Off the back of watching Wimbledon last month and marvelling at the glorious games of the world’s best players on SW19’s lawns, you might be thinking you need a tennis tune-up. If so, tennis holidays are unbeatable at raising your game with a concentrated period of play.
The trouble is, whilst the coaching can be exemplary at camps from Florida to Spain, often the accommodation is not. At most of these complexes, the focus is firmly on the tennis, and certainly not on the hospitality.
That could never be said for the Château Lou Casteou, set on the edge of a pine-tree filled national park near Fréjus, just inland from France’s Cote d’Azur, an hour’s drive from Nice airport. Owned and run by tennis-loving Morag and Chris, this is the dream trip for tennis players who love the sport’s accompanying socials as much as they get off on a sweetly-struck cross-court forehand, and for those who want luxurious, homely accommodation (en-suite bedrooms, pool, terraces, lounges, sea and mountain views) rather than pack-em-all-in-inclusives.
The five hours of tennis a day might sound daunting to anyone who plays irregularly, but it flies by in a flurry of drills
For the five-day stay, around 20 players descend on the chateau for morning and afternoon sessions, lunches on the poolside terrace, dressed-up aperitif hour and family-style dinners set in the various vast rooms. If you’re lucky to book in on the April session (there are only a few of these holidays a year here, and spaces sell out fast), it also includes a day trip to the Monte-Carlo tennis masters, one of the ATP Tour’s most spectacular tournaments where the sport’s elite battle it out on the red clay with the Mediterranean shimmering in the background. We were lucky enough to see Djokovic, Sinner and Medvedev — all three in this year’s Wimbledon semi-finals — in one impressive sitting.
Back at the hard courts at the charming Golf and Tennis club of Valescure near the chateau (they’re hoping to add some clay courts by next summer, for lovers of the red stuff), the tennis might not be of the same level, but the group’s enthusiasm is equal. Coaching is headed up by James Rose, former director of tennis at La Manga Tennis Academy, and David Tropes, head coach at Valescure.
The five hours of tennis a day might sound daunting to anyone who plays irregularly, but it flies by in a flurry of drills, games and mini competitions. The schedule is loose too, allowing people to skip some sessions for guided coastal walks, trips to St Tropez, Fréjus or Saint Raphael, or even an afternoon lazing by the sleek pool. With everyone else at tennis, including owners Morag and Chris, you’ll largely be lounging in total peace.
There are a variety of levels, from post-beginner to strong club players learning all aspects of the game: from taking the ball early on the approach shot to knifing slice backhands and gaining extra power on the serve with wrist snap to moving more effectively as a doubles pair. The biggest take-away was that the most crucial thing in tennis is choosing the right shot at the right time. Universally, we left feeling more confident with our shots and tactics and more comfortable lasting out on a sun-beaten court for longer than a five-set Wimbledon final.
The tennis is only a part of this dreamy experience though: the breakfast, lunches and dinners put on by the visiting Italian chef couple Matteo and Silvia were the perfect mix of gourmet and homemade. French pastries, fruit, omelettes and strong coffee fuelled you in the morning, lunches of poached salmon, salads and pastas sustained you through the day (a glass or two of Provençal rose helped rather than hindered some people’s games) and big evening feasts with fine wines were a boisterous release, often ending up with a midnight pool competition in the games room downstairs.
Yes, this is a healthy, sporty trip where you’ll improve your game, but you should also come with a big appetite for eating, drinking and socialising.
