148 - Domaine d'Orx  Hossegor (10kms)

In our opinion

What makes Domaine d'Orx a great holiday rental

It offers good quality accommodation in a 'modern, rustic farmhouse' style. The setting combines the best of countryside and seaside holidays - situated in tranquil surroundings in the southern Landes, yet just 15 minutes from the lively resorts of Hossegor and Capbreton. 

Features include a large garden, heated swimming pool, covered terrace and table-tennis. Plus there's the option to use the services of a cook, house-keeper and baby-sitter - ideal for the parents!

Best for:
This is a perfect place for two families or a group of friends to enjoy both the coast and the countryside of Aquitaine. It's also a great venue for celebrations because Vincent is on-hand to cook fantastic meals - he & Julia are experienced in catering for events.

Suitability for:

• Toddlers - excellent, lots of toys and complete baby kit provided. pool is heated. Owners have two young ones
• Teenagers - quiet location but pool, dvd, table tennis. Short drive to Hossegor
• Reduced mobility - one bedroom & bathroom on ground floor

Anything to watch out for?
The domaine is divided into two separate living quarters (entirely separate entrances and accommodation). The owners (a family of 4) live in the adjoining space: they may be absent on holiday themselves from time to time or they can be on-hand to help you relax on holiday. They provide excellent meals as well as house-keeping and baby-sitting services - they come highly recommended by previous clients so our advice is to make the most of them!

Why Capbreton & Hossegor?
Capbreton is the more authentic, a former whaling village which still relies on the sea for it's prosperity. There's a working fishing port, marina, museum of the sea, fish market and plenty of seafood restaurants. Hossegor is more famous: an established surfing destination with a very 'cool' vibe. It also offers great beaches, good shopping, a lovely lagoon and plenty of activities (surf, golf, tennis, cycling, sailing & more).

Accommodation

A well-equipped house with heated pool, home cinema and a great chef available!

Domaine d'Orx was created from a former farm outbuilding and converted to provide stylish holiday farmhouse-style accommodation, whilst retaining many original features and its rural feel. It has been renovated in a 'clean, unfussy' style, ideal for holiday rentals.

The holiday cottage accommodation adjoins the owners' (family of four) accommodation. The pool and most of the grounds, apart from the area outside the cottage entrance, are for guests' exclusive use.

Inside:

Ground Floor:
The entrance (at the rear of the house) is via a covered veranda sheltered by vine leaves which provides an escape from the midday sun and an idyllic spot for a bit of reading. It leads into an impressively spacious, stone-tiled hallway.

To one side is the dining area (seating for 10-12), separated from the hall by some of the property's original wooden beams; to the other side on a lightly raised level is the living area with paintings, two sofas and home cinema (48" flatscreen TV, DVD, Blue Ray, iPod dock). The décor is a blend of rustic simplicity and contemporary style. 

Also on the ground floor is a fully equipped modern kitchen, with stainless steel range and all essential appliances (dishwasher, washing machine, etc).

One double bedroom is on the ground floor, with a large window overlooking the garden and fields beyond. This room has a private bathroom with bath, shower and WC.

First Floor:
A central wooden staircase leads from the hallway to the upper level, where there are a further four bedrooms (three doubles and a twin room), all with with modern en-suite shower rooms). Every room has original beams, wooden floors and is decorated differently, making excellent use of the different layout and natural light.

Outside:

From the veranda a small path leads to the heated swimming pool on a raised level at the rear of the house. There is a common misconception that saltwater pools are full of salty sea water - as is sometimes the case in countries like India and Mexico, when close to the coast. In fact, the swimming pool is filtered by sand instead of felt and treated with salt instead of chlorine. The salt actually transforms to chlorine but is natural and therefore much better for thé skin, throat and eyes. This is the way pool installation is going in France and it is, of course, more efficient and eco-friendly.

