This week, the global golfing world gathered in Cannes. From 19 to 22 October, the Palais des Festivals hosted the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), the leading international golf tourism trade fair. More than 300 destinations and resorts met with over 300 buyers from around the world.
Best known for the Cannes Film Festival, the Palais turned its attention to golf on this occasion. Following a Golf Day on Monday across three courses in the hinterland, the focus shifted to three days of business meetings on the Croisette: a rare showcase for the Côte d’Azur and its courses, just a few minutes from Cannes.
This event went beyond tourism alone. On the Côte d’Azur, golf and luxury property go hand in hand: the finest courses, in Mougins, Valbonne or the Pays de Fayence, are flanked by the region’s most sought-after private estates.
Golf estates, the pursuit of wellbeing, and new flight routes to North America: at the IGTM, Magrey & Sons took stock of this link between golf and luxury property, and what it reveals about the Côte d’Azur’s appeal.
In Cannes, golf is part of the heritage. As early as 1891, the Belle Époque set the scene amongst the trees of the Old Course, surrounded by swans – the oldest golf course in the Alpes-Maritimes, located in Mandelieu-la-Napoule. In the 1920s, the Aga Khan and Baron Édouard de Rothschild conceived the Golf de Cannes-Mougins, in the heart of the Valmasque forest.
Few conference cities can boast the same: within a few minutes’ drive of the Palais des Festivals, there are around ten courses to choose from. Perched on the heights of Mougins, the Royal Mougins is one of the area’s best-kept secrets. Opened in 1993 in an unspoilt valley, this 18-hole course, designed by the American architect Robert von Hagge, follows the natural contours of the land and opens out onto the hills of the hinterland. It hosted the Cannes Open in the 1990s, and its accommodation, restaurant and driving range reserved for members and residents, make it a true resort just a few minutes from Cannes.
On the coast, the Riviera Golf de Barbossi in Mandelieu features 22 contemporary sculptures along its course, whilst the Golf de Saint-Donat’s fairways wind their way along the road to Grasse. A little further afield, in the heart of the Pays de Fayence, Terre Blanche has transformed the golf estate into a true art of living with its two championship courses, its 5-star hotel and its private villas spread over 301 hectares long ranked as the number one resort in continental Europe. Towards the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, we find Beauvallon, Gassin and Valescure, which extend this experience. Everywhere, the same landscape and the same authentic way of life, which is increasingly sought after by an international clientele.
The exhibition kicked off on Monday 19 October with a Golf Day. For the second year running in Cannes, participants spread out across three courses in the hinterland: Le Riou at Terre Blanche, overlooking the hilltop villages of the Pays de Fayence; the Opio-Valbonne Golf Club with its 220 hectares of protected natural landscape; and the Grande Bastide Golf Club in Châteauneuf-de-Grasse. This gave golfers from all over the world the chance to discover the Côte d’Azur whilst enjoying a round of golf, before getting down to business.
From Tuesday 20 to Thursday 22 October, it was time to get down to business at the Palais des Festivals. Over 300 suppliers (destinations, resorts, golf courses) met with more than 300 pre-selected buyers and specialist agencies during pre-arranged meetings. It was here that holidays for the coming seasons were negotiated, and the French Riviera was determined to defend its position against new destinations. To attend this international event, many participants chose to rent a villa or flat in Cannes and the surrounding area for the duration of the fair.
Golf also appeals because of the lifestyle that goes with it. By 2026, wellbeing will play an increasingly significant role in the decisions of high-end buyers. At Magrey & Sons, we see this every day: health and work-life balance have become key factors in the purchase of a second home, and golf, as a sport, a form of relaxation and a social hub, benefits directly from this. On the Côte d’Azur, these clients are willing to invest more to enjoy this lifestyle, with a golf course just a stone’s throw away, the sea a few minutes’ drive away and a mild climate for much of the year.
Proximity to a golf course is no longer just a bonus in a property advert: it has become a criterion in its own right, now used as a filter in search engines. Magrey & Sons, the leading property group on the Côte d’Azur, has observed that more buyers are turning to properties situated in gated communities near golf courses, seeking a view of the course or the option of walking there. Mougins attracts an international community thanks to its international schools and its golf course, with its gated and secure estates, which influence international buyers’ purchasing decisions. More and more families are settling year-round in the areas around Mougins, Valbonne and Biot, seeking large plots of land, space, unspoilt natural surroundings, and the security of a gated estate with on-site amenities.
