Sologne Shooting Club: World Center for Sporting Clays Shooting in the Heart of Sologne
World-class rural shooting range, located in the heart of Sologne's hunting region (France), combining innovative shooting infrastructure with the exclusive coaching of multiple world champion Charles Bardou.
Competitions Organized at the Range
The Sologne Shooting Club (SSC) is an internationally recognized arena for sporting clays shooting and regularly hosts high-level competitions that attract the elite of the sport worldwide.
Euro Cash Shooting: This is one of the most famous tournaments on the club's calendar. It has gained a reputation as one of the, if not THE most difficult shooting tournament in Europe. The difficulty of the trajectories, often specially adjusted for maximum challenge, and the competition conditions, which sometimes include shooting directly into the sun 2, attract the best shooters seeking to test their skills.
Official FITASC Tournaments: The range is an active member of the International Federation of Sporting Clays Shooting (FITASC) and hosts official stages, such as the French Grand Prix and the European Compak Sporting Cup.
Regular Grand Prix: Regular Grand Prix events are organized for the club community and national shooters, including themed competitions like the Halloween GP and the Christmas GP.
The club's international status is confirmed not only by the scale of the competitions but also by the involvement of premium sponsors, such as Zoli and Le Chameau, reflecting the high level of organization and the prestige of the targeted audience.
Introduction
The Sologne Shooting Club is located within the Domaine de Courgenou in the municipality of Chaumont-sur-Tharonne 3, in the heart of the historic French region of Sologne (Loir-et-Cher). This location is ideal for all those who share a passion for ball-trap—hunters who wish to refine their instinctive shooting to professional athletes aspiring to world supremacy. The complex offers unique infrastructure that is constantly modernized through partnerships with leading global equipment manufacturers, ensuring the highest quality shooting conditions.
The SSC's main competitive advantage lies in its integration of an elite sports experience: the club is directly associated with champion Charles Bardou, whose experience and high achievements (notably European and French Championship titles) guarantee uncompromising course difficulty and realism. With 27 unique Hunting Course layouts and 210 trap machines, the SSC is rightly considered one of the most varied and technically equipped ranges for sporting clays shooting.
On-Site Facilities
The club's extensive layout and specialized equipment are designed to meet the technical demands of the Hunting Course and Compak Sporting, with an emphasis on creating the most challenging and realistic scenarios.
Shooting Stations and Disciplines (Quantity).
27 separate Hunting Course layouts offer exceptional variability, allowing shooters to train in conditions that rarely repeat.
Disciplines: The main focus is on Hunting Course (Sporting Clays) and Compak Sporting, for which international Grand Prix events and championships are regularly organized.
Equipment and Automation (Brands, Multipull, etc., if available).
The club is equipped with 210 various trap machines. This number of machines distributed across 27 layouts indicates advanced automation and the ability to configure complex trajectories simultaneously.
The club is a partner of LAPORTE 4, a world leader in the manufacture of Ball-Trap equipment, ensuring the reliability and precision of target flights.
Partnerships with PERAZZI (elite sports shotguns) and FOB (ammunition) 4 highlight the premium quality of the inventory and resources available at the club.
Infrastructure and Hospitality (Restaurant/Hotel/Relaxation Areas, Parking).
Shop: A specialized shop is located on-site where shooters can purchase necessary and useful accessories, clothing, and equipment for Ball-Trap practice.
Logistics Areas: Hosting large-scale competitions (Euro Cash Shooting) demonstrates developed infrastructure to serve hundreds of participants, including a large parking lot, registration areas, and prize-giving zones.
Additional Features (Night Shooting, Simulators, Elevated Platforms).
The large number of machines and layouts allows for creating conditions that faithfully simulate hunting scenarios, including shooting from hides and the use of elevated platforms to mimic high-angle targets (like geese or pigeons).
Competitions organized in the fall (for example, the Halloween GP in October) 4 may involve twilight shooting or low-light conditions, although direct night shooting services are not explicitly advertised.
Range Terrain, Trajectory Complexity, and Climate
Regional Context: Sologne
The Sologne region in the Loir-et-Cher department is renowned as one of France's most prestigious hunting territories. It is a historically wooded and lacustrine area that is perfectly suited to the Hunting Course. The club is located in the Heart of Sologne sector, where hunting and traditional French aristocratic culture create a unique atmosphere. This location strengthens the SSC brand, associating it with authenticity and high-level hunting artistry.
Terrain, Trajectory Complexity, and Climate
Geographically, Chaumont-sur-Tharonne is located at a relatively low altitude, with an average of 128 meters above sea level. Although the terrain is not mountainous, the layouts cleverly use the natural lines of Sologne's forests and landscapes to create complex and unpredictable trajectories.
Trajectory Complexity: The SSC's reputation as the "most difficult" range in Europe is built on the creative adjustment of machines. Organizers, particularly Charles Bardou, specifically design layouts that challenge even professionals.
Factors Increasing Difficulty: It is documented that trajectories can be deliberately set directly against the sun, creating a dazzling effect and critically complicating target acquisition. Even minor weather changes, such as rain or wind, are integrated into the process as additional challenge elements.
