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Key
Facts :
| Nearest
town : |
Sauveterre-de-Béarn
1.5 kms |
|
Type
of location : |
Quiet
residential area next to the River Oloron, 1.5 kms from the
village centre |
| No.
of bedrooms : |
6
- 3x doubles and 3x twins |
| Sleeping
capacity : |
12 |
| No.
of bathrooms : |
4
- 1x en-suite bathroom, 2x en-suite shower rooms and 1x additional
shower room |
| Style
of property : |
Traditional
Béarnais house totally renovated |
| Quality
guide : |
HIGH
QUALITY - what
does this mean? |
| Prices
: |
|
Standard
occupancy (up to 12 people):
» Check availability
and prices GO
Reduced
occupancy (up to 6 people outside mid-June to mid-September
period only):
» Check availability and prices GO
|
» Rental prices include linen, towels, water and electricity
» Air
conditioning available, 100 EUR per week extra (payable locally).
»Security deposit €500
is payable by cheque or cash on arrival. It is returned by
the owner within 14 days of departure assuming no breakages,
damages or extra cleaning required.
» Read important information about security
deposits and insurance |
Linen
Arrangements : |
Bed
linen and bathroom towels provided with the rental. Beds are
made on arrival |
Cleaning
Arrangements : |
There
is no cleaning included in the rental price
but mid-stay and exit cleans can be
arranged for a local charge if required
» Read important information about cleaning
|
Arrival
& Departure : |
From
4pm onwards on Saturday. Depart by 10am Saturday. Flexible
changeover in mid and low season.
»
Read important information about
arrivals
& departures
|
| Nearest
beach : |
Biarritz
& Hossegor both 1 hr drive |
| Nearest
boulangerie : |
Sauveterre-de-Béarn
village centre - 1.5 kms |
| Nearest
airport : |
Pau
& Biarritz airports both 1 hr drive. Bilbao & Toulouse
2.5 hrs |
| Nearest
ferry port : |
Bilbao
(2.5 hours); Santander (4.5 hours); St Malo (10 hours) |
| Swimming
pool : |
Yes,
10x5m, 0.8m-2.9m deep, open May-September.
Protected by gate & fence |
Facilities
& Equipment : |
Home
cinema, games console, cd, dvd, vcr; BBQ, table-tennis, some
UK TV channels, cot |
| Suitability
for children : |
Enclosed
gardens, cot available |
Suitability
for infants : |
Back
garden overlooks the river, Gave d'Oloron. There is a fence
running the length of this border. The staircase is polished
wood and open-tread - some care needed. |
| Things
to see & do : |
Visit
historic market towns; walking in the Pyrénées;
day-trip to the beaches; visit historic cultural cities Pau
and Bayonne; Spain: San
Sebastian, Pamplona, Bilbao. Tennis, cycling, salmon fishing,
horse-riding, spa, golf; wine-tasting, rafting |
| House
rules : |
No
pets. No smoking in the house |
|
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Location
: Map
Ref B6
Maison
Oloron is located at the southern edge of the medieval village, Sauveterre-de-Béarn. The village and house
are separated by the Gave d'Oloron, a river of fresh mountain water
that changes colours with the seasons. The snow-capped Pyrénées
can be seen from the village.
Sauveterre-de-Béarn is almost equidistant between Pau and Biarritz airports and is a short distance from
the A64 autoroute.
|
|
Accommodation
:
No
expense has been spared in refurbishing and equipping Maison Oloron.
There are more TVs than we have ever seen in one house, stereo
players in all the bedrooms as well as air conditioning in some
of the rooms.
This is a spacious cottage, dominated by exposed stone and beam.
There is a feeling of luxury throughout.
Ground Floor.
Bedroom 1. Double bed, air-conditioning and en-suite bathroom
Bedroom 2. Twin bedroom with en-suite shower room & wc.
The beautiful stone and beamed kitchen is fully-equipped
to include dishwasher, washing machine/dryer and microwave plus
conventional oven and hob. The kitchen has a double aspect with
a side entrance/exit leading to the pool and to the rear of the
house are French doors leading to the back garden. The kitchen
also has a TV with satellite connection.
The living room provides plenty of comfortable
seating and features a home cinema plus dvd, vcr, satellite TV
and CD stereo system.
The dining room has French doors leading to the
terrace.
First Floor:
The first floor bedrooms are accessed from a staircase from the
living room. Toddlers and elderly guests should take care - the
stairs are open-tread and polished wood.
Bedroom 3. Double bed, air conditioning, TV, stereo, en-suite
shower room and wc
Bedroom 4. Double bed, air conditioning, TV, stereo
Bedroom 5. Twin bedroom, TV, playstation
Bedroom 6. Twin bedroom, TV, playstation
There's also an extra shower room and wc.
