Chênes at Club du Lys-Chantilly

The Chênes course at Club du Lys-Chantilly occupies forested terrain in Lamorlaye, approximately thirty kilometers north of Paris in the historic Picardie region. Tom Simpson designed the layout during the interwar period when he was actively working on several prominent French courses. The property sits within the broader Chantilly area, known for its château, horse racing traditions, and extensive woodlands that have long attracted both aristocratic and sporting pursuits.

Simpson's routing moves through mature stands of oak and other hardwoods, with fairways carved from the forest and holes that typically require accuracy off the tee. The design reflects his characteristic attention to strategic bunkering and green complexes that reward thoughtful approach play. The terrain offers gentle movement rather than dramatic elevation change, and the tree-lined corridors create a sense of enclosure and definition throughout the round. The forest setting provides natural beauty and seasonal variation, particularly in autumn.

Club du Lys-Chantilly operates as a private club with both the Chênes course and a second eighteen-hole layout on the property. The club maintains traditional French golf club customs and has served the Paris-area golfing community for decades. The Chantilly location places members within reach of the capital while offering a retreat into a landscape shaped by centuries of French forestry and estate management. The course provides a representative example of Simpson's continental European work during a period when he was helping establish design standards for French golf.