043 - Le Luc  Ste Marie-de-Gosse, nr Bayonne

In our opinion

What makes Le Luc a great holiday rental

Le Luc delivers a combination of excellent amenities, staff services, bags of space inside and outside, and all in a popular but secluded location near the resorts of Hossegor and Biarritz. What makes it special, though, is it's huge charm: the interior exudes French tradition with exposed stonework, oak beams and imposing fireplaces. These features are complemented by a fine collection of antiques and furnishings. Le Luc is a rare find.

Best for:
Over the years Le Luc has proved particularly popular with larger groups of friends and family, particularly those with young kids.

Suitability for:

• Toddlers - excellent: ample facilities/equipment & large open spaces 
• Teenagers - games room & DVD but quiet location 
• Reduced mobility - less suitable, no ground floor bedroom

Anything to watch out for?
We want to set potential guests' expectations by stressing that Le Luc is a very charming and stylish property, with a 'rustic/antique' presentation, rather than a 'polished' one. The crumbling exterior rendering for instance does not need repairing - it is kept that way to retain its charm. Equally, the property is used often by family and there is a certain amount of personal effects on display; again we feel this is all part of Le Luc's proposition - it is not about 'minimalist' living.

There is a stream in the woods but at some distance from the house.

Why Hossegor & Biarritz?
The local area offers tranquil countryside and sleepy market towns but the coast's famous sandy surf beaches are easily reached by car. This is an excellent base for day-trips too: Spain and the Pyrenees are only a short drive too.

Accommodation

Classic manoir in 12 acre grounds, with swimming pool and terrace

Le Luc is perfect for Francophiles who really want a classical French holiday experience. This is a spacious holiday rental: the interior living space is in excess of 500m2 and is spread over three floors.

Inside:

Ground Floor
The manoir is entered via the 34m2 stone floored sitting room. To the left is a huge stone fireplace (logs provided in the adjacent bucher). Fine antiques add to the feeling of warmth and refinement. Three sofas provide ample seating and there is TV (with free-to-view UK channels), DVD and CD hi-fi. The telephone is for incoming and local/emergency calls only.

Adjoining the sitting room is the manoir's dining room. A charming and elegant space to enjoy long dinners, the room is dominated by a country oak dining table and impressive marble fireplace. The atmosphere is enhanced by candle-only lighting. There is also a second, round dining table in the room.

From the sitting room and at the foot of the staircase, a vestibule has a wall of hand-carved chestnut cupboards, the last of which is a concealed entrance to the dining room.

Adjacent to the vestibule is the petit salon, a lockable room which the owners ask only adults to use. In our experience, the grown-ups of the party are often relieved to find a child-free zone! The room houses beautiful Louis XVI furniture, a family armoire, a beautiful lit du coin (day bed), large canape and the walls reveal exposed stonework. The petit salon is ideal for quiet reading - let's hope you get the chance!

(The manoir also has a grand salon, however, this is currently not in use for guests.)

Next to the stairwell is a handy downstairs w.c. and in the adjacent kitchen corridor there is a vast sideboard containing a large collection of cooking dishes.

Located off the corridor is the large scullery (16m2) containing wine and vegetable racks, chest freezer, fridge, small sink plus garde manger for storing cheese. There are plenty of cooking pots and roasting dishes kept here also.

Beyond the scullery is a large (23m2) country-style kitchen. There are two full-length cupboards containing a wealth of dishes and crockery, a long granite work surface with double sink, cooking range, microwave/grill plus a further fridge. Two kettles and two toasters are also provided. The kitchen has two tables - a breakfast table which seats 12 plus a large baker's table for preparing delicious meals (don't forget - catering services can be arranged here!). A wood-burning stove adds to the authentic, country ambience. An exciting recent innovation in the kitchen was the addition of French doors with direct access to the pool and terrace.

From the kitchen, you enter the 'buanderie' for washing and drying clothes (large 8kg washing machine provided). The housekeeper - Stephanie - uses this washing machine on Saturdays to wash the linen. The room also has a butler's sink, pool shower, very handy WC (it saves having to go right into the house with wet feet when you've been out by the pool) and a wardrobe containing pool towels and cushions for the garden chairs, plus ironing board & iron. A 'pub' table and chairs for children's meals is also stored here.

First Floor
5 of the manoir's 7 bedrooms are located on the first floor, accessed via the 17th century staircase that was purchased from a previous manoir. The stairway is wide and imposing and the walls retain the original timber and narrow brickette.

