Key
Facts :
| Nearest
town : |
Village location (Ascain) 6km from St Jean de Luz |
| Type
of location : |
Edge of villa, situated in a quiet cul-de-sac |
| No.
of bedrooms : |
4
: 2x doubles and 2x twins |
| Sleeping
capacity : |
8 |
| No.
of bathrooms : |
2:
1x ground floor bathroom with separate shower cubicle. 1x first floor shower room. Two separate WCs |
| Style
of property : |
Modern and spacious house built in the Basque style of architecture
|
| Quality
guide : |
|
| Prices : |
|
| » Check availability & prices for
this property GO |
Optional cleaning services available.
Security deposit £300
held by Alternative Aquitaine on the owner's behalf.
»
Read important information about security
deposits and insurance |
| Linen
Arrangements : |
Bed
linen and bathroom towels provided with the rental. Beds are
made on arrival and spare bedding (not towels) is made available for stays of 2+ weeks
|
| Cleaning
Arrangements : |
There
is no cleaning included in the rental price
but an exit clean and mid-stay cleaning
can be arranged for a local charge if required:
-mid-stay clean 75 EUR
(pre-book but pay locally)
-final clean 120 EUR (pre-book but pay locally)
» Read important information about cleaning
|
| 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
|
| Nearest
beach : |
St Jean de Luz has several beaches; the town centre beach is excellent for younger kids as it's protected by a breakwater |
| Nearest
boulangerie : |
Local shops & restaurants 2 mins walk |
| Nearest
airport : |
Biarritz 22 km; Pau 136 km, Bordeaux 216 km; Bilbao 131 km |
| Nearest
ferry port : |
Bilbao 131 km, Santander 229 km, St Malo 740 km |
| Swimming
pool : |
No |
| Facilities
& Equipment : |
TV;
DVD player; CD stereo; gas BBQ; washing machine & dryer; dishwasher; microwave; floodlit boules pitch! |
| Suitability
for children : |
Excellent for families who want local activities and short drive to the beach |
| Suitability
for infants : |
Good size garden. There is a stream bordering the garden but it is safely fenced off. Travel cot available (no linen) |
| Things
to see & do : |
On outskirts of Ascain is a sporting complex with tennis courts and large lido. In the area: Golf, horse-riding, hiking, nature walks & bird-watching, surfing, cycling,
watersports, culture. Visit: Basque Country villages, St Jean de Luz, Bayonne,
Biarritz, Pyrénées, Bordeaux, Spain - Pamplona,
San Sebastian & Bilbao |
| House
'rules' : |
Sorry,
no pets and no smoking |
|
|
Accommodation :
Maison Azkaine is situated at the end of a small cul-de-sac in the village
with amazing views of the Basque hills all around it. The garden has a fenced-off
stream* bubbling away down one side and the covered terrace is ideal for
aperitifs and BBQ's at the end of a day on the beaches of St Jean de Luz or
hillwalking in the Pyrénées. And for lazy afternoons at the house, there's a ready made petanque court!
*The owners have grandchildren who have stayed at the house and are very aware of the likely concerns any parent would have about potential hazards such as this. The stream is fenced off and secured also by a lockable gate. Naturally, parental supervision would be required to stop a child from climbing over the fence.
The house is a typical Basque-style design, spacious, modern and well
equipped as a holiday home. The décor is uncluttered, clean and
simple and the house is designed to remain cool even on the hottest days.
The open-plan living area, (dining area, sitting area and kitchen area)
leads directly out onto the covered terrace via French doors and the view is
magnificent - nothing but hills on three sides and the village the other side of
the house. The dining table extends to seat 8 people comfortably.
The kitchen is fully-equipped with dishwasher, fridge freezer and microwave
plus there is a washing machine and additional fridge freezer in the utility
room.
At ground floor level there is a twin bedroom and office (currently locked for private use) and a large bathroom with a bath and a separate shower cubicle. There's a separate toilet also.
Upstairs are a further 3 bedrooms which
share a shower room and separate toilet.
- double bedroom with king-size bed, built-in wardrobe, chest of drawers, west-facing aspect overlooking stream
- double bedroom with built-in wardrobe
- bedroom with a sofa-bed and a single bed
Outside there is ample parking for 4 to 5 cars and the front entrance to the property is secured by large wooden gates.