NB The reduced occupancy rate (available outside
the mid-June to mid-September period) is based on occupancy of
no more than 3 bedrooms.
Outside:
The 10x5m swimming pool is safely and tastefully protected by
a stone wall and security gate. The pool is surrounded by an area
of decking and there are sun-loungers for lazing by the pool.
The garden is a good size and to the rear overlooks the Gave d'Oloron.
There is a fence along the garden boundary to ensure safe enclosure
from the river below.
For eating outside, a BBQ is provided and a covered terrace allows
alfresco dining in the shade.
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Guide
:
In
and around Sauveterre-de-Béarn
The great attraction of Sauveterre is its
cliff-top setting high above the Gave d'Oloron from where you can
see the famous fortified medieval bridge, or, rather, half a bridge
- the other half having been destroyed in a feudal war. The village
centre is 1km from the cottage - there's a selection of local shops
and restaurants. For the more active, there's tennis and rafting
within 1 km.
Neighbouring Salies-de-Béarn is a larger town and offers
more by way of shops and restaurants. Salies is a genteel spa town
which has been a popular watering hole for those seeking thermal
cures and relaxation, for over 100 years. There's also a splendid
Moorish-style casino in the town and a golf course close by. Salies
is also a pleasant place for a stroll, notably along the narrow
backstreets with their steep-gabled houses. And if you fancy a break
from walking, you can take gondola trips along the river in summer.
Beach lovers
For a day at the beach, surfing, glamour
and seafood are best enjoyed on the Côte Basque at
Biarritz or St Jean de Luz. These two authentically
Basque towns are well-worth spending time in for their fine boutique
shops and restaurants, and just to soak up their relaxed ambience.
There are many other beaches to investigate north of Biarritz, Hossegor
being a particular favourite.
Mountain pursuits
The location of Maison-sur-l'Oloron will satisfy mountain-lovers
as much as beach enthusiasts. The Haut-Béarn is a
wonderful landscape that forms a natural boundary between France
and Spain. It is also a haven for outdoor pursuits. Two beautiful
river valleys – d’Ossau and d’Aspe
– offer great walking/hiking, mountain biking and, in Spring,
good white-water potential. Parasailing, rock-climbing, horse-riding
and fishing are also popular. Skiing is possible at nearby stations
such as Gourette.
In the Parc National des Pyrénées lives some
of Europe’s most exotic wildlife including chamois, royal eagles
and brown bears, whilst at Laruns there is a 92-hectare reserve
for the griffon vulture. At Lescun you will find one of France’s
most photogenic natural locations, the Needles of Ansabère,
an amphitheatre of jagged limestone peaks rising to the summit of
Pic d’Anie.
Also in the Haut-Béarn and a great day out for the kids is
a ride on Le Petit Train d’Artouste. Built for dam workers,
this 10 kms train journey tales passengers along the flanks of the
Pic de la Sagette.
City Culture
A short drive east is the stylish and compact city of Pau.
Barely known of outside of France, Pau has a variety of attractions.
It sprang to fame in the 19th century when wealthy British and Americans
were drawn to its mild climate and it became a popular winter holiday
destination. To this day Pau retains an ‘upmarket’ feel
about it. There is a thriving café and bar life plus plenty
of opportunity for boutique shopping, notably along the rues des
Cordeliers and Serviez. Pau also has its own château (and
birthplace of King Henri IV) plus one of the south west’s
finest panoramic views - the spectacular array of distant, snow-capped
peaks as seen from the Boulevard des Pyrénées.
A little known fact is that Pau is home to continental Europe’s
first golf course, built in 1856 by a resident Scotsman.
Pau also hosts horse-racing events, a vintage car race and a Formula
3 street race every year.
In the other direction, the Basque capital of Bayonne
has a fine, historic centre with a beautiful cathedral, ramparts
plus a range of stylish shops and restaurants. There's also a good
museum - Musée Basque - for learning more about
the Basque people, their culture and history. And, of course, no
visit to this Chocolate City would be complete without sampling
its famous hot chocolate and visiting one of the many chocolatiers.
Other suggestions for day-trips from Maison Oloron are:
• Wine-tasting in the vineyards of Jurançon,
Madiran and Béarn
• Crossing the border into Spain for a visit to Pamplona,
San Sebastian or Bilbao
• A trip to Lourdes to satisfy the religious
or the plain curious
For further information try the links below. Please note that we
cannot be held responsible for the content of third party sites.
Dept
64 - Pyrenees Atlantique Tourism
Pyrenees
National Park
Pau
Tourist Office
Discover
Wines of the South West
UK
Tourist Office for France
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| Last
updated : 15.01.09 as |
