| |
Key
Facts :
| Nearest
town : |
Cauterets 4kms - a hairpin route to/from the chalet |
| Type
of location : |
Mountain valley high above Cauterets. The altitude is 1400 and the adjacent peaks are 2700m - there are ski-lifts close by (Cambasque & Cirque du Lys) |
| No.
of bedrooms : |
5
: 4x with doubles & 1x with twin beds. One of the doubles has an extra sofa-bed for up 1 or 2 people |
| Sleeping
capacity : |
up
to 12 |
| No.
of bathrooms : |
4: 1x bathroom, 3x
shower rooms & 5x WCs (one of which is independent) |
| Style
of property : |
Renovated barn, now a stylish mountain chalet
|
| Quality
guide : |
|
|
Prices
: |
|
| Check
availability & prices for this property
»
GO |
Rental price includes: Linen & bathroom towels, water, gas & electricity. Spare set of linen & towels available for 2+ week stays.
Compulsory extras: None
Optional extras: Exit clean 130 EUR paid locally (please pre-book)
Refundable security deposit: 500 Euros (or GBP equiv) cheque is required prior to arrival and payable directly to the accommodation provider. It is not deposited and returned within 14 days of departure.
» Read important information
about security
deposits and insurance
|
| Linen
Arrangements : |
Bed
linen & bathroom towels provided - beds are made
for arrival |
| Cleaning
Arrangements : |
Guests
are required to perform some basic duties prior to exit or you can book an exit clean for 130 EUR
» Read important information
about cleaning
|
| Arrival
& Departure : |
Arrive
between 4-6 pm and depart by 10am. Changeover day is Saturday
» Read important information
about
arrivals
& departures |
| Nearest
beach : |
Biarritz is 206 km - this is not a rental for beach-lovers! |
| Nearest
boulangerie : |
Cauterets 4km for all shops and restaurants
|
| Nearest
airport : |
Tarbes/Lourdes 58km; Pau 93km; Biarritz 206km; Toulouse 212km |
| Nearest
ferry port : |
Bilbao 340km; Santander 438 km; St Malo 864km |
| Swimming
pool : |
No |
| Facilities
& Equipment : |
42" flat-screen TV; DVD player; BBQ; underfloor heating throughout controlled by 7 individual thermostats |
| Suitability
for children : |
Good
for active children who like outdoors activities and who
don't mind the relatively isolated location |
| Suitability
for infants : |
Quiet location, lots of open-space and very little traffic |
| Things
to see & do : |
Enjoy
the Pyrénées! Hiking, mountain
biking, road cycling (this is
classic Tour de France country), fishing,
pony-trekking, rafting, climbing
and mushroom-hunting in the Autumn!
Visit the scenic Vallée d'Aure and
Massif de Néouvielle, and
Pic du Midi Observatory for stunning vistas. Plus
days out to cultural Pau, curious Lourdes,
and the pretty Basque and Béarn
regions of SW France. If that's not enough, you can also
sample another country - Spain - just over
the border in less than 1 hour! See the Local
Guide for
more ideas. |
| House
'rules' : |
No
pets & no smoking please |
|
Location
: Map
Ref D7
The Grange is situated high in the Pyrénées,
4km from the market town of Cauterets and situated on the Route Cambasque, 500m walk to the Cambasque ski station.
The town has its own ski station which is just a walk from the chalet.
Cauterets Ville is 32km south of Lourdes.
Road - 58km from the main Biarritz-Pau-Toulouse
autoroute.
Rail - Lourdes 36 km
Air - Tarbes/Lourdes airport
is the closest 58km. Pau
airport is a good alternative served by Ryanair
|
Accommodation
:
Bought as run-down farm barn two years ago, the owners have created a stylish and charming mountain chalet, or 'grange' to give it its proper name.
The emphasis has been on creating a very comfortable retreat with all the modern equipement and facilities you would expect from a holiday rental, whilst retaining the traditional features that characterise such properties, such as expopsed stonework and wooden ceiling beams.
The result is a high-quality renovation ideal for winter ski-ing breaks as well as summer holidays in the mountains.
The Grange is very spacious with over 200m2 accommodation whilst the setting and the views are really special.
Accommodation Details: Ground Floor
Open-plan living space with:
-
main living room 30m2 including 42" flat-screen TV with DVD player, satellite TV, cosy fireplace
- separate 20m2 dining room with fireplace
- kitchen area, fully-equipped
Double bedroom - ensuite bathroom including WC. Mountain views
Utility room with washing & drying facilities and boot drying space
Separate WC.
Accommodation Details: First
Floor
Master bedroom - 25m2 with mountain views and ensuite bathroom (bath & shower) & WC. Double bed plus sofa-bed for another 1 or 2 persons, so this room would be ideal for a couple with a young child.
Double bedroom - double bed, ensuite bathroom including WC, mountain views.
Further double bedroom and twin bedroom sharing a bathroom including WC.
Accommodation Details: Outside
The Grange sits in 2.4 ha of private land within the Parc National des Pyrénées. There is outdoor furniture for sitting outside and alfresco meals in the summer: alfresco meals surrounded by mountain scenery - this is holiday living!
|
Guide
:
Cauterets is a very attractive & thriving spa & market town and much under-rated (and therefore less expensive and crowded) ski-resort. As such, it's something of a well-kept secret and one that we're delighted to have been made aware of!
