambiance. A rich past, too, for the Old Course at Cannes Mandelieu, born of the desire of Grand-Duke Michael of Russia to create the Rivera’s very first golf-course, between the sea and the River Siagne, in 1891. For the restaurant Le 175 at the Golf Country Club de Cannes Mougins, the exceptional comes in the guise of a 17th-century oil-mill and an unimpeded view of the 75 acres of the Valmasque woods, with the Alps in the distance. At the Royal Mougins Golf Club, the originality of La Terrasse du 18 derives from its elevated position overlooking the Vallon de l’Oeuf and the gardens with their cascades and dovecote. Escapism guaranteed, therefore, in both time and space. In all these places, the atmosphere reflects a certain life-style, “à la française”, as would say Francis Cardaillac, chef at Le 175, with a triple star-rating in the Guide Michelin. After high-flying gastronomy, he now treats himself to the luxury of cooking as he pleases. His counterparts also propose traditional dishes. People come for the “package” : setting + ambiance + escapism + fragrant cuisine based on fresh ingedients, rather than a gastronomic meal beneath the glow of crystal chandeliers. These chefs follow the seasons and, in fine weather, guests head for the terraces to savour pressed “foie gras de canard” with “marc de Provence”, “mesclun” salad with bacon bits (Domaine de Saint-Endréol), a Baltic salad (Old Course, Cannes Mandelieu), thin strips of luke-warm skate in ravigote sauce with aubergine tartare (Château de la Bégude), pan-fried royal sea-bream (Domaines de Saint Endréol) or mini-ravioli with cheese and fresh herbs (Golf Country Club Saint Donat). An idyllic pause amidst enchanting scenery, lunch at the golf-club has become synonymous with lunch on the greens.

Carnet

An historic building offering genuine charm and an idyllic natural setting make the Château de la Bégude an essential address for all those seeking lunch in the open air.

An historic building offering genuine charm and an idyllic natural setting make the Château de la Bégude an essential address for all those seeking lunch in the open air.

At the Domaines de Terre Blanche, blue and green set the scene for a leisurely lunch.

At the Domaines de Terre Blanche, blue and green set the scene for a leisurely lunch.

As soon as the sun comes out, the “Terrasse du 18” at the Royal Mougins Golf Club offers its guests a dreamy view of the gardens with their cascades and now famous dovecote.

As soon as the sun comes out, the “Terrasse du 18” at the Royal Mougins Golf Club offers its guests a dreamy view of the gardens with their cascades and now famous dovecote.

Château de la Bégude, Golf Opio Valbonne, route de Roquefort-les-Pins, Opio (04 93 12 37 00). Carte : à partir de 14 €. La Closerie, Golf Country Club de Saint Donat, 270 route de Cannes, Grasse (04 93 09 76 60). Formules : entrées à discrétion : 18,50 €. Entrées + desserts : 24 €. Grillade poisson ou viande : 19 €. Buffet entrées + grillade : 28 €. Grillade + buffet desserts : 26 €. Buffet entrées + grillade + desserts : 31 €. Plat du jour : 17 €. Pâtes : à partir de 11 €. Les Domaines de Saint-Endréol Golf & Spa Resort, route de Bagnols en Forêt, La Motte-en-Provence (04 94 51 89 80). Menu : 29 €. Plat du jour : à partir de 16 €. Restaurant le 175, Golf Country Club Cannes Mougins, 175 avenue du Golf (route d’Antibes), Mougins (04 92 92 96 11). Plat du jour : de 9 à 19,80 €. La terrasse du 18, Royal Mougins Golf Club, Mougins (04 92 92 46 69). Suggestion du jour golfeur : 15 €. Plat du jour : 20 €. Carte : à partir de 12 €. Old Course, Cannes Mandelieu (04 92 97 49 49). Carte : à partir de 13 €. Côté snack : à partir de 7 €. Victoria Golf Club, 1396 chemin du Val Martin, Valbonne (04 93 12 23 26). Menus (plat du jour + dessert) : 16 € ; entrée du jour + plat du jour + dessert : 19 €. Carte : à partir de 12 €. Viande grillée ou poisson du jour : 18 €. Pâtes du jour : 15 €.

By Cécile Olivéro.