Chantaco

Overview: Chantaco is a historic Basque parkland course at the foot of La Rhune near Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The routing moves among former farm parcels and mature trees, with the mountain, village and coastal climate giving the course a strong regional identity. Harry Colt’s design uses traditional strategic features and changing green approaches rather than spectacle, so positioning and a reliable short game remain central to scoring.

History: René Thion de la Chaume created Chantaco in 1928 after acquiring several farms near Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Harry Colt designed the course, while Jean Walter designed the Art Deco club house and Émile Picot supervised the work. The course was inaugurated on 1 November 1928 in a gathering attended by leading professionals including Arnaud Massy, who became the club’s first professional. The Thion de la Chaume and Lacoste families then maintained the club through the twentieth century.

Did You Know? Chantaco’s name is associated with the former Chantacoenia farm, one of several properties acquired for the project. During the Second World War, the family protected the course’s workforce by using planting work to avoid compulsory labor, and around 40,000 trees were added as the property was restored.