Old at Golf de Valescure

Golf de Valescure's Old Course occupies a forested hillside site in the Var region near Saint-Raphaël, where Harry Colt designed the original eighteen holes in 1895. This makes it one of the earliest golf courses on the French Riviera and among Colt's first continental European projects, predating his more celebrated work at clubs like Le Touquet and Morfontaine. The course was laid out during Colt's partnership years, when he was establishing the naturalistic design principles that would define the Golden Age of golf architecture.

The routing moves through Mediterranean pine and cork oak forest, with the terrain providing natural elevation changes and strategic interest. Colt worked the holes around the existing trees and contours rather than imposing an artificial plan on the landscape, creating a layout that feels integrated with its wooded setting. The design emphasizes placement and angles over pure length, with greens that reward approach shots from specific positions in the fairway.

Valescure has maintained its position as a traditional members' club while remaining accessible to visitors, particularly during the winter months when the Côte d'Azur's mild climate makes golf attractive to northern Europeans. The course has undergone various updates over the decades to accommodate modern equipment and maintenance standards, though the essential character of Colt's routing through the forest remains intact. It represents an early example of British design sensibility adapted to the Mediterranean landscape.