The Best Golf Courses in France, Italy & Switzerland for a Golf Trip

Planning a European golf trip across France, Italy and Switzerland means pairing world-class courses with unforgettable scenery - think Riviera fairways, Tuscan parkland and Alpine greens, all within a short drive or flight of each other. This guide walks you through where to play in each country, when to go, and how to build a route that flows.

Few regions reward a multi-country golf trip like the heart of Western Europe. France brings polished resort golf and Open de France history, Italy adds Ryder Cup pedigree and food you will talk about for years, and Switzerland delivers some of the most dramatic mountain golf on the planet. Together they make a single itinerary feel like three holidays in one.

Why Combine France, Italy and Switzerland in One Golf Trip

The three countries sit close enough that you can move between them by car, train or a short hop on a budget flight, yet each offers a completely different golfing character. You get the manicured parkland of France, the design variety of Italy, and the high-altitude spectacle of the Swiss Alps without ever feeling like you are repeating yourself.

It is also a trip that suits mixed groups. Serious players get championship layouts, while travelling partners get spa towns, vineyards and lakeside villages between rounds. If you are weighing this against a single-country itinerary, our golf travel tips guide covers how to balance golf with everything else.

Where to Play in France

France is the natural anchor for the trip. The south coast around Provence and the Riviera is dense with quality resort courses, while the area around Paris offers parkland tracks with genuine tournament history. Aim for a mix: one or two coastal resorts for the views, and at least one inland championship course for the test.

Look for courses with strong practice facilities so you can warm up properly after travel days. For a deeper regional breakdown, see our guide to the best golf courses in France from Paris to the Riviera.

A five-star resort in the hills of Provence with two championship courses, Le Chateau and Le Riou, designed by Dave Thomas. Wide, rolling fairways and a top practice academy make it an ideal first stop on the Riviera leg.

Just outside Paris, Golf National is home to the Albatros course, host of the Open de France and the 2018 Ryder Cup. Its stadium-style layout, water-lined fairways and amphitheatre greens offer a genuine championship test within easy reach of the capital.

Tucked into a valley between Cannes and Nice, Royal Mougins is a tight, dramatic layout with elevation changes, water and clever risk-and-reward holes. Its boutique clubhouse, spa and on-site lodging make it a polished base for the Riviera stretch of a French golf trip.

Where to Play in Italy

Italy has surged up the golf-trip rankings, helped by hosting the Ryder Cup near Rome. Northern Italy, around the lakes and Piedmont, gives you elegant parkland courses framed by mountains, while Tuscany pairs rolling fairways with cypress-lined drives and exceptional food and wine.

The golf here rewards course management over raw power - many layouts ask you to shape shots and respect positioning rather than simply bomb driver. Knowing your real carry distances matters, which is where tracking your game properly pays off. Plan two or three rounds in Italy so the travel is worth it, and leave room for long lunches.

Just north of Rome, Marco Simone Golf & Country Club hosted the 2023 Ryder Cup and is the headline course of any Italian golf trip. Sweeping fairways, bold bunkering and views back toward the city give it real big-event drama, paired with easy access to Roman sightseeing.

One of Italy’s oldest clubs, Circolo Golf Bogliaco sits on the shores of Lake Garda with mature, tree-lined fairways and lake-and-mountain views. It is a relaxed, scenic counterpoint to the championship layouts, perfect for a half-day round between sightseeing stops in northern Italy.

On the Tuscan coast south of Siena, Argentario Golf weaves through a nature reserve with rolling Mediterranean terrain, sea glimpses and a strong eco-friendly design. Paired with its resort and spa, it makes a luxurious finish to an Italian leg that mixes golf with food, wine and coastline.

Where to Play in Switzerland

Switzerland is the showstopper. Courses such as those around Andermatt, Crans-sur-Sierre and the Lake Geneva region sit at altitude, which means the ball flies noticeably further - a fun adjustment that can flatter your distances. The scenery is genuinely unmatched, with snow-capped peaks framing nearly every hole.

Because altitude and elevation changes affect club selection so much, this is the leg of the trip where good data helps most. Build in a practice round or a relaxed nine to recalibrate before you keep score. Many Swiss courses are seasonal, so confirm opening dates before you commit.

When to Go and How to Plan Your Route

The sweet spot for all three countries together is late spring to early autumn - roughly May to September. Swiss mountain courses open later and close earlier than French or Italian ones, so the shoulder months reward checking ahead.

A logical route runs south France to northern Italy to Switzerland (or the reverse), keeping drives between three and five hours and using a flight only if you are short on time. Book tee times in advance for marquee courses, and for inspiration on combining luxury stays with golf, browse our best luxury golf resorts for 2026.

Set high in the Urseren Valley, the Andermatt Swiss Alps course is an 18-hole layout that winds along the Reuss river with the surrounding peaks towering overhead. At this altitude the ball carries noticeably further, so it is a fun place to feel like you have found extra distance. Open in the summer months, it pairs beautifully with the resort and makes a spectacular high-mountain highlight for the Swiss leg.

Perched above Crans-Montana with sweeping views over the Rhone Valley to the Alps, the Severiano Ballesteros course at Golf Club Crans-sur-Sierre is one of the most famous mountain layouts in Europe and the long-time home of the European Masters. The altitude adds carry to every shot, and the panorama from the higher holes is unforgettable. It is the must-play centrepiece of any golf trip to the Swiss Alps.

Right on the edge of the city, Golf Club de Geneve is a mature, tree-lined parkland course just minutes from Lake Geneva and the airport. Gently rolling and beautifully maintained, it offers a more classical, lower-altitude contrast to the high mountain layouts and is an easy, civilised way to start or finish the Swiss leg. Its convenient location makes it simple to combine a round with lakeside dining and sightseeing in Geneva.

How Hole19 Makes Your Golf Trip Better

A multi-country trip is exactly where the right app earns its place. Hole19 gives you GPS distances on more than 45,000 courses worldwide, so you arrive at an unfamiliar French, Italian or Swiss course already knowing the yardages to hazards and greens. The Shot Tracker logs every shot, and Advanced Stats show you which part of your game is travelling well and which needs attention before the next round.

For players who want to genuinely improve on the trip, Otto - the AI caddie in the Hole19 Intelligence tier - turns your tracked rounds into clear, personalised advice, which is invaluable when altitude in the Alps is scrambling your usual club selection. Join more than 4.8 million golfers already using Hole19, and start with the 14-day free trial so the whole trip is covered.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days do you need for a France, Italy and Switzerland golf trip?

Plan at least 8 to 10 days. That gives you two to three rounds per country plus travel and rest days, without rushing the scenery or the food.

What is the best time of year for this trip?

Late spring to early autumn (May to September). Swiss mountain courses have the shortest season, so confirm their opening dates first and build the itinerary around them.

Do I need a car?

A car gives you the most flexibility for moving between courses and regions, though fast trains connect the major cities well. A short flight can save a long transfer if your time is tight.

Are these courses suitable for higher handicappers?

Yes. Most resort courses offer multiple tee options, and using GPS distances and Advanced Stats in Hole19 helps players of every level make smarter decisions and enjoy the round.