There is nothing quite like a visit to the French Riviera. The Côte d'Azur is one of the jewels in Europe’s crown, with a host of stunning resorts that line the southern Mediterranean coastline of France.

Aside from the glitz and glamour of beach towns like Saint-Tropez and Cannes, this region is also home to a string of exclusive golf clubs, offering stiff tests of skill and mental resolve for players.

Below, we explore five of the best golf clubs on the south of France, including one of the best-known courses on the planet.

Monte Carlo Golf Club

Monte Carlo Golf Club is a stone’s throw from Monaco, in thenearby suburb of La Turbie. It’s a world-class, world-renowned golf course, with heritage dating back to the early 20th century. Willie Park Jr. designed the 18-hole course and many consider him to be a genius due to the location's expansive views along the Riviera coastline. The cream of the crop here is the fifth hole – imagine teeing off overlooking Monaco, France and Italy combined!

Who knew that Monte Carlo would be such a golfer’s paradise? Historically, the district's specialisms have surrounded the iconic Formula 1 Grand Prix and the exclusive casino scene. Monte-Carlo Casino is a pilgrimage for many card players. It’s also a regular leg on the European Poker Tour (EPT), which is comfortably one of the leading circuits for live tournaments due largely to its deep prize pools and its heritage dating back to 2004.

Château de Taulane

Nestled in the countryside overlooking Grasse, you’ll find one of the best-kept secrets on the French Riviera. The magnificent Château de Taulane club boasts one of the most intriguing 18-hole courses both in terms of layout and geography. The course itself is the brainchild of Gary Player, and set some 1,000 metres above sea level. Player’s courses are up there with those designed by Jack Nicklaus, who recently unveiled his first course in Saudi Arabia.

There are a massive seven lakes hugging the fairways and greens of this location. Due to the undulating topography, it’s probably not a recommended course for anyone with physical impairments, however, unless you hire a buggy.

Golf International Pont Royal

Who wouldn’t want to play at a golf course designed by iconic Spaniard Seve Ballesteros? The Golf International Pont Royal was designed by Ballesteros and is the only one in France with his watermark all over it. For that reason alone, you should consider playing here in order to channel the great Seve.

The Pont Royal is adorned with magnificent pine woodland and the garrigue that’s local to Provence. All of this delivers a true technical test for serious golfers. Geographers will also enjoy the ability to catch views of the Alpilles Mountain range, the Luberon and even the Massive of Trévaresse. Rounds of golf here can start from as much as €93 per person, which is pretty good value compared with our next pick.

Royal Mougins Golf Club

The Royal Mougins Golf Club is one of the newer golf course additions to the French Riviera. Designed in 1993 by award-winning course architect, Robert von Hagge, the Royal Mougins has an air of exclusivity about it, making it one of the most talked about venues in the south of France. At a cost of €165 per round, it’s by no means your everyday golfing experience.

Mougins is only a ten-minute drive from Cannes, taking you into the midst of the Provençal forest. Its setting makes it one of the quietest courses in the region, so if you like peace and tranquillity when playing your game, Royal Mougins is certainly the course for you.

Terre Blanche

The Terre Blanche Hotel Spa & Golf Resort is home to one of the most extravagant courses in the south of France. It’s even more expensive than Royal Mougins for a round, weighing in at €180 per game. In 2017, Terre Blanche ranked first in the annual Golfers’ Choice Awards. It has not one but two courses to choose from, with Dave Thomas crafting Le Château and Le Riou.

Thomas has benefitted from utilising the existing contours of the course to create not just one but two hidden gems. The former has all the ingredients of a championship course. Meanwhile, Le Riou is more about the scenery, whilst suiting those intricate short and iron games.

Book any of these five courses during your next stay on the French Riviera and we guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.