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Key
Facts :
| Nearest
town : |
Hossegor
centre 600 metres |
| Type
of location : |
Exclusive residential
location between the ocean and lagoon |
| No.
of bedrooms : |
5
: 4x doubles; 1x twins
One of the doubles is on the ground floor |
| Sleeping
capacity : |
10 |
| No.
of bathrooms : |
3x en-suites (one has a bath as well as a shower)
1x shower room
1x additional independent WC located outside by the pool |
| Style
of property : |
Modern, 'uncluttered' style - antithesis of the traditional French gite |
| Quality
guide : |
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Prices : |
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» Check availability & prices for this property GO
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Rental price includes: linen (beds made for arrival and sheets changed each Saturday), bathroom towels, pool towels, heating, electricity, gas, water and an exit clean
Compulsory extras: Fortnight rule: yes
Optional extras: House-keepers are sometimes available for extra cleaning, house-keeping and baby-sitting
Refundable security deposit: 750 GBP (or EUR equivalent) is held by Alternative Aquitaine on the owner's behalf.
» Read important information
about security
deposits and insurance |
| Linen
Arrangements : |
Bed
linen (Egyptian cotton) and bathroom towels provided with the rental. Beds are
made on arrival and changed each Saturday. |
| Cleaning
Arrangements : |
Exit cleaning is included in the rental price (you will still be expected to perform some basic duties prior to departure) and mid-stay cleaning can be
arranged for a local charge if required
» Read important information about cleaning
|
| Arrival
& Departure : |
Arrive 5pm Saturday. Depart by 10am Saturday. Flexible
changeover in mid and low season.
»
Read important information about arrivals
& departures |
| Nearest
beach : |
Hossegor
ocean 500m; Hossegor lagoon 100m |
| Nearest
boulangerie : |
600
metres to town centre |
| Nearest
airport : |
Biarritz
40 mins; Bilbao, Bordeaux & Pau 2 hrs (approx) |
| Nearest
ferry port : |
Bilbao
2 hrs; Santander 4 hrs; St Malo 8 hrs (approx) |
| Swimming
pool : |
Yes.
Protected by electric cover.
10mx5m and depth 1m-2m.
Corner steps to the shallow
end. Pool house
has a shower & WC. Four sun-loungers.
Usually open June-September (period may be extended by agreement
with the owner, supplement applies). |
| Facilities
& Equipment : |
42" plasma TV screen with DVD (the TV has FreeSat and can therefore pick up some UK channels). Ipod player. Broadband internet access. BBQ and plancha. |
| Suitability
for children : |
With it's cool, surf vibe, Hossegor is perfect for teenagers. This is an active resort with lots of sports
available and surf shops to visit. The lagoon offers calmer waters for small children to play. |
| Suitability
for infants : |
Cot
and high chair provided for infants. Pool protected. NB Care is needed with the staircase.
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| Things
to see & do : |
Do: Beaches,
surfing, tennis, lakes, golf, cycling, horse-riding.
See: Bayonne, Biarritz, Basque Country, Pyrénées,
Spain |
| House
'rules' : |
No
pets and no smoking please |
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Location
: Map
Ref B5
Hossegor (pronounced "oz-gor")
is in the Sud Landes area of south west France, not far from Biarritz.
The area is dominated by its landscape of ocean, lakes and pine
forests, creating one big outdoor playground!
The villa
is situated on the avenue des Roses, a quiet, leafy residential road. This thin stretch of land between the lagoon and ocean is Hossegor's premier residential location.
-less than10 mins walk to the ocean-side beaches. The nearest is La Graviere which is one of Europe's premier surf spots. The beach continues from La Graviere south for 1km or so and continues north all the way to Arcachon!
-approx 2 mins walk to the lagoon beach, Sable Blanc, at the Lac d'Hossegor. There's sandy coves here, picnic spots and watersports. This is an excellent, safe bathing area, ideal for younger kids when the ocean surf is looking formidable.
-less than 15 minutes' walk to the town centre shops and amenities of Hossegor - an easy level walk for the daily morning ritual of visiting the boulangerie. Hossegor has some very tasteful shops, good cafés, lots of restaurants and a good sprinkling of surf boutiques too.
Hossegor benefits from good transport links - the autoroute is 8
kms and this provides easy access north to Bordeaux and south to
Biarritz and Spain. There is a good choice of regional airports
with Biarritz (40 mins) being the closest.
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Accommodation
:
Owned by a Kiwi family who are surfing and golf enthusiasts, the villa is equipped and presented to a high standard. The fixtures and fittings are all of a high standard and the 'clean, unfussy' style works very well.
> GROUND FLOOR ACCOMMODATION
The ground floor is dominated by the vast open-plan living room which incorporates a lounge and dining area. The room is cool and light, benefiting from a tiled floor which is much appreciated in summer. There is access to the gardens and pool area too. There are two large sofas plus an attractive solid oak dining table.
In the living room is a 42" plasma TV screen with DVD (the TV has no aerial and is therefore only able to play DVDs).
Double bedroom with double bed, looking out over the back garden and eating area. En-suite shower room, WC and basin.
The kitchen/utility includes all the essential appliances - washing machine, dryer, microwave and dishwasher.
> FIRST FLOOR ACCOMMODATION
Please beware that the spiral staircase requires care with young children as the steps are relatively steep and open in places. Young children will need supervision.
Double bedroom with queen-size bed, over-looking the front garden. This bedroom has a balcony too. Private bathroom (bath, shower over the bath, WC, basin).
