Text by Arnaud Blanc

You have to take the road to Mont-Saint-Michel to come across the Golf des Ormes. In this part of Brittany, a few tens of kilometers from the coast, it is a city within a city that stands out: an area that has become a real institution for many golfers who are looking for a fairway corner where to indulge in a much greater number of activities. But the estate was not always like this. Its history begins well before the opening of the golf course. Former agricultural land of the family La Chesnais, this old plot from the mid-nineteenth century has transformed over the decades into a large tourist complex, while keeping its family soul. "I don’t think that the owners imagined they would achieve such a result, raises Emma Carnet, the communication manager of the premises. Everything has been done little by little, with ambition and a true desire for conviviality and family values." It was in 1989 that an 18-hole course was created in the castle park, designed by architect Antoine D'Ormesson (founding member of the Ozoir-la-Ferrière, Ormesson and Saint-Cloud golf courses). With a neat design that winds through the surrounding woods, it offers golfers an exceptional setting and a challenge seduced by its technicality and serenity that emanates from it.

A real force of attraction for locals and traveling golfers, it builds character like its hole no. 10, nicknamed 'the royal alley.' "This is the signature hole of our course, the second most difficult on the track. You have to work the ball from right to left and choose the landing of your puck if you want to attack it in two," says the site director, Irving Morales. Because in front of the green, it is an intimidating water barrier that protects the finish, where a view of the castle gives full meaning to the nickname of the hole.

Beyond the course or its future modern practice (planned for early 2026), the domain of Les Ormes attracts for its places of life. His club-house of course but also the miniature village that was built around it. "Our goal is to offer an all-in-one complex, where everyone finds their happiness: holidaymakers, golfers, family reunion, but also companies that are looking for a seminar setting" continues Emma Carnet. This diversification is moreover the most obvious strength of the locality. This is evidenced by the emergence of one of the great novelties inaugurated in spring: L'Amiral, a flagship building that symbolizes the desire of the Elms to offer ever more comfort and conviviality. Inspired by the medieval architecture of Dinan and Dol-de-Bretagne, it houses several spaces including La Brasserie 1977, a restaurant and bar that are already in full swing for their summer baptism, says Emma Carnet. With her, it is a bakery and a grocery store whose common goal is to promote local products from the terroir and Breton creations. "The irony is that the owners' vision was not to build something as big as this but simply to ensure that holidaymakers have everything at their disposal," recalls the manager. But the success achieved is such that reality has surpassed fiction.

Staying or playing at Les Ormes is also diving into an authentic Brittany. The region is full of riches: the ramparts of Saint-Malo, the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, the medieval streets of Dinan... so many possible escapades between two rounds of golf. But what makes the charm of the place, it is especially this atmosphere "village", where everything is thought so that everyone feels at home. As Emma Carnet sums up nicely: "More than a domain, it is a small tourist community, where you can find everything on site, without ever losing the friendly and family spirit that makes the DNA of Les Ormes." A technical golf course, an enchanting setting, and now a new gourmet haven, the Domaine des Ormes has found the perfect triptych to attract and retain visitors who will necessarily have something for their passion, whatever it may be.

Domaine des Ormes​
Epiniac
35120 Dol-de-Bretagne
02 99 73 54 44
golf@lesormes.com
​www.lesormes.com​