Visitors to Provence are now able to enjoy a lot more golf for their euro after Golf International Pont Royal signed up to the Provence Golf Pass, which offers savings of up to 30 per cent of tee-times in the region.
There are 24 partner golf courses affiliated to the pass in addition to the Severiano Ballesteros-designed championship course at Pont Royal, which welcomes the Challenge Tour's inaugural Hopps Open de Provence this month (September 20-23).
Among those where holders may benefit from reduced green fees are Terre Blanche, Golf de Dolce Frégate Provence, Golf de Servanes, Golf du Luberon, Golf de Roquebrune, Golf du Château de Taulane, and many more top-quality courses.
Seasonal passes - autumn/winter and spring/summer - are available in either two- or four-green fee formats, at courses of the golfer's choosing, offering as much as 30 per cent discount on normal green-fee prices, with a two-round pass starting at just €66.
Few, if any, can match Pont Royal for its accommodation and leisure options, however, making it the perfect base for any Provence Golf Pass holder. Its traditional Provençal-style domaine includes restaurants, bars, and shops, surrounding a village market square; water parks; a picturesque lake; and France's only Seve Ballesteros-designed golf course.
Its accommodation options are manifold, too, with the four-star, 102-room Moulin de Vernègues, part of the Châteaux & Hôtels Collection, the three-star L'Hôtel du Golf, or self-catering apartments, villas and houses within the pedestrianised Pierre & Vacances village.
And all of this lies within a region offering scenery which has inspired and entranced many of the world's greatest painters down the years. What's more, each pass purchase comes with a privilege card entitling the holder to a number of advantages and deals at partner hotels, restaurants, and leisure facilities.
Pont Royal's director of golf, Jerome Lauredi, said: "The Provence Golf Pass is an ideal way for visitors to the region to enjoy a round on France's only Seve Ballesteros-designed course, take advantage of the accommodation options here on the domaine, and add in an extra round - or three - at other top-quality courses in Provence.
"This is very much an up-and-coming region in terms of French golf and the Provence Golf Pass is an excellent way of seeing it."
Many holes at Pont Royal are blessed with a plateau setting, offering stunning views to the Luberon and Alpilles mountain ranges. Technical shaping of shots is required to reach the true, slick greens, and visitors enjoy an interesting, wide variety of holes that form a smooth and seamless experience. It contains some tough holes - none more so than the 11th, where players face a 215-yard test across a steep rocky valley to a raised green.
For more intormation on the Provence Golf Pass please see www.provencegolf.com
ENDS
About Golf International Pont Royal
The 18-hole course at Pont Royal is the only Seve Ballesteros-designed course in France.
The club's 37-acre Durance Training Centre - the only one of its kind in the region - is just five minutes from the course and comprises a two-storey driving range, large putting green, a short-game practice area, and a 1,039-yard, six-hole course, featuring five par-three holes and one par-four. It also features a David Leadbetter Academy.
The golf club at Pont Royal is located within the domaine of the same name, which also includes a pretty Provencal-style village, wooded areas, lakes, pools, bars, restaurants, and a tourist information office.
Accommodation is offered in the four-star, 102-room Moulin de Vernègues, part of the Châteaux & Hôtels Collection, or in apartments, villas and houses within the pedestrianised Pierre & Vacances village.
Pont Royal is ideally situated in the Commune of Mallemort, between Aix and Avignon, 30 minutes from the TGV stations and the Marseille-Provence and Avignon-Caumont airports, 90 minutes from Montpellier-Méditerranée Airport and a little more than two hours from Nice Airport.
The region is well served for accommodation with excellent, competitively priced hotels and gîtes, while there are six Michelin-starred restaurants within 45 minutes of Pont Royal, and a wide selection of other eateries offering a wonderful variety of regional cuisine, from the Luberon down to the Mediterranean.
Wine is an everyday part of live in Provence and there is a wide variety from which to choose, with Provence Rose and rich red wines from the Southern Rhone, such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, all easily accessible.
The region is steeped in history and culture - as well as sunshine. Provence was the first Roman provincia beyond the Alps; 600 years later it was under Spanish rule and was not willed to the king of France until the 16th century - all influenced the region in ways which may still be seen today.
Provence is renowned for its association with some of the world's greatest artists: Paul Cézanne - arguably the most famous resident of Aix en Provence, and who has his own ‘trail'; Vincent Van Gogh, who moved from Paris to Arles in an effort to cure his manic depression (indeed, it was in this very city that he cut off his ear after fighting with fellow artist Paul Gaughin); Pablo Picasso, a fan of Cézanne, moved to Provence and purchased a 17th-century castle in Vauvenargues; and Henri Matisse resided in Nice for nearly 40 years.
From the world-renowned white horses to the stunning flamingos and impressive back bulls, the Camargue - one of Europe's most cherished wetlands - is a breathtaking reminder of Provence's natural heritage.
High-resolution imagery of Pont Royal can be downloaded from here.