There is a handy outdoor wc and changing room by the pool. The garden is about one acre, mostly lawned and fenced all around, mostly hidden by shrubs and hedge.

Leading from the living area is a new patio area which captures the morning sun.

There is plenty of room of football, badminton, etc and a BBQ is provided for alfresco meals. The views beyond the garden overlook the fields all around. It really is incrediby peaceful; at night the stars shine very brightly here too!

Prices & Availability

Location

GPS: (43.60966106, -1.356527209)

We endeavour to be as accurate as possible using Google maps but some error is possible.

Things to Do & See

Nearby Activities
Surfing · Kitesurfing · Windsurfing · Sailing · Golf · Cycling · Horse-riding · Birdwatching · Fishing · Spa & thalassotherapy · Pelote Basque · Course Landaise · Adventure Parc · Aqua Parc ·

Day-trip Ideas

• Belle-Epoque Biarritz - style & surf chic combined
• Pretty Basque fishing port & resort, St Jean de Luz
• Discover the 'postcard' hillside villages of the Basque Country
• Hop over the border into Spanish for San Sebastian or the Guggenheim
• Explore the superb Pyrenees National Park for great walks & wildlife
• Visit the under-rated city of Bayonne, the Pays Basque capital
• Thermal spa pampering at nearby Dax

Our Personal Highlights

• Explore the coast, forests and lagoon via its network of cycle trails
• A day's golf & surf at Seignosse
• A day of culture - and hot chocolate - in Bayonne
• Unwind at the Marais d'Orx wetland reserve
• Catch an exhibition of Course Landais at St Vincent de Tyrosse

The Local Area: Hossegor (10kms)

Orx
A typically small French country village whose main features are a bar-restaurant-post-office, fronton (for playing the basque game of pelota) and a church - a genuine example of south west France country life! Benesse Maremme - 4 km away - is a little larger and is the location of the nearest boulangerie (deliveries to the house can be arranged), tobacconist/newsagent, and pharmacy.

Capbreton and Hossegor
The local region of Sud Landes is typical Aquitaine - endless stretches of sandy beaches buffeted by the Atlantic ocean, vast pine forests punctuated by the occasional lake and criss-crossed by a network of cycle trails.

Capbreton and Hossegor are neighbouring seaside towns which between them offer an appealing contrast. Hossegor is the more famous, largely through its surfing heritage. It's a 'feelgood' place offering boutique shopping, great bars and restaurants, world-famous surfing beaches, casino, and a lovely golf course and a beautiful lake for safe bathing.

Capbreton lives in the shadow of Hossegor but it's the place the locals prefer for eating out and for beaches. It's definitely the more authentic of the two, largely because of its fishing port and daily fish market. In fact, the town thrived in the 19th century as a whaling port and this sea-faring heritage is still very much apparent today.

It also has a charming town centre and market. Capbreton is just more French than
Hossegor, if you see what we mean. It remains, admirably, something of a French
(and Spanish) secret. Capbreton sea-front is a bustling place, day and evening. You can walk all the way along the marina and sea-front. The jetty, known locally as l'estacade, offers
excellent coastal views. There's normally a few locals here trying to catch a fish for
supper. It makes for great viewing!

Like most of the south west coast, Capbreton-Hossegor is something of an outdoor
playground. Take your pick from surfing, canoeing, sailing, diving, fishing, cycling, tennis, horse-riding and golf to name a few. Golfers will enjoy the local course, the 1930s-built Golf d’Hossegor. The traditional club house is also a delight. A short drive up the road is Seignosse, a water and forest monster of a course ranked in Continental Europe’s Top 50. There are other great courses within 45minutes drive including Moliets and several around Biarritz.

Capbreton regularly holds major surfing competitions; the whole Aquitaine coast is a perfect venue for surfers but at Capbreton the presence of an offshore hollow in the sea-bed gives the waves here that extra edge. If you don't fancy a go yourself, just sit on the sea-front with a drink of your choice and watch the surfers ride to shore.

