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Key
Facts :
| Nearest
town : |
St
Jean de Luz 3 kms |
| Type
of location : |
Peaceful
countryside close to coast |
| No.
of bedrooms : |
3
: 2x twins; 1x double |
| Sleeping
capacity : |
6
|
| No.
of bathrooms : |
2
: 1x bathroom with bath, shower & WC; 1x en-suite shower
room with WC |
| Style
of property : |
Ground
floor
apartment within large Basque country house |
| Quality
guide : |
SIMPLE - what
does this mean? |
| Prices
: |
|
»
Check availability & prices for this property GO
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Rental price includes: Bed linen, bathroom towels, tea towels. Spare sets available for guests to change
Compulsory extras: Fortnight rule: yes
Optional extras: Mid-stay clean €40. Exit clean €50 - pay locally directly to the cleaning lady
Security deposit: Security deposit EUR 250 held on a credit card by Alternative Aquitaine acting as an agent for the owner.
Discounts for 3+ week reservations
» Read important information about security deposits & insurance |
| Linen
arrangements : |
Beds
made for arrival. Bed linen and house towels included in the
rental. Spare sets available for guests to change |
| Cleaning
arrangements : |
Optional
mid-stay clean €40. Optional exit clean €50 -
pay locally directly to the cleaning lady
» Read important information about cleaning
|
| Arrivals
& departure : |
Arrive
Saturday 4-6pm and depart Saturday by 10am. There is some
flexibility in the off season. 2+ week bookings only
»
Read important information about
arrivals & departures |
| Nearest
beach : |
St
Jean de Luz 3 kms |
| Nearest
boulangerie : |
St
Jean de Luz 2 kms |
| Nearest
airport : |
Biarritz
20 kms |
| Nearest
ferry port : |
St
Malo 9 hours drive |
| Swimming
pool : |
Yes,
12x6 m. New electric cover. Max depth 2.5m. Roman steps
into pool |
| Facilities
& equipment : |
European
satellite TV; dvd player; CD player; telephone; washing
machine; dryer; dishwasher; microwave; BBQ & plancha |
Suitability
for children :
|
Excellent
pool area and good facilities in the apartment. Car essential
for access to beach, towns, etc |
| Suitability
for infants : |
Pool
has electric cover; gardens enclosed. Cot, cot linen &
high chair available |
| Things
to see & do : |
Golf
• surfing • hiking in the mountains •
thalassotherapy • horse-riding/trekking • touring
the Basque country villages • visit Bilbao & San
Sebastian in Spain • Belle Époque Biarritz |
| House
rules : |
No
pets. Smoking is permitted in the property |
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Location
: Map
Ref A6
The villa occupies an elevated site some 3 kms to the east of
St Jean de Luz. Larrundarra is a fine example of the imposing
half-timbered houses built into the lush and rolling hillsides
of the Pays Basque.
The villa is not in a town or village as such. There are a few
houses nearby in what constitutes the hamlet of Chantaco.
The nearest town and where you will find pretty much all that
you could need, is St Jean de Luz, itself a smart
resort and working town. Ten minutes’ drive going the other
way, is the pretty and well-preserved Basque village of Ascain
and its range of shops and restaurants.
Biarritz airport is half an hour’s drive.
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Accommodation
:
Larrundarra consists of the owners’ main house and a three-bedroom
villa, constructed in a ‘l-shape’ arrangement. The
villa accommodation is spread over 140 square metres
and is all at ground floor level; the owners live above and to
the side of the villa. The pool and gardens are shared but the
privacy of guests is assured. Having stayed at this property three
times ourselves, you can be sure we know this place inside out!
The villa is brightly furnished, airy and has a tiled floor throughout,
all of which creates a summery feel. The villa is entered via
the open-plan kitchen and living room.
Wicker sofas and chairs provide plenty of seating for guests in
the lounge area and there is satellite TV and direct dial telephone
available. The dining table seats six people. The kitchen is well-equipped
with microwave, stove and dishwasher.
The three bedrooms consist of two twins and a
queen-size double. One of the twin-bed rooms has French doors
opening out on to the terrace and pool area. Each room has dedicated
hanging space for clothes. The room wth double bed has en-suite
facilities including a shower.
There is a separate bathroom with bath, shower
and wc plus an extra wc off the hallway.
A utility room with washing machines and dryers
is also reached from the hallway. A cot and high chair are available
for infants.
The
swimming pool and terraced patio are immediately
to the rear of the villa. The pool can be covered for safety and
there are steps leading into the shallow end. There are plenty
of sun-loungers plus a good size wrought iron table and chairs
for dining outdoors. There is also a BBQ provided for guests’
use.
The gardens are well-kept, the views are calming and there is
hardly a sound – perfect for sitting on the terrace with
a glass of chilled Sauternes.
The
main driveway to Larrundarra is operated by electric gates and
the villa has its own private parking.
Whilst
built as a summer villa, it is centrally heated and being so close
to St Jean de Luz, it is ideal for longer winter lets. The villa
can be rented for 6 months from November to May.
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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,
.
Larrundarra is a few kms from the local mountain pass into Spain,
the Col d’Ibardin. This was formerly
a smuggling route and today is still a place to buy cheap wine
and spirits. These mountain pass towns exist all along the Pyrénées.
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 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, 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.
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 from Larrundarra:
• 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.
Pyrénées-Atlantique
Tourist Office
South
West France Wine Guide
Learn About
the Basque Country
UK Tourist
Office for France
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