177 - Villa des Herons  Cap Ferret

In our opinion

What makes Villa des Herons a great holiday rental

Villa des Hérons is a modernised holiday house for up to 8 people in the lighthouse district of Cap Ferret village, a few minutes walk from the shops and restaurants of the centre. The dining and kitchen areas open onto north-west-facing terrace for eating alfresco. Beaches, the superb local market, good restaurants are a walk away. Villa des Hérons is a great place to enjoy this unique corner of France.

Best for:
Families and groups of friends wanting an easy holiday where everything you need is a walk or cycle away, in one of France's most chic destinations and which is laid-back too.

Suitability for:

• Toddlers - cot & high chair available. Grounds are enclosed. Care may be needed on open staircase.
• Teenagers - but walkable to beaches, cafés and nightlife. Many activities locally
• Reduced mobility - level entrance (apart from step on terrace), downstairs bedroom & shower room.

Anything to watch out for?
Villa des Herons adjoins another rental property, Maison des Hérons, on the east side; the owners have been meticulous about ensuring the best possible insulation from neighbouring noise and visual screening so you are not overlooked. In July & August the owners live in a nearby apartment and are on-hand for help or information if required, but will otherwise leave you in complete privacy.

Why Cap Ferret?
Cap Ferret village is one of France's chic-est holiday destinations featuring smart boutiques, cafés and restaurants in a low-rise, laid-back setting - the ambience is casual, relaxed but appreciative of good living. The bay is renowned for sailing & oysters, the Atlantic beach is superb. It's easy to get around. It's an Aquitaine gem.

Accommodation

Villa des Herons is a modern, tastefully decorated house adjoining another of the owner's rentals, Maison des Herons, on one side. There is excellent interior sound-proofing and good screening outside so that neither house overlooks the other.Inside:

The house is reached via an enclosed garden at the front of the property, gated from the road outside. The entrance porch leads via double doors into the downstairs area comprising:

· Good sized living/dining room, with extendable dining table and chairs for up to 10 people
· A small kitchen opening onto the terrace, equipped with dishwasher, washing machine, oven, 4-ring hob, microwave, fridge
· Lounge/reading room
· Bedroom 1: double bed, with built-in cupboards
· Shower room

Upstairs:

Open stairs lead to the first floor and:

· Bedroom 2: double bed, with built-in cupboards
· Bedroom 3: bunk beds and built-in cupboards
· Bedroom 4: twin beds (can make a double), shelves
· Mezzanine area/TV corner with single bed
· Bathroom, plus separate WC

Outside
The porch at the front of the house doubles as a very pleasant outside sitting and eating area - with two sets of double-doors into the house it also nicely extends the space inside, and is directly accessed from the kitchen as well as the dining/living area. The porch is raised from the front garden by a single step; the gardens are partly-paved, partly-unmade ground, with a small grassy area, totally enclosed and have plenty of playing space for children. There is a barbecue, garden furniture and parasol. 

The owner Caroline is, like us, passionate about Cap Ferret and will be delighted to share her enthusiasm and knowledge with you. Speaking from experience, it is infectious!

Prices & Availability

Location

GPS: (44.64704399, -1.253063679)

We endeavour to be as accurate as possible using Google maps but some error is possible.

Things to Do & See

Nearby Activities
Surfing · Kitesurfing · Windsurfing · Sailing · Water-skiing · Jet-skiing · Kayaking · Golf · Cycling · Horse-riding · Birdwatching · Fishing · Degustation ·

Day-trip Ideas

• Foot ferry or water taxi to Arcachon & Dune de Pyla
• Stroll around central Bordeaux
• Médoc vineyards and wine-tasting
• St Emilion (UNESCO world heritage site)
• Fishing trip from Cap Ferret jetty

Our Personal Highlights

• Daily shopping in Cap Ferret food market
• Visit the oyster-farming villages and stop for dégustation - Cap Ferret, l'Herbe, le Canon & Piraillan
• Explore Cap Ferret's wonderful forest cycle trails (pick up 500m from the house)
• Boat trips around the Bassin and to Dune de Pyla
• Le Petit Train trip across the peninsula is a delight
• Mussels, chips & sauvignon at l'Escale or Chez Hortense - perfect!

The Local Area: Cap Ferret

The Cap Ferret peninsula is a treat for the senses - the scent of the pine forest, the constant rumble of rollers washing up on the western coast, the salty, slippery taste of oysters washed down with a Bordeaux blanc and, at the end of the day, sitting on top of one of the dunes overlooking the Atlantic and watching the sun go down. Bliss!

All these experiences and more are within very easy reach. The Atlantic beach ("l'Horizon"), popular with surfers, is about a 600m away to the west, the bassin d'Arcachon beach at Cap Ferret village, with amazing views over to the Dune de Pyla, is 400m to the east.

On the way you pass through Cap Ferret village, the chic-est spot on the the Presqu'Ile. Smart boutiques, cafes and restaurants in a low-rise, laid-back setting - the ambience is casual, relaxed but appreciative of good living. A couple of 'bonnes adresses': it's worth stopping for a drink the stylish Tchanqué bar of the Hôtel Maison du Bassin (so named after the famous houses on stilts close to the Ile aux Oiseaux) - the address for an 'apéro'; and Fredelian, a salon de thé renowned for its patisseries, especially the local favourite (and ours), canelés.

From the village you can take a ferry over to Arcachon or Le Moulleau, but you'll probably miss your 'desert island' home quite quickly! Or try a boat tour spotting the oyster beds and bird life of the bassin d'Arcachon.

There's also a charming 'petit train' that runs from the jetty on the bassin side over the Atlantic beach on the other side of the pensinsula; the trip takes 10-15 minutes and, especially if you have children, is a delight!

Heading on down to the Pointe is a must, stopping to climb to the top of the famous Cap Ferret lighthouse on the way - the views across the bassin to the sandy wild-life reserve of the Banc d'Arguin and over to the Dune de Pyla (Europe's highest sand dune) are breathtaking.

The famous '44 Hectares' of the Cap Ferret peninsula are situated south of the lighthouse. This is an area of villas built in the earlier part of the century set amongst the pine trees all served by unmade roads, owned by several French stars, Bordeaux vineyard owners and generations of Cap Ferret inhabitants of more modest means. It's probably the most natural, exclusive yet unpretentious housing estate in France and also home to the island's most famous restaurant, Chez Hortense - laid back (what else could it be here?) and popular with France's VIPs.

If you feel the urge to leave the Cap - and many don't while they are here - the famous appelations of Pauillac and Margaux north in the médoc rouge are not far away. There are many vineyards where you can visit and taste some of the famous wines. Two very approachable châteaux are the under-rated (and relatively inexpensive) Château Maucaillou, a medium-sized, family-run estate in Moulis-en-Médoc; there is an interesting museum exhibiting some of the history of wine-making. Or for a very special visit, Château Giscours in the Margaux region organises tastings of various vintages of its grand crus classés.

Around the other side of the basin is Arcachon, a popular French resort; a part of the town known as the Ville d'Hiver (winter town) is well worth strolling to see the quirky architecture of its many 19th century villas.

South of Arcachon is the famous Dune du Pyla, the largest sand dune in Europe, standing at over 100 metres. A journey to the summit (try it without the staircase provided!) is a must; sunrise and sunset are the best times.

If you're feeling beached out, Bordeaux is about an hour away and is a good option for a day-trip, whether it’s boutique shopping, sight-seeing or culture. Medieval gems of the Gironde east of Bordeaux are also wonderful days out; St Emilion, with its 11th century basilica, is the best known but can be busy - get there early!

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