With the work on line 18, this Yvelines Olympic site will close until 2026

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On the occasion of the French Open which ends this Sunday October 13, the Albatross lives his last rounds of golf for a long time. The flagship course of the national golf course in Guyancourt (Yvelines) will in fact close its doors on the evening of October 20 until… June 2026.

A covered trench under the golf course

The reason? THE work on future line 18 of the Grand Paris Express between Orly airport (Val-de-Marne) and Versailles-Chantiers station will pass along the route and under the golf course. A project led by the Société des Grands Projets (SGP) and planned for several years.

“They will open the ground, make a covered trench, install everything necessary for the metro and then close it,” explains Philippe Pilato, director of the national golf course.

Practice them will also be unusable during these twenty months of closure. L’Oiselet, a 7-hole course intended for beginners and children, is closing permanently.

High attendance at the Olympics

The only golf course in the world to have hosted both the Olympic Games (in 2024) and the legendary Ryder Cup between Europe and the United States (in 2018), the Albatross has known for several years significant attendancebetween local and foreign customers (England, United States, China, Japan, South Korea, etc.).

“We had strong commercial activity following the Olympic Games, in August, September and October. This closure will kill our momentum. But we will take advantage of this to initiate work and prepare the route for the next ten to fifteen years. »

A new 9-hole course in 2027

The grass of the greens and avant-greens will thus be replaced to include a species less prone to disease and requiring less water. In addition, the Berliners, wooden sleepers created to support the greens, will be renovated.

Finally, to replace the Oiselet, “a course not very easy to play”, a new 9-hole course will be built. “We can play a real course in an hour,” explains Philippe Pilato. It’s an offer that we didn’t have before, very little present in Ile-de-France, suitable for all levels, both beginners and experienced players. »

Work on this 9-hole course should begin once the line 18 construction site has left the site in 2026. The course is scheduled to open in 2027.

The Eagle route open during the works

During this year and a half of work, fans of the little white ball will still be able to continue to play national golf. The other course, the Eagle, will remain open as will the shop and the warm-up practice located right next to it.

“It is not because we close our flagship route that we will lower our quality of service. The objective is to upgrade the Aigle course, a very open and easy to play course. »

In 2025, the French Open will temporarily move at the Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche golf coursea historic course which has already hosted the tournament several times in the past but also the famous Lancôme Trophy (1970-2003). “It’s a site that knows how to do things,” reassures Philippe Pilato.

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