Servanes sits in the shadow of the white limestone cliffs of the Alpilles, ten minutes from two of Provence’s most storied small towns — Les Baux-de-Provence, built into the rock itself, and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, where Van Gogh spent the last year of his working life at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum. The course was designed in 1989 by Thierry Sprecher, Patrice Boissonnas, and Géry Watine to work with that landscape rather than against it.
Ten minutes from Les Baux and Saint-Rémy, and the course doesn’t try to compete with either — it just gets out of the way and lets the Alpilles do the work.
The course: what you are actually playing
A par-72 running roughly 6,050–6,140 metres. The front nine opens at the foot of the rocks with rolling fairways bordered by olive groves, before an unexpected American accent arrives mid-round in two large island greens, and the back nine closes among maritime pines. 4,000 olive trees do structural work as much as decorative.
The hole worth knowing
The clubhouse itself — a converted 18th-century olive oil mill — extends the course’s sense of place rather than interrupting it, and the view from its terrace back toward the Alpilles is arguably the best single vantage point on the property.
The village: what families actually need
No on-site hotel or kids club — this is a course built for atmosphere, and the real infrastructure is the two towns on its doorstep. Les Baux-de-Provence and Saint-Rémy are both close enough to combine into a single day without the round feeling rushed, and neither suffers from the over-tourism affecting some of the more famous Luberon villages in peak season.
Where to stay: no resort, and that’s fine
Le Vallon de Valrugues & Spa is the standout choice — a 5-star property in central Saint-Rémy, ten minutes from the course, with a gourmet restaurant, bistro, and spa, and villa configurations available for larger family groups.
For something smaller, Hôtel de l’Image, also a ten-minute drive from Servanes, offers a garden setting with a maze and seasonal pool at a gentler price point.
Best time to go
April–June and September–October. The Alpilles trap heat in summer in a way that makes a midday round genuinely uncomfortable; spring and autumn also give the best light for the limestone cliffs themselves.
Getting there: the logistics reality
Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) and Nîmes-Alès-Camargue (FNI) are both viable at roughly an hour’s drive; Avignon TGV is the best rail option if arriving by train from Paris.
What to wear: the Inesea style edit
The palette follows the olive groves and limestone directly: soft cream, warm grey, dusty rose or sage — nothing that fights the Alpilles’ muted, sun-bleached tones.
Three pieces worth packing
An AND PER SE top in dusty rose — a quiet Korean colourway that photographs beautifully against the white rock.
A BEAMS Golf layering piece in sage — practical for the morning-to-afternoon temperature swing.
Pearly Gates accessories in warm grey — enough personality for the clubhouse without overwhelming the landscape.
The honest family verdict
Who should book it
Families who already have Les Baux and Saint-Rémy on the itinerary and want the round to complement the day rather than define it.
Who might look elsewhere
Anyone wanting on-site resort infrastructure should look to Terre Blanche or Frégate.
Official site
About the author
Diana Suke
Diana Suke is the founder of Inesea and Europe's leading editorial voice on women's golf fashion and culture. A business transformation director by profession, she coordinates junior golf programmes across Malta and travels the Mediterranean circuit with two competitive junior golfers. She came to golf in her mid-thirties and hasn't looked back.
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