Double bedroom with queen-size bed, en-suite bathroom comprising shower, WC, basin. Overlooks the pool and garden.
Twin bedroom with two singles over-looking the pool area and back garden. Shared bathroom*.
Double bedroom with double bed, over-looking the garden and front entrance. Shared bathroom*.
All bedrooms have extensive cupboard space for clothes.
*Shared bathroom includes shower, WC, basin.
> OUTSIDE
The swimming pool is protected by electric cover thus complying with safety regulations. It is 10m x 5m with a depth ranging from 1m to 2m. There are corner steps to the shallow end making this a pool suitable for young kids to enjoy. Very conveniently, the pool house has a shower and WC. Four sun-loungers are available.
There is an outdoor dining area and table. BBQ and plancha are provided.
In total, the plot is 1400m2 including the pool and gardens. The lawn is very well maintained and the mature gardens have a variety of shrubs, flowers and trees - the roads in this residential quartier of Hossegor are mostly named after flowers or trees. It really is a very pleasant location. There is an automatic sprinkler system to keep the lawn in good condition.
Off-road parking for 2 cars.
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Guide
:
Hossegor is one of those seaside towns whose population swells exponentially
in the high season. It is a town that has a lot to offer: boutique
shopping, great bars and restaurants, world-famous surfing beaches,
a lovely golf course ranked in the Top 50 in France and a beautiful
lake for safe bathing. It’s little wonder, therefore, that
the town is busy. The remarkable thing is that it's something of
a French (and Spanish) secret; unless you're a dedicated surfer,
the chances are you won't have heard of Hossegor.
In the 1930s, Hossegor attracted an avant-garde fraternity and the
area around the lake became something of an artists’ community.
Plush villas and grand houses were built on the lakeside and in
the forests. Today, Hossegor is best-known for its legendary waves,
good enough to warrant the hosting of World Pro surf tournament
each year, in August. In actual fact, the best time to surf here
is in the Autumn.
Like most of the south west coast, Hossegor is something of an outdoor
playground. Take your pick from surfing, canoeing, sailing,
cycling, tennis, horse-riding and golf
to name a few. Golfers will enjoy the area.
There is a cracking 1930s-built golf course (with lovely, traditional clubhouse) in Hossegor itself - expect to pay 60 EUR for a round. There's an even better course just a couple of kms up the road - Golf de Seignosse. The green fee is similar and it's a wonderful course - a 'must' for golf-lovers staying in this area. Please take a look at our Aquitaine Golf page for more info. There are
other great courses within 45 minutes drive including Moliets and
Biarritz le Phare.
Cyclists can enjoy the many safe forest tracks that connect between
the towns along the coast. Sailing enthusiasts should head for the
Capbreton Marina - 5 kms south of Hossegor. Being so close to the
Pays Basque border, sporting life also includes the legendary game
of pelota. You can watch a game at the fronton
in Hossegor.
We wouldn’t blame you for refusing to step foot out of Hossegor
for your entire holiday. However, the area is rich in attractions
so here are just a few suggestions for day-trips:
• Biarritz and St Jean de Luz.
Less than an hour’s drive south are the sophisticated resorts
of Biarritz and St Jean de Luz, the south Atlantic’s
competition to the Côte d’Azur. Both provide excellent
beaches, cuisine and up-market shopping as well as a
good introduction to the Spanish-influenced Pays Basque.
If you have time, drop into the regional capital, Bayonne.
Famed for its ham and its chocolates, Bayonne was under
English rule for 300 years. It is much under-rated and worth a trip
to see its cathedral and walk its ancient streets.
• Spa and thalassotherapy.
In France, the south west is known for its rejuvenating waters,
both salt and fresh varieties. Dax is the official spa capital of France and is a 40 minute drive from
Hossegor Lac. The Côte Basque – Hendaye,
St Jean de Luz and Biarritz - is home
to numerous thalassotherapy centres.
• Lakes. The freshwater lakes that punctuate
the forest provide a great alternative to the ocean and safer
bathing for children. Rather like the Lake District in England,
each lake, or étang, has its own atmosphere.
Apart from the local Lac d’Hossegor, there are others nearby
to try: étangs Blanc, Soutsons and Léon; at the latter you can canoe from
the lake along the serene Courant d’Huchet to the
ocean’s edge.
• Chalosse Country. To the south of
Dax and Mont-de-Marsan you start to enter rural Gascony,
which means several things: foie gras, floc de Gascogne
(sherry) and a pleasantly slow pace of life. The food is
marvellous, the towns are half asleep except for market days, and
the countryside is entirely relaxing. Montfort-en-Chalosse, Mugron and St. Sever are good
stopping points.
• Basque Country. The delightful rolling
green hills and picture-perfect villages of the Pays Basque are
a must. Ainhoa, Sare, Espelette and Ascain all perfectly demonstrate Basque village
life. A little further south and you can hike in the
mountain air of the Pyrénées.
• Spain. It’s about 75 minutes to the
border and only a short distance further to the majestic seaside
city of San Sebastian, the Spanish
Basque country’s equivalent of Biarritz. The more adventurous
could drive another hour or so further along the
northern coast to Bilbao to see the Guggenheim.
For further information try the links below. There is an excellent
tourist office in Hossegor too. Please note that we cannot be held
responsible for the content of third party sites.
Hossegor
Tourist Office
Les
Landes Tourist Office
Learn
About the Basque Country
UK
Tourist Office for France
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| Last
updated : 11.12.09 ja |
