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Provence Tennis Tournaments Review
Win money at the local tennis competitions in Provence
Visitors to Provence come with different objectives. Some are delighted to find a Roman inscription on an obscure column, others let themselves fall down on white beach sand, with no intentions to move until it's time to party in a local discotheque. The majority partakes a bit from each side and enjoys the rest in between.
For the active-minded visitors, Provence offers many outlets - bicycling, golf, sailing, hang-gliding, running. If you can think of an activity, most likely you find a way to pursue it.
Tennis is a good example. Practically every village or town in France has a tennis club, most of them municipal, some private. As a visitor you are welcome to rent a court by the hour, join as a member or find an arrangement in between. The costs are not extravagant: a membership runs anywhere from 100 to 200 Euros per year, depending on the club. A court hour from 6 to 18 €, depending on the situation. It's a great way to play your tennis and make contact with local players.
But the best opportunity to make contact, and who knows some money, is by entering a local tournament. From spring through autumn, local clubs host competitions, open to outsiders, French and non-French players. The only thing you need to do is get a license from the French Tennis Federation. All the information is on their website. The cost for the license is around 20€ for an adult, 13 € for under 18. The license includes insurance. If you need more help, a local tennis club can set you up with the license, once you're there.
The tournaments offer prize money from 500 € to 4000 € and beyond. It is whispered that some ace players finance their stay in France by entering one tournament after another. So be warned that the competition can be very stiff! The entrants come from a wide region and are very serious. But it's a great way to spend a season in Provence if you're a tennis buff!
Note: Most courts in Provence are hard courts. Only recently have clay courts made a foray in the region.
