Les Mas du Grand Vallon ★★★★

Every year our group of friends organises a golfing trip. We like to choose somewhere with good weather and pretty scenery where we can relax and enjoy each other’s company in a nice hotel as well as playing some golf. This year, it was my turn to organise the trip. My selection criteria seemed simple in theory: a good golf course and a high quality hotel at a reasonable price. In reality, however, it proved to be somewhat tricky. Golf courses and luxury hotels don’t often come with a reasonable price tag. But because I know the Côte d’Azur so well, I was more than up to the task. Mougins, and the Mas du Grand Vallon, was perfect. A four-star hotel in a Provençal village, and situated on a golf course (hole number 14 to be precise!): my friends would be delighted! The Royal Mougins Golf Club would be just outside our front door.

The Mas du Grand Vallon perfectly captures the essence of the south of France. Surrounded by greenery, next to a magnificent golf course, it is a haven of calm that brings together Provençal charm and contemporary design. The interiors, designed by the young Canadian architect Alexa Adam, have a warm and welcoming timeless quality. We loved the soothing, muted colours and the mix of fine and natural materials in the spacious Executive Suites. Each suite had a living space complete with a kitchenette, a separate bedroom and a private terrace, with views over the swimming pool, hotel gardens and the golf course. I felt right at home.

In the morning, it was lovely to have breakfast on the sunny restaurant terrace, in the shade of plants and reeds. Listening to the crickets, we prepared ourselves for the golf course. I must say that it is a magnificent course, surrounded by pretty scenery, scattered with olive trees and dry stone walls that have real Provençal charm. We spent the morning outside, working on our swing. Then, after lunch at the Bergerie (with a menu that changes daily), we headed into Cannes for some shopping, about five miles away.

At the end of the afternoon, if the weather is fine, you can settle beside the swimming pool. Soon it is time for a drink (an apéritif as they say in France). In the evenings, we would talk over our games in the hotel’s cosy bar, discussing the birdies, missed shots, lost balls, winners and losers. Then it was time for supper. Mougins is well known for its food, so you just have to pick from the restaurants that line the charming old streets and you can be sure of enjoying a lovely meal.