Holiday
Villas, Cottages & Apartments in Aquitaine, South West France
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Maison
Xapela ref:001, Bidart, nr Biarritz
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Make
a booking enquiry or request a 48 hour option -
call 0870 6092845
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Three reasons to choose Maison Xapela:
• Walk to surf beach and
pretty Basque village of Bidart
• Shared swimming pool
• Surfing, golf, culture, spa, Pyrénées
& spain - lots to do!
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Summary
Maison
Xapela is becoming a very popular choice - afterall, holiday properties
on this stretch of coastline don't come along too often. It's an
ideal spot for families wanting beach, activities and culture too.
The beach and pretty Basque village of Bidart are 1 km away. The
surfing here is some of the finest on the Atlantic coast. There's
also golf and horse-riding, not to mention Biarritz, St-Jean-de-Luz,
Spain and the Pyrénées
close by too. The accommodation is modern and comfortable and the
mountain views of La Rhune are a real bonus.
Find
out more about Maison Xapela:
» Key
Facts
» Photos
» Location
» Accommodation
» Local
Guide
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Key
Facts :
| Nearest
town : |
Bidart
1 km (boulangerie, supermarket, cafés, small selection
of bars & restaurants) |
| Type
of location : |
Edge
of seaside village-resort |
| No.
of bedrooms : |
3
: 1x doubles; 1x twin; 1x single with extra pull-out bed |
| Sleeping
capacity : |
6 |
| No.
of bathrooms : |
1x
bathrooms and 2x WCs |
| Style
of property : |
Modern
holiday house in a small residential development |
| Quality
guide : |
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| Prices : |
|
» Check availability & prices for this property GO
Prices
held for 4th consecutive year! |
» Price includes linen & bathroom towels and heating
in winter (Oct-Apr)
» Security deposit €300
or £200 cheque or cash on arrival please. It is returned
to you by the owner's local representative on departure assuming
there are no damages/breakages
»
Read important information about security
deposits and insurance |
| Linen
Arrangements : |
Bed
linen, bathroom towels & tea towel provided. Beds made
on arrival and spare set of linen is available |
| Cleaning
Arrangements : |
No
cleaning is included in the rental
» Read important information about cleaning
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| Arrival
& Departure : |
Arrive
between 4-6 pm and depart by 10am. Changeover day is Saturday
in the high season
» Read important information about
arrivals
& departures
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| Nearest
beach : |
Bidart
1km - Parlementia & Uhabia |
| Nearest
boulangerie : |
Bidart
1km |
| Nearest
airport : |
Biarritz
20 mins; Bilbao & Pau 1 hr 30 mins; Bordeaux 2 hrs (approx) |
| Nearest
ferry port : |
St
Malo 9 hrs (approx) |
| Swimming
pool : |
Yes,
protected by locked gate & fence (key provided). 16x5m,
depth 0.5-1.25m approx. Ladder steps. Pool
is open June 1 to Sep 5, 9am to 9pm |
| Facilities
& Equipment : |
BBQ;
TV (including some UK Satellite channels); DVD player; CD
stereo; washing machine-dryer; microwave; dishwasher |
| Suitability
for children : |
Older
children can walk into Bidart and to the beach. Limited outdoor
space |
| Suitability
for infants : |
Open-tread
staircase requires care with smaller children. No cot or high
chair |
| Things
to see & do : |
Golf,
surfing, thalassotherapy, mountain walks, watersports, culture.
Visit: Basque Country villages, Bayonne, Biarritz, Pyrénées,
Spain - Pamplona, San Sebastian & Bilbao |
| House
'rules' : |
Sorry,
no pets. No smoking inside the house |
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Location: Map
Ref A6
Bidart
is situated in between La Côte Basque's two jewels - Biarritz
and St-Jean-de-Luz. This stretch of the Côte d'Argent is
more rugged and coved than in Les Landes and Gironde. This has
much to do with the Pyrénées which meet the Atlantic
Ocean here in the Basque Country.
By train :Biarritz railway station is 5 kms.
By air : Biarritz airport (5 kms) is
the closest. Pau, Bilbao and Bordeaux are good alternatives.
The village centre is a long walk (20 minutes) up the
hill. The beach is a similar distance.