On the first floor are 3 bathrooms with toilets, a shower room plus a further separate toilet. All bedrooms have period furniture, armchairs or sofas, and a selection of ornaments, rugs, etc.

• Master Bedroom - "Gingko" - 36m2.  King-size bed with en-suite bathroom plus dressing area. Superb marble fireplace plus antique furniture including a colonial desk. Comfortable sofa and additional single bed
• Double Bedroom - "Oak" - 36m2.  King-size bed and single bed plus en-suite bathroom.
• Double Bedroom - "Art Deco", private shower and wash-hand basin.
• Double Bedroom - "Magnolia" - 31m2.  Twin beds plus extra single. The owners kindly request that due to the antique furniture in this room, extra care is taken if the room is used by children.
• Double Bedroom - "Grey" - 21m2.  Double bed plus walk-in cupboard. The Magnolia and Grey bedrooms share a bathroom.

Also on the first floor there is a small study room stocked with a few books, a sofa and day-bed.

Attic
The attic offers excellent accommodation for children - there are two very large children's bedrooms underneath the imposing roof beams, each with twin beds and bunk beds. A selection of children's toys and games is also available and there's a large TV salon too. There is a handy WC, shower and wash-hand basin for the kids' rooms.

The remaining attic space (it's a big attic!) is private for the owners' use.

Le Luc for smaller groups:
When Le Luc is rented for smaller parties (of up to 10 people), the two attic bedrooms are normally locked but the TV/games room and attic shower room remain available.

This leaves up to 5 bedrooms to choose from and all other facilities are available as normal.

Outside:

le Luc offers 12.5 acres of grounds to enjoy (5 ha). The grounds to the rear of the house are dominated by the magnificent 400-year-old oak. The floodlit swimming pool is a generous size (10x5m) and is protected by a security fence. The pool has a wide, paved surround with numerous sun-loungers.

Adjacent to the pool is a gravelled terrace with two oak teak tables each with 8 chairs, 8x loungers, and easy chairs plus additional tables. This is a wonderfully secluded retreat for lunches and dinners. A BBQ is provided. For the younger children there are many smaller chairs and a covered sandpit near the pool.

At the other side of the house is a sun-trap courtyard, beyond which is a games room (45m2) which provides pool table, hi-fi, table tennis, boules, games plus armchairs and a sofa. This is a popular place for the teens to 'hang out'! If you really want to relax outside, two hammocks are provided for your comfort!

Prices & Availability

Location

GPS: (43.55564733, -1.241685748)

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

Things to Do & See

Nearby Activities
Surfing · Golf · Cycling · Horse-riding · Birdwatching · Fishing · Spa & thalassotherapy · Pelote Basque · Course Landaise ·

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 Bilbao's 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: Ste Marie-de-Gosse, nr Bayonne

Ste Marie-de-Gosse
This is a typically small and pretty French country village. In this part of south west France, village life revolves around the church and fronton where the eye-catching local sport of Pelote Basque is played. A game of petanque amongst the locals is quite a common sight too. There's tennis in the nearby village St Martin de Hinx and horse-riding in the village.

The village fête is held in mid/late August and normally lasts 3 days; there will be noise associated with this - every village has an annual summer event and it's very much part of French life. The best way to cope with it is to join in - the locals will give you a warm welcome!

There are three nearby restaurants of note including one in the village and the Auberge "la Petite Charlotte" at Biaudos. A small alimentation shop next to the church is handy for some top-up shopping. There are further shops and supermarkets in St Martin de Seignanx (10 kms) and at Peyrehorade and St-Vincent-de-Tyrosse. Peyrehorade has an excellent market twice-weekly.

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.

Closer to Le Luc than Hossegor and Capbreton are the excellent beaches of Anglet - just to the north of Biarritz, and known collectively as Chambre d'Amour.

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 Edmond 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 description was good. A great house, well equipped kitchen and lots of space.”

Mrs J Valentine, stayed in 2010

“A lovely house with plenty of room and excellent things to do.”

Mrs G Cave, stayed in 2009

Mr A Lawson-Tancred, stayed in 2010

Mrs L Norman, stayed in 2010

“A lovely property with great facilities”

Mr D Glenday, stayed in 2010

Mr T Beasley, stayed in 2009

“The house was very good for 18 of us.”

Mr N Bevan, stayed in 2009

Mr G Dalby, stayed in 2011