Outdoor furniture includes chairs for 8 people and two sun-loungers. The south-facing terrace is lit so that evening meals can be enjoyed as well as lunches too (the terrace is covered and shaded). Basque houses that are built on traditional lines always have an east/west orientation so the front of the house receives sun in the morning - a small table can be put out here for breakfast.
The BBQ runs off gas and bottles are provided.
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|
Local
Guide:
Ascain
Ascain is short drive inland from the sophisticated coastal resort of St Jean de Luz. A small Basque village complete with fronton (outdoor court for the Basque version of squash), the River Nivelle passes under the town’s three-arched medieval bridge, on its route to the sea at St Jean de Luz. Once popular with Winston Churchill, Ascain boasts a delightful 16th century Basque church with three-tiered galleries and massive belfry-porch, all set on a lovely square.
The ‘Fronton’ in Ascain is the place to see pelotte Basque. Similar to squash, the most dramatic variation of the game is played on giant courts - opponents fire a hard ball at a high wall using a huge hooked glove, causing the ball to travel at incredible speeds. Other variations of the game include bare hand, which is played throughout the Basque country.
Ascain 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.
The last big Pyrénéan peak before the sea, and a holy mountain for the Basque people, La Rhune straddles the French and Spanish border. The summit is accessible from near the village of Ascain, on Le Petit Train de la Rhune, a tramway built in 1924 which takes you to the 2970ft summit in a 35 minute ride. Spectacular views from the top overlook towns from Bayonne to Saint Sebastian, the neighbouring Pyrénées, and the endless stretches of Atlantic beach. You could also get to see pottocks – small, wild Basque horses, and to marvel at the graceful flight of vultures – from above! Each year in August, Ascain hosts the gruelling ‘Course à la Rhune’ race up and down the mountain - why not give it a try if you're in the area?!
And here are some restaurant recommendations from the ownes and past clients:
•L'Altier Gourmand is "more expensive than most but worth it very nice garden for eating. Good value lunches".
•Les Chasseurs for "good basic French restaurant with all the usual dishes. You will need to book in the summer".
• Du Pont is a "charming" restaurant with garden terrace, by the bridge:
Route de St-Jean-de-Luz, Ascain
• Ahcafla Baїta in the peaceful countryside offers lots of fish in a wide variety of sauces, and is very inexpensive:
Route d’Olhette, Ascain
• Col de St-Ignace is a good, simple restaurant: just by the Rhune train.
The owners of Maison Azkaine are keen birdwatchers, and here is some helpful information they've provided on the subject:
Vultures and Kites are seen over the house most days and there is a kingfisher that fishes the stream. Dippers, Grey and Yellow Wagtails are present also. We have seen over 30 different types of birds in and around the garden.
Locally, there is a colony of Griffon vultures on La Rhune and near to the house are a number of well known birding sites including:
Col de Mehatche: Griffon Vultures, Red and Yellow billed Chough, Peregrines Raven, and if you are very lucky a Lammergeier.
Col de Lizarrieta: a migration site in Autumn for raptors and cranes
Hendaye Estuary: plenty of waders including Spoonbills, Black Wing Stilts, plus 4 or 5 types of gulls.
A little farther afield are the inland water reserves of Barthes and the Orx marshes near Labenne. South and into the mountain foothills past St Jean Pied de Port are the migration sites of Organbidexka and Lindux.
The reference book on birdwatching in Southern France is a book called: A Bird Watchers Guide to Southern France by J Crozier published by Arlequin Press.
Local
Area
Because
of its mild climate, popular towns and abundance of all-year-round
activities to pursue, the Pays Basque attracts visitors throughout
the year. In fact, Spring and Autumn can be wonderful times to visit
- warm and quiet.
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, .
Dorrea 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 and wild horses roam the mountains and, if you're unlucky,
you might bump into a brown bear (only 6 individual bears are known to exist and they live much further east in the high Pyrénées) - this is one of Europe’s most exotic wildlife
locations.
Bird-watchers will be kept busy twitching - see information above also.
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:
• 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.
Alternative Aquitaine's tourism guide to St Jean de Luz
Alternative Aquitaine's tourism guide to the Cote Basque
Alternative Aquitaine's tourism guide to the Pyrenees
Ascain Tourist Information
Pyrénées-Atlantique
Tourist Office
Learn About
the Basque Country
UK Tourist
Office for France
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