Self-Catering Holidays in Atlantic Aquitaine, South West France - Villas, Cottages & Apartments

Beautifully renovated, spacious 18th century with oak beams, exposed stone walls, natural stone floor tiles, all lovingly restored to combine period features and modern luxury living (including central heating in all rooms for winter lets).

Entrance via courtyard to:

Downstairs:
Spacious living room with original beams, wood-burning stove, three leather sofas and Sky television.
Open-plan kitchen is separated from the lounge by wide breakfast bar with stools. Very nicely designed, fully-fitted and comprising range cooker, microwave, dishwasher and fridge freezer. Large work surfaces and comprehensive range of crockery, cutlery and equipment.
Utility room located off the kitchen with washing machine and tumble dryer and space for hanging wetsuits!
Doorway from lounge/kitchen leads into dining room with large banqueting table (seats 12) and fireplace with log-burning stove. A settee in a corner of this room makes a pleasant reading corner, or small children's play area. An original wooden staircase leads upstairs.
Bedroom 1 (double) is located downstairs, off the lounge. Converted from the former bread oven to makea pleasant bedroom with characterful features.
Bathroom 1 is also downstairs, extremely high quality and comprising twin basins, luxury free-standing bath-tub and separate shower cubicle.

Upstairs, first floor (via original wooden staircase from dining room):
Bedroom 2 (a large double) with its own terrace - lovely for morning coffees and evening drinks! Stylish and period furnishings.
Bedroom 3 (twins) - good sized bedroom facing west with beautiful countryside views
Bedroom 4 (double) - light, airy bedroom with original oak floors
Bathroom 2 - Spacious stone-walled family bathroom with free standing bath tub and shower, 'Belfast' sink.
A delightful feature of the upstairs area is its gallery landing with handrails and steel spindles, and views over the kitchen through wooden railings.

Upstairs, top floor:
Bedroom 5 is a converted attic room featuring original 18th century beams and containing four single beds plus additional camp bed.

Outside:
Small entrance area. Private parking area.
At the rear is 120m2 decked terrace with hardwood furniture and chairs and barbecue, overlooking an enclosed walled garden with mature trees, lawns and shrub borders. The garden is currently being landscaped, due for completion in early 2007. Photos will be available as soon as possible.
Garden also contains a heated, above-ground pool (9 x 4m), with landscaped and decked surroundings to resemble conventional pool. Open April-November. Protected with an alarm.

Béarn des Gaves
This region is known as the 'Béarn des Gaves', where the mountain streams from the Ossau and Aspe valleys converge to form the famous Gave d'Oloron, known for exceptional salmon fishing (the world championship comes here here every year) and, for thrill-seekers, rafting and kayaking. The region is also famous for its abundance of heritage, especially châteaux (eg at nearby Aren and Laas) and bastides (medieval fortified towns), including Navarrenx.

Navarrenx dates from the 11th century; it is considered one of the finest example of a fortified town in the south west, not least because its Protestant inhabitants resisted every attempted invasion during the Wars of Religion!

Neighbouring Salies-de-Béarn is a larger town and offers more by way of shops and restaurants. Salies is a genteel spa town which has been a popular watering hole for those seeking thermal cures and relaxation, for over 100 years. There's also a splendid Moorish-style casino in the town and a golf course close by. Salies is also a pleasant place for a stroll, notably along the narrow backstreets with their steep-gabled houses. And if you fancy a break from walking, you can take gondola trips along the river in summer.

Beach lovers
For a day at the beach, surfing, glamour and seafood are best enjoyed on the Côte Basque at Biarritz or St Jean de Luz. These two authentically Basque towns are well-worth spending time in for their fine boutique shops and restaurants, and just to soak up their relaxed ambience. There are many other beaches to investigate north of Biarritz, Hossegor being a particular favourite.

Mountain pursuits
The location of Maison Camu will satisfy mountain-lovers as much as beach enthusiasts. The Haut-Béarn is a wonderful landscape that forms a natural boundary between France and Spain. It is also a haven for outdoor pursuits. Two beautiful river valleys – d’Ossau and d’Aspe – offer great walking/hiking, mountain biking and, in Spring, good white-water potential. Parasailing, rock-climbing, horse-riding and fishing are also popular. Skiing is possible at nearby stations such as Gourette.
 
In the Parc National des Pyrénées lives 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.
 
Also in the Haut-Béarn and a great day out for the kids is a ride on Le Petit Train d’Artouste. Built for dam workers, this 10 kms train journey tales passengers along the flanks of the Pic de la Sagette.

Golfers
Maison Camu is located within 50-60 minutes' drive of several courses on the Cote Basque, plus two courses near Pau, including Pau Golf Club, continental Europe's first course, built in 1856 by a resident Scotsman. The 12-hole Golf de Salies-de-Bearn is a 15-20 minute drive away.

City Culture 
A short drive east 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. Pau also hosts horse-racing events, a vintage car race and a Formula 3 street race every year.

In the other direction, the Basque capital of Bayonne has a fine, historic centre with a beautiful cathedral, ramparts plus a range of stylish shops and restaurants. There's also a good museum - Musée Basque - for learning more about the Basque people, their culture and history. And, of course, no visit to this Chocolate City would be complete without sampling its famous hot chocolate and visiting one of the many chocolatiers.
 
Other suggestions for day-trips from Maison Camu are:
 
• A day exploring les grottes (caves) d'Isturitz and d'Ococelhaya, both within a 30 minute drive
• Wine-tasting in the vineyards of Jurançon, Madiran and Béarn
• Crossing the border into Spain for a visit to Pamplona, San Sebastian or Bilbao
• A trip to Lourdes to satisfy the religious or the plain curious
 
For further information try the links below. Please note that we cannot be held responsible for the content of third party sites.

Alternative Aquitaine's Guide to the Pyrenees
Béarn des Gaves Tourist Office (for Navarrenx, Orthez, Salies de Bearn, Sauveterre de Bearn)
Dept 64 - Pyrenees Atlantique Tourism
Pyrenees National Park
Pau Tourist Office
Discover Wines of the South West
UK Tourist Office for France