Climate: The climate in Chaumont-sur-Tharonne is temperate continental.
Warm Season: Lasts approximately from June to early September. Average daily high temperatures exceed 22°C (about 72°F).
Cold Season: Lasts from November to early March. Winters are very cold, mostly cloudy, and, importantly for shooting, windy. The presence of wind ensures target flight instability, increasing the realism of hunting scenarios, which is an advantage for athletes preparing for international competitions.
Training and Instruction
The Sologne Shooting Club positions itself not only as a shooting ground but also as a high-performance academy, centered around multiple champion Charles Bardou.
Formats (Individual/Group).
The club offers guidance and coaching services (Accompagnement) 4, which can be provided individually or for group or team shooting preparation.
Sessions with Bardou involve in-depth analysis of technique and tactics, based on his direct competitive experience.
Levels (Beginners/Competitors).
Charles Bardou's programs are designed for three main categories: hunters (who want to improve their accuracy in field conditions), beginners (who need to master basic ball-trap skills), and experienced competitors (compétiteurs) aiming for world peaks.
Training athletes on such a difficult range gives them a unique advantage, as they learn not only technique but also how a champion sets trajectories and reads the most unpredictable targets.
Titles and Achievements of the Coach/Owner:
Charles Bardou is a key figure whose personal success validates the quality of training at the club. He is one of the most accomplished shooters in France and Europe, having won numerous titles in both Hunting Course and Compak Sporting.
Bardou is the 2024 European Compak Sporting Champion (score 199/200) and multiple French Champion in both main disciplines. His record also includes World Vice-Champion titles and a Bronze Medal in the Compak Sporting World Championship. His involvement in the club's daily operations and course setup (such as the 2018 Christmas Grand Prix) 10 ensures that the range is always at the highest level of sporting excellence.
Events and Competitions
The SSC range serves not only as a training base but also as a full-fledged arena for shooting sports.
Regularity/Scale: Events are organized regularly throughout the year. The club is consistently featured in the international FITASC calendars, hosting European Cups and Grand Prix events. The scale of these events confirms that the SSC can manage high-complexity organization and logistics.
Options (Corporate Events, Team Building, Banquets): The format of competitions, particularly the Euro Cash Shooting, includes spectacular and exciting elements ideal for corporate events and team building. Specifically, the presence of "FLASH targets", which instantly reward the shooter with 100 € for breaking them 11, creates an exciting prize element. The high status of the Sologne region and the developed infrastructure allow for organizing exclusive and prestigious banquets and client events.
Ideal Clientele
The Sologne Shooting Club targets an audience that values supreme quality, technical complexity, and direct access to a champion's expertise.
Elite International Competition Teams: Teams requiring a top-tier, FITASC-certified location in Europe with dynamic, naturally challenging terrain and complex target automation.
Beginners and Hunters: Individuals seeking rapid and high-quality mastery of shooting, particularly Hunting Course, under champion Charles Bardou's guidance.
Foreign Sports Tourists and VIP Clients: People seeking a unique shooting experience combined with relaxation in a premium French hunting region, near the Loire châteaux.
Corporate Groups: Companies looking to organize exclusive and prestigious events in an atmosphere of sporting challenge and luxury.
Competitive Advantages
Uncompromising Course Difficulty: The range has a confirmed international reputation for its extreme difficulty, ideal for professional skill refinement.
Champion Coaching: Direct access to expertise and training programs developed and led by European Champion Charles Bardou.
Unique Infrastructure: The largest number of Hunting Course layouts (27) and trap machines (210) ensures unlimited training variability.
Technological Equipment: The use of LAPORTE equipment and partnerships with premium brands (PERAZZI, FOB) ensure technical excellence.
Authentic Sologne Terrain: The use of natural landscapes, including forested areas and open spaces, faithfully simulates real hunting conditions.
Favorable Logistics: Located in the premium Centre-Val de Loire region with easy access to luxury hotel complexes.
Services and Rates
The Sologne Shooting Club offers a full range of services necessary for Ball-Trap practice. Although exact rates for 2024 are not publicly detailed, standard services generally include:
Targets (Clays): Sale of clays by rounds (25 targets), with discounts available for club members.
Gun Rental: Rental of sports shotguns available (estimated from 10 € per round).
Instructor/Coaching: Individual and group lessons (Accompagnement) with qualified instructors, including Charles Bardou's programs.
Insurance: Mandatory payment of daily insurance for visitors without valid coverage (estimated at 5 €).
Ammunition: Option to purchase ammunition (FOB) directly at the club's shop.
Address and Opening Hours
City: Chaumont-sur-Tharonne
Address: Sologne Shooting Club, Domaine de Courgenou - RD 35, 41600 Chaumont-sur-Tharonne, France
Contact Information
Opening Hours: Wed–Sun 09:00–18:00, Mon–Tue – Closed.
Closest Accommodation Options
The club's location in the attractive tourist region of the Val de Loire ensures a wide choice of upscale accommodations. The following options are available nearby for international shooters and VIP clients:
