Key
Facts :
|
Location
: |
Ste Barbe quarter of St Jean de Luz - resort centre is 1km (10-15 min walk) |
|
Type
of location : |
Private and prestigious residential
district on the outskirts of St-Jean-de-Luz. The villa is situated in a cul-de-sac leading to the Jardin Botanique.
» See villa on Google Maps |
|
No.
of bedrooms : |
3 bedrooms all currently set up as doubles although one can be a twin |
|
Sleeping
capacity : |
6 |
|
No.
of bathrooms : |
2 |
|
Style
of property : |
Seaside villa with 'cathedral' living room. The property was constructed in the late 1980s |
|
Quality
Guide : |
HIGHER
- what
does this mean?
Some of the decor has a slightly old-fashioned feel but overall (size, facilities, seclusion, location) the property merits its Higher Quality rating |
|
Prices : |
|
| » To check availability & prices GO |
» Includes cleaning (6h/wk + exit clean), gardening, pool maintenance
» Min. fortnight booking: price neg. for month lets
» Security deposit TBC
» Read important information about security deposits & insurance |
|
Arrivals
& departure : |
Arrive
Saturday 4-6pm and depart Saturday by 10am. There is some
flexibility in the off season
»
Read important information about
arrivals & departures |
|
Nearest
beach : |
Erromardie 1km; St Jean de Luz town beach 1km |
|
Nearest
boulangerie : |
St Jean de Luz
1km |
|
Nearest
airport : |
Biarritz
25 mins; Bilbao 1 hr 30 mins - all approx. |
|
Nearest
ferry port : |
St
Malo 9 hrs; Bilbao 1 hr 30 mins; Santander 3 hrs - all approx. |
|
Swimming
pool : |
12x5m, heated saltwater pool. Fenced off for security plus an electric cover which helps keep the heat in overnight. Surrounded by sun-bathing terrace with loungers available. Pool shower adjacent. |
|
Suitability
for children : |
Older
kids can enjoy the independence of walking into St Jean de Luz or the local beach |
|
Suitability
for infants : |
Secure pool, plus the Bay has excellent, safe beaches for young kids. Please note the interior has few pieces of artwork, antiques & objets which would require vigilance with children |
|
Facilities
& equipment : |
Includes
TV; dishwasher; washing machine; microwave |
|
Things
to see & do : |
Surfing,
golf, cycling, watersports, culture. Visit: Basque Country
villages, Bayonne, Biarritz, Pyrénées, Bordeaux,
Spain - Pamplona, San Sebastian & Bilbao |
|
House
rules : |
No
pets and no smoking please |
|
Location
: Google Map
Ste Barbe is a sought-after residential district of St Jean de Luz enjoying a peaceful, elevated position to the north of the Bay. The coast path and botanical gardens are accessed from the road where the villa is situated - the coast path is an excellent way to access the town centre and local beach of Erromardie.
» 10 mins on foot to the Bay of St Jean de Luz
» 15 minutes to the centre of the resort on foot
» (Allow an extra 5 mins to come back as it's uphill)
» 10-15 minutes on foot via the coastal path to Erromardie beach
La Côte Basque is a wonderful, warm and vibrant coastline
of south west France, a genuine mix of Spanish and French culture
and a great alternative to the more famous Côte d'Azur.
Biarritz airport is less than half an hour away
and there's also the option of flying into northern Spain (Bilbao).
TGV trains serve Biarritz-Bayonne and there is
an SNCF connection to St Jean de Luz.
|
| Accommodation
:
A large and luminous summer villa with superb views and swimming pool. The accommodation is very spacious and well lit. The villa was constructed in the 1970s and follows the Basque style of architecture found locally; the terracotta roof tiles blend superbly with the blue sea, giving the the villa a distinctly 'south of France' ambience.
The decor of the bathrooms and kitchen is somewhat dated - they both have a 1980s design - however, overall we are confident the villa justifies it's HIGHER quality rating.
Owned by a retired Swedish family, the owner mixes her time between Sweden and St Jean de Luz - a unique combination we think!
Ground floor
• Grand entrance hall with marble floor
• Vast 'cathedral' living area featuring a contemporary style of decor and artwork
• Open-plan dining area and kitchen, fully-equipped and with a balcony offering a sea view
• Living area with feature fireplace, flatscreen TV (with European satellite TV), hi-fi and dvd player. Room opens via French doors to the covered terrace offering superb ocean views.
• Bedroom 1 -parquet flooring, double-aspect (east and south), double bed 2m
• Bathroom with bath & shower plus double wash-hand basin
• Separate WC
• Bureau closed off to guests
First floor
• Marble staircase to the first floor
• Bedroom 2 - double bedroom with 2m bed, balcony with excellent sea views
• Bedroom 3 - double bedroom which can be twins or double bed
• Bathroom with bath and double wash-hand basin
• Separate WC
• Attic area is closed off to guests
Basement
• Utility room with washing machine
• Shower room and WC for use with the swimming pool (or returning from the beach)
• Interior garage is closed off to guests
Outside
Covered terrace with ample seating and lighting for dining outside. BBQ-plancha (hot plate) provided.
Mme Frisk takes great care of her gardens and the well-maintained and attractive plants are in keeping with the overall presentation of the villa. Given the adjacent presence of the Jardin Botanique, this is quite appropriate! A gardener will visit during guests' stay to ensure the plants are watered and gardens are maintained.
The swimming pool is protected by electric cover (very handy for retaining heat overnight) and a security fence. There is a spacious sunbathing area surrounding the pool.
Parking for 3 cars.
|
Local
Guide :
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 way to soak up the culture is to visit one of the many
fêtes or ‘festivals of strength’ that take
place in the high season, or, even better, watch a game of pelota.
The fastest ball game in the world, this is perhaps the most
vivid image of 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, both
are colourful and vibrant seaside towns with plenty of family
evening entertainment. 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 for its seafood (it is one of Rick Stein’s
favourite places) and use of the spicy Basque staple pimento.
Ciboure similarly has a good selection of
harbour-side restaurants and a row of ancient Basque houses.
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 local beaches at St Jean de Luz and Socoa
are popular with families as they offer safer bathing since
they are protected by a breakwater.
The area is totally under-visited for its golf
despite the game’s rich history in this region and the
presence of some wonderful courses: Chantaco is next door to
Larraldia and there is also Nivelle, Biarritz 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. There's also a local diving school at Socoa.
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, wild horses and
the occasional brown bear make this one of Europe’s most
exotic wildlife locations. Bird-watchers 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 finest in the Haut-Béarn
region.
Other suggestions for day-trips:
• A tour of Basque country villages:
Ascain, 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 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.
St-Jean-de-Luz Tourist Office
Pyrénées
Atlantique Tourist Office
Guide
to Wines of South West France
Learn About
the Basque Country
The UK
Tourist Office for France
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