Key
Facts :
|
Location
: |
Ciboure
(St Jean de Luz 1 km) |
|
Type
of location : |
Residential
quarter overlooking the Bay of St Jean de Luz |
|
No.
of bedrooms : |
7
: 2x doubles, 4x twins plus 1x kids' room with twins & bunks. Four of the bedrooms have sea views |
|
Sleeping
capacity : |
12-14 |
|
No.
of bathrooms : |
6
including 5x en-suites. 6x WC's in total |
|
Style
of property : |
Fishermens'
cottages renovated in luxurious Basque-style. The cluster of fishermens' cottages were converted into a villa just after World War II. The stylish interior decor includes antique pine floorboards, beamed ceilings and Limoges tiles. |
|
Quality
Guide : |
BEST
- what
does this mean? |
|
Prices : |
|
| » To check availability & prices GO |
» Prices include house maid service for 4 hours a week; bed
linen & bathroom towels; water, gas, electricity
» Extra cleaning can be arranged as an optional extra
» A cook can usually be arranged as an optional extra
» Security deposit 2500 EUR (or equivalent sterling) cheque on arrival, held as security against any possible damage or breakages that may occur during your stay. It will be returned after your holiday.
» Read important information about security deposits & insurance |
|
Linen
arrangements : |
Bed
linen and bathroom towels are provided with the rental |
|
Cleaning
arrangements : |
4
hours of maid service each week is included in the rental.
This includes an exit clean
» Read important information about
cleaning
|
|
Arrivals
& departure : |
Arrive
Saturday 4-6pm and depart Saturday by 10am. There is some
flexibility in the off season
»
Read important information about
arrivals & departures |
|
Nearest
beach : |
Socoa
1km; St Jean de Luz 2kms |
|
Nearest
boulangerie : |
Ciboure
1km |
|
Nearest
airport : |
Biarritz
25 mins; Bilbao 1 hr 30 mins - all approx. |
|
Nearest
ferry port : |
St
Malo 9 hrs; Bilbao 1 hr 30 mins; Santander 3 hrs - all approx. |
|
Swimming
pool : |
Yes;
14x7m, saltwater & fenced off for security |
|
Suitability
for children : |
Older
kids can enjoy the independence of walking or catching a
bus to St Jean de Luz. Plenty of activities in the bay to
enjoy. Table tennis and swimming pool at the villa |
|
Suitability
for infants : |
Secure pool, plus the Bay has excellent, safe beaches for young kids |
|
Facilities
& equipment : |
Includes
TV; dishwasher; washing machine; microwave. Plus table tennis and table football outside, under a covered terrace |
|
Things
to see & do : |
Surfing,
golf, cycling, watersports, culture. Visit: Basque Country
villages, Bayonne, Biarritz, Pyrénées, Bordeaux,
Spain - Pamplona, San Sebastian & Bilbao |
|
House
rules : |
No
pets and no smoking please |
|
Location
: Map
Ref A6
Ciboure is a delightful Basque fishing port
lying opposite St Jean de Luz on the River Nive.
Maison des Pecheurs is located in the Bordegain residential district of Ciboure and commands breathtaking views of the bay. The Bordegain quartier (south side) and Ste Barbe quartier (north side) are the premier residential addresses in the Bay of St Jean de Luz.
The
town centre of St Jean de Luz is a 20-25 minute walk.
La Côte Basque is a wonderful, warm and vibrant coastline
of south west France, a genuine mix of Spanish and French culture
and a great alternative to the more famous Côte d'Azur.
Biarritz airport is less than half an hour away
and there's also the option of flying into northern Spain (Bilbao).
TGV trains serve Biarritz-Bayonne and there is
an SNCF connection to St Jean de Luz.
|
| Accommodation
:
It is safe to say that the renovation of Maisons de Pecheurs has
been something of a success.
The villa is beautifully presented both inside and out and sea views can be enjoyed from
many rooms in the house. The strange
thing is it doesn't look particularly imposing or spectacular
as approaches the property - it is only once
you step inside and make your way to the bay-side that the villa
really comes alive...
The villa, throughout, is presented as a comfortable family home.
The owners spend much time here and so the house is furnished,
decorated and equipped to be lived in on a daily basis rather
than being used purely as a holiday home. Fine antiques, polished
wooden floors and numerous displays of paintings and photographs
give the home that lived-in feeling. It's quite special, in our experience, to find
a home of such luxury which also demonstrates so much character and 'homeliness'.
Starting with the exterior, a sloping driveway leads to the rear
of the house. The main entrance to the house is accessed from
the side terrace which continues to the front of the house where
the fun really starts. The top terrace is partly
covered and is a fine place to take meals or cool off in the shade.
The BBQ is kept here.
Steps lead down the sloping garden from the top terrace to the
pool area and a further covered games terrace where the table tennis and table football are to be found. This is a popular spot for guests
to spend many hours! Plenty of sun-loungers and garden furniture
are available and the views of the ocean are wonderful.
The grounds feel almost tropical with a variety of shrubs and trees.
Ground floor accommodation
> Entrance hall leading right into the main living room, very spacious and light with sea views, piano, quality furnishings, photos and books on display, and
access to the terrace.
> Additional TV lounge
with vcr plus comfortable sofas.
> Breakfast / dining room with integrated
American kitchen. Large country-style dining table.
> Separate children's dining
room plus a
> Laundry area
> Conveniently, especially if you're party includes grandparents or an elderly relative, there is a bedroom with twin beds on the ground floor. The room has its own bathroom.
First floor accommodation
> Master bedroom with double bed, balcony, sea view and en-suite
bathroom and wc
> Kids' bedroom with two
single beds plus bunk beds
> Two twin bedrooms with en-suite shower room
> Twin bedroom with en-suite bathroom
> Twin bedroom with extra single bed and stairs access to outside
The twin beds in each bedroom can be adjoined to form a 'makeshift' double. Each bedroom is elegantly decorated with matching wall-coverings, curtains and bed-heads.
> Additional separate bathroom and WC shared by the Kids' bedroom and one of the bedroom without en-suite.
|
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.
Ciboure similarly has a good selection of
harbour-side restaurants and a row of ancient Basque houses.
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 local beaches at St Jean de Luz and Socoa
are popular with families as they offer safer bathing since
they are protected by a breakwater.
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 is next door to
Larraldia and there is also 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. There's also a local diving school at Socoa.
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 Maison Pecheur:
• 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.
St-Jean-de-Luz Tourist Office
Pyrénées
Atlantique Tourist Office
Guide
to Wines of South West France
Learn About
the Basque Country
The UK
Tourist Office for France
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