Latest news

Slopes and inclines that tire the calves, sunlit corridors that trick the eye, and ponds where you can fine-tune your aim before the weekend: at the Golf de l’Isle Adam, archery isn’t limited to just one course. There are six courses, spanning three disciplines and 140 hectares of woodland. They were designed by the Archery Country Club and by an archer who’s no stranger to the podium. Here’s how to make the most of them, whether you have an hour to spare or a whole weekend.

 

 

Saturday, 9:30 a.m. Dew still clings to the fairways, and golfers are teeing off at the first hole. A little further on, four archers are finishing up their warm-up shots. They’re debating what to do next: Course No. 1 to get a good workout, or No. 2 to practice reading the light? They’ll choose the latter and save the other for Sunday. At the Golf de l’Isle Adam, this is the kind of choice people often make.

 

The Archery Country Club, the sports association that manages the activity, has built six permanent archery courses on the grounds. Few sites in France offer such a wide variety of options in one place. Here’s how they work.

 

An archery club at a country club

 

The setting is just as important as the targets. The courses wind through the trees of a 140-hectare, rolling, wooded estate that archers share with golfers. Here, you might spot a deer between two targets and then head back for lunch on a terrace overlooking the course. The club is also doing a great job promoting biodiversity on the estate, and you can see the results in the undergrowth.

 

The courses are designed and maintained by the Archery Country Club, led by Vincent Belay, the French 3D champion and a regular on international podiums. His recent achievements are detailed in our article about his runner-up finish at the European Team Championships. You can feel it in the course layout: each target presents a specific challenge, whether it’s estimating a distance, an awkward shooting position, or the play of shadows.

 

The three 3D courses: 72 animal targets

 

3D archery involves aiming at life-size foam animals hidden in the woods at unknown distances. This means you have to estimate the distance yourself. The club offers three courses with 24 targets each, categorized by skill level.

 

3D Course No. 1: The Most Physically Demanding

 

This is the most challenging one. The difficulty comes mainly from the slopes and inclines: you’ll be walking uphill and downhill, with one foot lower than the other. These angles make it hard to judge distances and really work your core. To get there, allow about ten minutes’ walk from the five warm-up targets, crossing a small bridge along the way. Be sure to wear good shoes and bring a water bottle.

 

3D Tour No. 2: Light as an Adversary

 

Course No. 2 focuses less on elevation and more on what the archer sees. It was designed around the effects of light and corridors: a target in direct sunlight at the end of a dark corridor, or a wild boar in the shadow of a tree trunk. The eye misjudges the distance, and the arrow flies too high. It’s a great course for learning to be wary of first impressions.

 

3D Tour No. 3: The Compact, Two Atmospheres

 

No. 3 is divided into two areas:

• 12 spots around the ponds that are easy to reach for those who are short on time;
• An extreme section at the end of the course, reserved for experienced shooters.

 

It's the perfect route for a workout or a warm-up before a competition the following weekend: you shoot a lot, walk a little, and make quick adjustments.

 

The two outdoor shooting courses

 

Field archery is more technical. Archers shoot at round black-and-yellow targets, sometimes from a great distance, firing several arrows at a time. Here, consistency is what counts.

 

 

The courses come in pairs, each with its own style. If you like sloped terrain, do 3D No. 1 followed by the countryside course No. 2. If you want to work on reading the light, do 3D No. 2 followed by the countryside course No. 1.

 

The Nature Trail: 21 checkpoints to round out the experience

 

The sixth course covers the final major archery discipline: field archery. In this event, archers shoot at 21 flat, two-dimensional paper targets depicting animals in the woods near the golf course. The atmosphere is more traditional, often appreciated by archers who use recurve or hunting bows.

With this course, the Archery Country Club offers all three course disciplines (3D, field, and nature) at a single location. For archers, this means they can practice all of them without having to change locations.

 

Which path should I choose?

 

 

Who is allowed to shoot on the courses?

 

The courses are located on private property, and arrows fly through the trees. Access is therefore restricted to registered and insured archers. As with golf courses, pedestrians and visitors are not permitted to enter.

 

Are you a member of the Archery Country Club? The courses are open to you with the VIP card you purchased at the start of the season.

Are you a licensed archer but not a member? You can come if you have an FFTA or FFTL license, or a hunting permit if you hunt with a bow. All you need to do is purchase an access pass before you go:

 

You can purchase an access pass at the France Archerie store, where you can pay in person or by check, or directly from Vincent Belay at 06 65 10 11 12. Online payment for full-day and half-day passes will be available soon.

 

Are you staying at the Domaine des Vanneaux without a license? You can’t go out on your own with a bow. However, you can participate in a workshop, a team-building activity, or an event led by Vincent—which can be arranged through the hotel or the golf course, either individually or as part of a group. If you have a license, you simply purchase an access pass like everyone else.

 

In any case, please check in before you head out—at the pro shop, the golf course reception desk, or with Vincent. That way, the club knows who is on the courses at all times. This is the most important safety rule.

 

Before setting out on the course

 

A few rules to keep in mind:

 

• Once you have your access pass, check in before you leave (see above). The courses are shared with golfers.
• Appropriate attire: Just like on the golf course, no shorts, Bermuda shorts, or tank tops. Our article on the dress code at the Golf de l’Isle Adam explains everything. In the woods, be sure to wear sturdy pants and shoes that provide good traction on slopes.
• Safety: Never nock an arrow until the area is clear, and never shoot into the air.
• Pack the following in your bag: water, a few spare arrows (the woods always have one or two lying around), and a light jacket for the shaded trails, even in summer.

 

Don't have any equipment? The France Archerie store in L’Isle-Adam is right nearby, and the club offers guided introductory sessions. All the details are on the golf course's archery page.

 

And what comes after the arrows?

 

Archers and golfers find themselves in the same place: the 19th. After 24 sloping targets, the terrace and the menu at the 19th are a welcome sight. There, they compare scores, discuss the wild boar target in the fairway, and make plans for what’s next.

 

In fact, the two sports are becoming increasingly intertwined. The club organized a tournament that combined golf and archery; you can read about it in our article on the first Golf Archery event.

 

Conclusion: Six courses—that takes some preparation

 

Three 3D courses—two in the countryside, one in the woods—make it hard to do everything in a single day, and that’s by design. People come back to train, to improve, or simply to spend time in the woods.

 

For a complete getaway, the Domaine des Vanneaux is located on the golf course grounds. If you’re a member, you can stay on-site, use your access pass, and be on the No. 1 tee before the first golfers arrive. If you’re a beginner, you can book a lesson with Vincent. The spa helps you unwind, and the restaurant Le Piaf takes care of dinner.

 

Book your stay at Domaine des Vanneaux, or just stop by on Saturday morning with your license. We'll save you a table at Le 19 so you can compare scores.