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Key
Facts :
| Nearest
town : |
Ascain
5 kms; St-Jean-de-Luz 6 kms |
| Type
of location : |
Peaceful
countryside near coast |
| No.
of bedrooms : |
4 : 2x
doubles, 2x twin |
| Sleeping
capacity : |
8 |
| No.
of bathrooms : |
2x
bathrooms - both include bath, shower & WC |
| Style
of property : |
Traditional
Basque country house |
| Quality
guide : |
SIMPLE-GOOD
- what
does this mean?
The level of facilities is very good. The interior décor
is simple in a traditional French country style. |
| Prices : |
|
»
Check availability & prices for this property GO
*Prices held at 2007 levels* |
» Property usually available June through September
» Price includes linen and bathroom towels
» Security deposit £200
cheque payable to the owner on arrival. It is returned by
the owner within 14 days of departure assuming no damages
or breakages.
» Read important information
about security deposits & insurance |
| Linen
arrangements : |
Bed
linen and house towels are included in the rental price |
| Cleaning
arrangements : |
No
cleaning is included in the rental
» Read important information about cleaning
|
| Arrivals
& departure : |
Saturday
changeover - arrival 4-6pm; departure 10am.
Flexible arrival & departure in
off season.
» Read important information about
arrivals & departures |
| Nearest
beach : |
St
Jean de Luz 6 kms |
| Nearest
boulangerie : |
Ascain
5 kms |
| Nearest
airport : |
Biarritz
20 kms |
| Nearest
ferry port : |
St
Malo 8.5 hours drive |
| Swimming
pool : |
No
|
| Facilities
& equipment : |
UK
satellite widescreen TV; DVD player; video player; dishwasher;
washing machine |
| Suitability
for children : |
Plenty
of infant equipment & toys; stream in garden demands care
|
| Suitability
for infants : |
Stream
borders the garden - requires care with toddlers. Cot &
high chair available plus a few children's toys, books and
videos |
| Things
to see & do : |
Golf
• surfing • hiking in the mountains •
thalassotherapy • horse-riding/trekking • touring
the Basque country villages • visit Bilbao & San
Sebastian in Spain • Belle Époque Biarritz |
| House
rules : |
No
smoking inside the house please . No single sex groups |
|
Location
: Map
Ref A6
The house is located in a wooded, rural no-through-road in the
Aprendizegia commune of Olhette. There are around half-a-dozen
houses on the street and most of the residents are related to
the local Basque farmer. This is typical of a Basque commune,
with families tending to be geographically tight.
The nearest town and where you will find a range of shops and
restaurants, is Ascain, an excellent example
of a well-preserved Basque village. St Jean de Luz
is only a 10 minute drive from the house.
Biarritz airport is half an hour’s drive.
|
Accommodation
:
Borda Olhette is a popular house because of its location and the
fact there are so few character Basque homes available. The most
popular weeks – the school holidays, Christmas and New Year
– are booked well in advance.
This is an imposing three-storey house, typical of the region,
with its half-timbered frontage and window shutters painted traditional
red. The first and second floors are the main living area for
guests whilst the ground floor is a self-contained apartment used
by the owners from time to time. When the house is occupied by
guests, the owners take the opportunity to travel around the area
or further into Europe. Therefore, the cottage is completely private.
The first floor comprises kitchen, dining room, lounge,
bathroom, separate wc and a double bedroom.
The first floor also benefits from a fantastic south-facing
terrace overlooking the garden, mountain stream and woods.
This is where guests tend to relax and dine – there is seating
for 6. If you’re lucky you might even spot an eagle or two
swooping down from the mountains.
The main living area is open plan and has a very
airy and spacious feel thanks to its double height ceiling and
small balcony. This balcony faces south east and so is ideal for
capturing a little breakfast sunshine. The dining area is dominated
by a solid oak table seating 8 people. The lounge is dominated
by a large fireplace and is equipped with satellite widescreen
TV, DVD and video (with plenty of videos for the kids supplied).
A wooden staircase leads from the dining room to the mezzanine.
The downstairs double bedroom is east-facing,
overlooking the side garden and has plenty of wardrobe space.
The bed is a double. The bathroom has a bath with shower,
double sink and bidet. There is a separate wc
next door.
The kitchen has been tastefully renovated to
an English country style. It therefore benefits from some of the
comforts of home that you do not often see in a French kitchen;
a kettle, toaster and electric oven are welcomed features for
guests. There is also a dishwasher and microwave plus a washing
machine and tumble dryer in the ground floor utility room.
Leading from the kitchen is the large balcony-terrace
which itself provides access to the garden via an external staircase
(new since the photos here were taken).
On the mezzanine landing area there is a large
bookcase which also holds a good range of children’s videos
supplied by the owners (they have 6 grandchildren!). The three
upstairs bedrooms and bathroom are accessed
from the mezzanine.
The three second floor bedrooms are all double size,
two have twin beds and there is one with
a double bed. Each has views over the gardens. There
is an additional bathroom on the second floor with bath and shower,
basin, wc and bidet.
