Let it be stressed that the local residents now have no objections to Four Seasons Resort Provence. Why should they? Under the experienced supervision of Dave and his son Paul – the company managing director – the work was carried out lovingly and carefully, preserving selected trees, protecting wildlife species, and retaining the splendour of the view from the surrounding hills. One of the persuasive elements was to restrict the number of dwellings to be included in the plans to 170 plots, all subtly located. Another was to include a small fire station, manned at all times to eliminate the danger of forest fires. The buildings are ochre-painted with terracotta-tiled roofs, and the area is landscaped with Mediterranean shrubs, all very Provençal in fact, providing an outlook that would have delighted rather than offended artists such as Cezanne and Van Gogh.

In practical terms, Four Seasons offer up to 300 jobs for members of the local community. Each of General Manager Dimitrios Zarikos’s employees, it seemed to me, possesses a welcoming smile and a cheerful ‘bonjour’. Some of the logistical problems to be overcome along the way have been quite monumental, each of them requiring planning permission, each of them controversial in its own way, and each of them mind-blowingly expensive: an overland pipe to relay water from the huge, picturesque local lake; a three-and-half-kilometre re-routing of the RD56 highway; the building of a new bridge across the Riou Blanc for ease of access; an eleven-and-a-half kilometre security fence around the course… all funded by the owner, not the local council.

Therein lies a story in itself. Some of the locals rather assumed that the barrier would be manned by stern security guards specifically to keep out the locals. No such thing, of course. The fence is necessary because these hills are alive with wild boar which have no respect for the integrity of the greens, the fairways, the bunkers, the tees – all areas they find ideal for snouting around in search of whatever foodstuff it is that they seek. When allowed to wander indiscriminately, they just love the golf course, but inflict untold damage to it. Again, the message was sensibly communicated to the mayor of Tourrettes who, with matching good sense, assured his villagers that the fence was not offensive. The two golf courses? They are the most expensive created by Dave Thomas Design at 35,000,000 euros. Dave, and son Paul, are very, VERY, proud of them. One sounder judge than I expressed the view that they will be quickly considered among Europe’s finest.

Scenically they are a delight to the eye, framed as they are by the Alpes-Maritimes, home of other ancient villages such as Seillans, Callian and Montauroux. The Le Chateau course, at its fullest, is 6,616 metres, and has attracted a visit from Volvo European Tour inspectors as a possible venue for a future tournament. This is the more ‘classic’ of the two, and one particular high handicapper adored it, playing off forward tees. The DT stamp is everywhere. A fair width of green fairway to aim at, the strategically-placed, cleverly-sculptured clusters of rounded bunkers, the well-guarded greens with subtle undulations, the tempting risk-and-rewards shots on offer.

The Le Riou Course is shorter at a maximum of 6,005 metres, though it demands more thought off the tees since the fairways are tighter with many doglegs and much pondering over club selection. A spell at Terre Blanche’s David Leadbetter Academy in preparation before attempting either course is advisable. Raphael Jacquelin, one of France’s leading European Tour players, practices there on a regular basis. No need to ask why. Everything about Four Seasons Resort Provence, with all its facilities, is ideal for the discerning golfer who is fortunate enough to be able to take advantage of them.