Key
Facts :
| Nearest
town : |
St
Jean de Luz |
| Type
of location : |
Town
centre |
| No.
of bedrooms : |
5x
1 bedroom apartments + 1x studio apartment |
| Sleeping
capacity : |
2-4 |
| No.
of bathrooms : |
1x
bathroom in each apartment |
| Style
of property : |
Renovated
Basque townhouse |
| Quality
guide : |
SIMPLE
- what
does this mean? |
|
Prices : |
| Price
Band for this venue: |
|
|
|
| » Check availability and prices: GO |
Rental
prices include bed linen and bathroom towels
Small
tourist tax is paid locally on arrival |
| Nearest
beach : |
St
Jean de Luz - 200m |
| Nearest
boulangerie : |
100
m |
| Nearest
airport : |
Biarritz
30 mins; Bilbao 1 hr 30 mins; Pau 1 hr 45 mins |
| Nearest
ferry port : |
Bilbao
1 hr 30 mins; Santander 3 hr 30 mins; St Malo 9 hrs |
| Swimming
pool : |
No |
| Suitability
for children : |
More
suited to couples |
| Things
to see & do : |
Golf,
surfing, thalassotherapy, mountain walks, watersports, culture
Visit: Basque Country villages, Bayonne, Biarritz, Pyrénées,
Spain - Pamplona, San Sebastian & Bilbao |
| Pets
allowed : |
Sorry,
no |
| Long
winter lets : |
Yes,
special rates apply - please contact us for details |
|
|
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.
St Jean de Luz is, of course, on your doorstep
and whether its beaches, boutiques, history, restaurants or festivals
you are looking for, this town is hard to beat. Stylish but without
the pretence of the Riviera, St Jean is an authentic and colourful
seaside town and working fishing port. It has plenty to offer discerning
visitors of all ages. This is a great place to eat out - 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).
St Jean's more famous illustrious neighbour, 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 apartment
is ideally placed to enjoy all of the town's attractions. Daily
provisions can be purchased from the local shops and Biarritz's
daily market at Les Halles.
St Jean 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 St Jean de Luz:
• A tour of Basque country villages: Ascain,
Ainhoa, Sare, La Bastide Clairance Cambo-les-Bains, Espelette and
St-Jean-Pied-de-Port. On the coast, take in Bidart & Guéthary.
• 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.
Tourism
Guide for Pyrénées-Atlantique
Guide
to Wines of South West France
Learn
About the Basque Country
UK
Tourist Centre for France
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