The house enjoys lovely large gardens which surround
the property on all sides. Gardening is a hobby of the owners;
there is a delightful variety of flowers, shrubs and mature trees
and a combination of lawn and rockery areas. At the rear of the
house there is a shaded terraced area adjacent
to the mountain stream which has 200 feet of
frontage to the property. This is an ideal spot for cooling off
and watch the trout glide by or dining under light in the evening.
There is plenty of garden furniture available
plus a large stone table and built-in BBQ.
The land on the other side of the stream belongs to a farmer.
The sheep remain in the field but the free-range ducks are known
to stray into the garden from time to time! The farm has about
100 sheep which are milked daily to make the local brebis cheese,
traditionally served with a thick black cherry jam at the end
of a Basque meal. The gardens and farm animals nearby make this
a great spot for kids although young children will need to be
closely monitored because of the stream.
A cot, high chair and push chair are available free of charge
and there are plenty of toys available. Stairgates are fitted.
The house is not centrally heated although there is a large fire
in the lounge. A no smoking policy applies throughout the house
and larger single sex groups cannot be accommodated.
|
Guide
:
Borda Olhette can be rented throughout the year - the area is
great for walking, wine-tasting, cycling, golf
and bird-watching throughout the year. Furthermore,
winter sports are a feature of the Pyrénées
and the cottage is in day-trip distance to downhill and cross-country
skiing venues.
The Pays Basque is particularly beautiful in Spring and Autumn
and the mild all-year-round climate ensures a pleasant stay
can be had even in the Winter.
The
Basque Country is a little world all of its
own. The regional cuisine and architecture provide character
enough but more than that, this ‘country’ also has
its own language. For a ‘formal’ introduction to
Basque culture, try the Musée Basque at Bayonne. However,
the best ways to soak up the culture are to visit one of the
many fêtes that take place throughout the year, or, even
better, to watch a game of pelota. The fastest ball game in
the world, this is perhaps the most vivid image of the Basque
Country.
Biarritz and St Jean de Luz
are on your doorstep and whether its beaches, shops, restaurants
or festivals you are looking for, both of these towns are hard
to beat. Stylish but without the pretence of the Riviera, these
are as colourful and vibrant seaside towns as you will find
in France. They are the sorts of places where you will see whole
families sitting down to start dinner at 10.30pm! St Jean de
Luz is recognised as the capital of Basque cuisine and is noted,
in particular, for its seafood (it is one of Rick Stein’s
favourite places).
Olhette is 2 kms from the local mountain pass into Spain, the
Col d’Ibardin. This was formerly a smuggling
route and today is still a place to buy cheap wine and spirits.
These mountain pass towns exist all along the Pyrénées.
A great trip for the kids is a ride on Le Petit Train
de la Rhune. Standing over 900m high, La Rhune is the
distinct and symbolic peak of the western Pyrénées.
It can be reached by foot – a lovely day’s walking
– or by funicular train. The 360 degree views from the
summit are spectacular.
There are great beaches all along the coast
from the Spanish border at Hendaye, north into
the Landes and Gironde départements. Because the Côte
d’Argent is so vast, the beaches are less crowded than
on the Mediterranean.
The area is totally under-exploited for its golf
despite the game’s rich history in this region and the
presence of some wonderful courses: Chantaco, Nivelle, Le Phare,
Arcangues, Makila, Chiberta, Hossegor, Seignosse and Moliets
are all within an hour’s drive. José-Maria Olazabal’s
course, Fuenterrabia, is just across the border into Spain.
Horse-riding, mountain-biking and fishing
are also popular. Surfers will already be familiar
with the Côte Basque, and there are plenty of surf schools
for beginners.
Thalassotherapy and thermal spa
are big attractions in this area – people come from all
over France for sea and freshwater therapies; there are venues
across the region including Hendaye, St Jean de Luz,
Biarritz and Dax.
The countryside is a delight; the rolling green hills are popular
with the few British visitors that the region receives. The
foothills rise to the mountains of the Pyrénées
which are home to dozens of hiking trails including
the famous coast-to-coast GR10 track. Eagles, vultures, wild
horses and the occasional brown bear make this one of Europe’s
most exotic wildlife locations. Bird-watchers
in particular will be kept busy twitching. The Pyrénées
also provide thrill-seekers with a range of extreme
sports from white-water rafting to
paragliding. The mountain landscapes are at
their fines in the Haut-Béarn region.
Other suggestions for day-trips from Olhette:
• A
tour of French Basque country villages: Ainhoa,
Sare, La Bastide Clairance Cambo-les-Bains, Espelette
and St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
•
A
visit to Bayonne, the under-rated ‘capital’
of the Pays Basque
•
Wine-tasting in the vineyards of Irouleguy
•
A
visit to the laid-back city of Pau for sight-seeing,
boutique shopping and café-crawling
•
Crossing the border into Spain for a visit
to San Sebastian, Pamplona or the Guggenheim
museum at Bilbao
For further information try the links below. Please note that
we cannot be held responsible for the content of third party
sites.
Tourisme
Guide to the Basque Country and Le Béarn
Guide
to Wines of South West France
UK Tourist
Office for France
Learn About
the Basque Country
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