Magrey & Sons highlights this scarcity of land, which underpins the value of the most sought-after properties on the Côte d’Azur. The clientele is also becoming increasingly international. This demand is driven by buyers travelling from afar, and access is becoming easier: by 2027, Nice Airport will have 18 long-haul routes, including 11 to North America. The proximity to Cannes-Mandelieu Airport is further boosting the influx of prospective buyers.
For professionals in the luxury property sector, the IGTM highlighted a simple reality: today’s golfing traveller is often tomorrow’s buyer. Those who discover Mougins, Opio or Terre Blanche whilst on holiday sometimes look for a home just a few minutes’ drive from the first tee and the beaches. According to Future Market Insights, golf tourism is expected to be worth 29.5 billion dollars worldwide by 2026.
Following its inaugural edition in Cannes in 2017, the IGTM returned in 2025 and was back again this year. The 2026 edition saw the arrival of new destinations: Saudi Arabia, represented by Golf Saudi for the first time, as well as Cyprus, the Dominican Republic, Kenya and Japan. Camiral, which will host the 2031 Ryder Cup, was also among the new exhibitors. Faced with this competition, the Côte d’Azur highlighted one key aspect: a history recognised worldwide, a certain art de vivre, and golf courses at the heart of one of Europe’s most sought-after property markets.
Golf also attracts other sectors of the luxury industry, which find a select and loyal clientele there. The automotive industry is the most prominent example. Since 1988, Porsche has organised the Porsche Golf Cup, a series of amateur tournaments reserved for its customers. Last season, some 240 tournaments brought together nearly 19,000 players across 20 markets, culminating in a world final to be held in late April 2026 near Lisbon. On the Côte d’Azur, Terre Blanche has equipped itself to host vehicle launches: exhibition spaces, test drive routes towards Grasse and the Estérel, and the option to hire the entire estate exclusively.
Art also finds its way onto the fairways. In Mandelieu, the Riviera Golf de Barbossi has a permanent exhibition of 22 contemporary sculptures along its course, a collection unrivalled on the Riviera. Players move from one artwork to the next between shots, as if in a sculpture garden.
The luxury hospitality sector is following suit. In October 2025, Terre Blanche became the first destination in France to join Troon, the American golf management group. Its members now have access to more than 145 private clubs worldwide, and the estate has joined the Troon Rewards network, which boasts over a million active members. For the luxury property sector, these links are crucial: they bring an international clientele to the Côte d’Azur’s golf courses, many of whom subsequently seek to settle there.
The 2026 edition marked the launch of IGTM Discovery, the trade fair’s official extension. It brought together clubs, resorts and retailers with suppliers of technology, equipment, textiles, accessories and management solutions. Indeed, IGTM Discovery also hosted the first ever conference programme in the trade fair’s history, the Golf Club Management Summit: over 30 sessions spread over three days, open to participants from both areas.
The programme included an opening keynote address by Mark Skinner (The PGA), focusing on training, artificial intelligence and personalised courses, followed by sessions on sustainability, the future of course agronomy with Alejandro Reyes, who prepared the courses for the 2018 and 2023 Ryder Cups, and the commercial reality of women’s golf.
Over four days, the exhibition confirmed the ever-present demand on the Côte d’Azur. The finest golf courses and the most sought-after properties are to be found from Mandelieu to Mougins, and from Valbonne to the Pays de Fayence. Land is scarce and buyers are seeking a lifestyle centred on well-being. All these factors make golf one of the greatest assets of luxury property on the Côte d’Azur.
EXCEPTIONAL PRIVATE EQUESTRIAN ESTATE – A UNIQUE LIFESTYLE ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA
Superb Property in Absolute Quiet – Prestigious Estate
Authentic Stone Bastide in the Heart of Valbonne Village
Exceptional historic property with sea views – Walking distance to Mougins village
Fayence Area – Charming Provençal home with Views of the old Village
WATERFRONT with direct access to the beach
Exceptional provencal style. property in a gated domain
Joint sole agency. Elegant Provencal villa in a closed estate