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Accommodation :
Maison
Xapela (it's a Basque word, pronounced "Shapella") is
one of approximately 12 houses in a small residential development
close to Bidart village. There is also approximately 30 apartments
in the development. The houses are semi-detached by their garages
- the accommodation is therefore not adjoining.
Xapela a modern holiday house owned by an English couple who use
the property as often as possible. The style reflects the traditional
Basque architecture of coloured timbers on whitewashed walls.
On the ground floor, the front door opens into a spacious séjour
which combines lounge and dining area. Facilities in the lounge
include TV and dvd player and there is seating for 6 around the
dining table. From the dining area is a set of French doors leading
to the small front garden. There are plenty of books to choose
from if you fancy a holiday read.
The kitchen is a good size and has open views
across open field. Equipment includes breakfast table (seating
4), dishwasher, oven and 4-ring hob, microwave, fridge freezer,
coffee maker and some additional 'English touches' such as kettle
and toaster!
There is a very handy downstairs WC.
The washing machine-dryer can be found in the garage - bikes,
BBQ and patio chairs are also stored here.
On the first floor are three bedrooms:-
Bedroom 1 - single bed with additional pull-out
bed. Chest of drawers but no wardrobe.
Bedroom 2 - twin bedroom with wardrobe and chest
of drawers.
Bedroom 3 - double bed with wardrobe and chest
of drawers. Lovely views of La Rhune mountain peak - worth getting
up for at sunrise!
The family bathroom includes bath, hand-held
shower plus WC and wash-hand basin.
The staircase to the first floor is open-tread polished wood -
not one to take on if you're wearing socks (not that we would
recommend you wear socks on holiday!). Smaller children and the
elderly should certainly take extra care.
The house has small garden space to the front,
side and rear. The front and back garden are terraced.
1 minute's walk takes you to the swimming pool
shared by the whole lotissement. It's large - 16x5 metres with
ladder steps into the pool. The pool is open between June 1 and
5 September, from 9am until 9pm.
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How
To Book :
STEP 1.
Check availability. NB Website availability is refreshed
daily but not "live" so please contact us to confirm availability.
Call 0870 6092845 or email us
Once we have confirmed availability we can normally hold a property
for up to 48 hours if you need to confer with friends or family).
STEP 2.
Call or email us
if you want to go ahead and make a provisional booking.
STEP 3.
To confirm a provisional booking we need, within 5 working days,
your completed Booking Form and your deposit payment of 35%.
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Local
Guide:
Bidart
In
between the two 'show stealing' resorts of Biarritz and St-Jean-de-Luz,
are two gems - Bidart and Guéthary.
Both are typically Basque affairs - a church, a fronton, a little
sleepy but so pretty and charming.
Bidart village sits on the hill above the Atlantic. There is a
little supermarket, bakery, cafés, newsagents, gift shops
and a couple of bars and restaurants. Bidart is a perfect spot
for whiling away summer evenings at one of its bars on the fronton.
Or, for a more energetic exploration, walk out to the cliff-top
chapel Ste-Madeleine - you won't see many smaller churches anywhere
in the world. The views from the coast path are fantastic - there
aren't many places where you see mountains meet the ocean.
Surfers and golfers will particularly
enjoy Bidart. The local surf beaches - Parlementia
& Uhabia - are a 1 km walk. There's a 9 hole golf course 5
minutes by car and plenty more in the region.
The Region
Biarritz
is back in fashion. Celebrities and sports stars are flooding
back to live in the region, turning their back on the Côte
d'Azur. Biarritz is an eclectic place; it somehow manages to mix
an affluent elderly population with a steady flow of well-dressed
surfers plus a sprinkling of super-rich jetsetters on top. A compact
and stylish town, Biarritz really does have something for everyone...famous
beaches, museums, fine restaurants, boutiques, casino, golf courses,
horse-riding and the south west's famous spa and thalassotherapy
centres.
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 pelote. The fastest
ball game in the world, this is perhaps the most vivid image of
Basque country.
St Jean de Luz is also 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. For sampling pretty Basque villages
on the coast, try neighbouring Guéthary, also.
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.
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 Bidart:
• 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 provided below. Please note
that we cannot be held responsible for the content of third party
sites.
More
About Biarritz
Bidart
Tourist Office
Biarritz
Tourist Office
Pyrenees-Atlantique
T.O.
Wines
of SW France
Basque Country
Guide
France Travel
Guide
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| updated
10.04.08 as |
