des Flamants roses at Golf de La Grande Motte

Golf de La Grande Motte's des Flamants roses course occupies a distinctive coastal setting along the Mediterranean in southern France, part of a resort development built in the 1960s and 1970s when La Grande Motte was established as a planned seaside town. Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed the layout during his prolific European period, bringing his characteristic strategic design principles to this flat, windswept terrain near Montpellier. The course takes its name from the flamingos that inhabit the nearby étangs and wetlands of the Camargue region, visible from various points on the property.

The routing navigates relatively level ground typical of this coastal plain, with Jones incorporating water hazards, strategic bunkering, and elevated greens to create definition and challenge in the absence of natural elevation change. The Mediterranean wind becomes a significant factor in club selection and shot-making, particularly on the more exposed holes. Pine trees frame many fairways, providing both aesthetic character and strategic interest while offering some shelter from coastal breezes.

The course serves both resort visitors and local members in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, functioning as part of the broader Golf de La Grande Motte complex. The setting reflects the modernist architectural vision of La Grande Motte itself, with the golf course integrated into the town's planned landscape. The layout represents Jones's approach to creating playable yet challenging golf on constrained coastal sites, emphasizing strategic options rather than relying solely on dramatic landforms.