In the town centre you will find streets lined with neo-classical buildings, all the daily shops you would need (butchers, bakers, etc), some nice boutiques, bars & restaurants, a casino and two thermal spas. There's also plenty of ski-outlets too of course.
The town itself sits at an altitude of 1000m - the height of Snowdon more or less. There are 25 of downhill pistes via a new main cable car plus 36km of cross-country trails. There are three ski-schools in Cauterets and with slopes ranging from 1350m-2350m altitude, there's plenty of options for beginners and intermediates. In fact, it's very well suited to kids - it's a family resort and member of the Kids Station. The main ski stations are Pont d'Espagne and Cirque du Lys but there's also Cambasque too. There is a free bus service to the Pont d'Espagne station. Cambasque station has a small restaurant, nursery slope and bubble lift to the main ski-lifts at the Cirque du Lys. From there it is possible to ski down to the Cambasque cable car station. The Cambasque cable car (téléferique) also runs in the summer (mid June to mid September) so you can enjoy the views.
We don't know too much about ski-ing ourselves, but try this great article about ski-ing in the French Pyrenees from the Saturday Telegraph 14/02/09.
Plus there's more than 100 marked footpaths within the national park. The magnificent Pont d'Espagne is the most visited spot in this part of the national park - a beautiful area of mountain valleys, snowy peaks and a stunning lake, all at the border with Spain.
It's the presence of mineral waters here that led to the development of Cauterets as a spa town & resort. In the 18th century, Cauterets became a popular destination for French aristocrats and their influence is visibly present in the neo-classical architecture.
For further information about the town, activities in the area and information about planning a ski-ing holiday, please consult the Cauterets Tourist Office.
The Parc National des Pyrénées offers a
wealth of exciting activities and scenes. Here's a small sample
of places to visit.
• les Cirques. One of the most-visited
sites in the Pyrénées - a stunning geological
site of eroded limestone with spectacular gorges. Head south
to Gavarnie (from Lourdes) and you'll be in the highest village
in the Pyrénées - the walk to the Cirque to Gavarnie
takes about 4 hours. One of the most spectacular sights is the
Grande Cascade which, we discovered, is the
highest waterfall in Europe.
• The Pyrénées are home to
some of Europe’s most exotic wildlife
including chamois, royal eagles and brown bears, whilst at Laruns
there is a 92-hectare reserve for the griffon vulture.
• At Lescun you will find one of France’s most
photogenic natural locations, the Needles of Ansabère,
an amphitheatre of jagged limestone peaks rising to the summit
of Pic d’Anie.
• Kids will enjoy the funicular railway
up the Pic d'Ayre - apath from the end of the
line will put you at the summit in 1.5 hours.
• Another essential visit is the superb Pic
du Midi Observatory which has one of the biggest telescopes
in Europe. There are viewing platforms with superb vistas plus
a restaurant too. Access is via cable car at La Mongie.
• Explore the Massif de Néouvielle
to the south of La Mongie and Barèges,
a huge series of lakes and jagged Pyrénéan peaks.
In 1935, the massif became France's first nature reserve. This
is a favoured spot for bird-watchers and if you're lucky you
might see a golden eagle. This is truly wonderful hiking territory.
The famous Col de Tourmalet is here too - a
favourite, sadistic, stretch of the Tour de France.
• The Vallée d'Aure has
a reputation for being one of the warmest, sunniest valleys
blessed by a favourable wind coming from Spain which sweeps
the peaks clear of mist and low cloud. The slate-roofed village
of Arreau is a centre for popular mountain
pastimes such as rafting and hang-gliding. It's a tricky route
there via the cyclists' road to hell - the Col d'Aspin - but
market day, Thursday, is a good time to visit. Carrying on toward
the Spanish border, you'll hit St Lary, another
summer haven for paragliding, rock-climbing, hiking, canyoning,
etc. Market day in this village is Saturday.
If you're staying in the Pyrénées,
visiting a city is probably the last thing on your mind. But
if you fancy a city break for a day then a short trip north
west is the stylish and compact city of Pau. Barely known
of outside of France, Pau has a variety of attractions. It sprang
to fame in the 19th century when wealthy British and Americans
were drawn to its mild climate and it became a popular winter
holiday destination. To this day Pau retains an ‘upmarket’
feel about it. There is a thriving café and bar life
plus plenty of opportunity for boutique shopping, notably along
the rues des Cordeliers and Serviez. Pau also has its own château
(and birthplace of King Henri IV) plus one of the south
west’s finest panoramic views - the spectacular array of
distant, snow-capped peaks as seen from the Boulevard des
Pyrénées.
Other suggestions for day-trips:
• Touring the historic towns of the Béarn…Orthez,
Salies-de-Béarn and Sauveterre-de-Béarn
• Wine-tasting in the vineyards of Jurançon,
Madiran and Béarn
• Crossing the border into Spain
for a visit to Pamplona
• A trip to Lourdes to satisfy the religious
or the plain curious
• The beaches, glitz and seafood of the Côte
Basque at Biarritz or St Jean de Luz
For further information try the links below. Please note that
we are not responsible for the content of third party
sites.
» Alternative Aquitaine's tourism guide
to the Pyrénées
» Pyrenees-Atlantique
Tourist Office
» Bearn
des Gaves Tourist Office
» Parc
National des Pyrenees Tourist Info
» Pau
Tourist Office
» Wines
of South West France
» UK
Tourist Office for France
|
|