Cyclists can enjoy the many safe forest tracks that connect between the towns along the coast. Sailing enthusiasts should head for the Capbreton Marina. Being so close to the Pays Basque border, sporting life also includes the legendary game of pelote; you can watch a game at the fronton in Hossegor.

River Adour
Particularly enjoyable is to take bikes (and picnic) along the minor roads which hug both the southern and northern banks of the Adour. It’s a scene straight out of Wind In The Willows!
The Adour is a vast river fed by the melting snows of the Pyrénées and "Les Barthes" is the name given to the floodplain on the north bank which, each year without fail, fills up with the river’s surplus water. This swampy prairie is home to a secret ingredient used to feed the famous thermal spas of nearby Dax which are so craved for their therapeutic powers. The ecology of Les Barthes makes it something of a special environment for birdwatching
(Marais d'Orx is another prime location), nature studies and spotting the small but friendly poneys barthais. Of course, the Adour itself is fertile territory for fishing enthusiasts; eels, pike and salmon are just a few of the varieties to be found and obtaining a licence to catch them is refreshingly straightforward – and inexpensive.

Basque Country
A short drive south are the sophisticated resorts of Biarritz and St Jean de Luz, the south Atlantic’s competition to the Côte d’Azur. Both provide excellent beaches, cuisine and up-market shopping as well as a good introduction to the Spanish-influenced Pays Basque. If you have time, drop into the regional capital, Bayonne. Famed for its ham and its chocolates, Bayonne was under English rule for 300 years. It is much under-rated and worth a trip to see its cathedral, museums, ramparts and walk its ancient streets.

Heading inland, the delightful rolling green hills and picture-perfect villages of the Pays Basque are a must. La Bastide-Clairence, Ainhoa, Sare, Espelette and Ascain all perfectly demonstrate Basque village life. A visit to Cambo-les-Bains is recommended not least to visit the magnificent Villa Arnaga, home of the late Edmund Rostand, author of Cyrano de Bergerac. At Sorde l'Abbaye, at the border of Pays Basque and Les Landes, there is a 12th century Benedictine abbey worthy of a visit.

Customer Reviews

“The property was spacious with an excellent pool and lovely surroundings. The owners were also really nice to us.”

Mr M Aston, stayed in 2009

“Once again we had an absolutely brilliant week with you guys! The house was great, fantastic location! At first we were rather dubious about having someone [owners] that close, but we actually have preferred it that way. They were really helpful and very welcoming and let us get on with our holiday”

Mrs K Edington, stayed in 2008

“Everything was fantastic with the property and with the owners”

Mrs K Hill, stayed in 2009

“We have just returned from Domaine D'Orx where Julia and Vincent looked after us beautifully. Please would you thank them for us. The house was lovely and the added luxury of a welcome meal and a fridge full of groceries was a great bonus. Julia and Vincent were very caring and obviously very talented. We enjoyed cookery lessons and delicious birthday celebrations as well as some gorgeous and generous moments from little Louis who entertained us enormously. We really hope to visit again. Please forward our very best wishes to them all and much luck for the birth of their second child.”

Mrs N Boulton, stayed in 2009

Mrs H Barnett, stayed in 2008

“Lovely holiday thanks.”

Mrs K Mortimer, stayed in 2008

“Ideal for our group - excellent sleeping arrangements for our party of 10. Compared with other houses in the area that we considered we felt it was great value for money. Great proximity to the coast but in a quiet rural setting.Older kids had great fun Hydro Boarding ( Sorry can't remember the location but Julia can advise!) Enjoyed canoeing at Sorde L'Abbaye and all of the beaches around Capbreton and south of here. Although a bit touristy we had a pleasant meal overlooking Biarritz Grand Plage watching the sun set. Boys enjoyed watching rugby match (Biarritz vs London Irish - tickets only 11 Euros so good value).”

Mrs G Simmons, stayed in 2011