015 - Villa Hélène  Carcans (4 kms)

In our opinion

What makes Villa Helene a great holiday rental

• Glorious setting of pine forests, vast lakes and endless sandy beaches
• Range of activities on offer: watersports, golf, surfing, horse-riding, cycling
• A short drive to the Médoc and its world-class vineyards

In short, the cottage offers informal and straightforward holiday accommodation in a very relaxed setting, yet situated close to an abundance of family activities.

Best for:
With its own private pool and access to nearby lakes and ocean, this is a very popular summer retreat for families. In our view it works especially well for younger kids as it offers a safe environment.

Suitability for:

• Toddlers - ideal grounds for playing safely & the lakes offer safe bathing. The little ones will also enjoy the wildlife visiting the gardens!
• Teenagers - need to be content in a quiet location but there's an abundance of activities to enjoy in the area
• Reduced mobility - accommodation all on ground floor
  

Anything to watch out for?

• Simple furnishings
• There is another holiday cottage on the same plot of land (same owners). The cottages both offer privacy to guests but equally could (and have been) rented together by larger groups. Please consult the Google map (see Location tab) for further details.
• There is a small campsite across the road which may generate some noise during summer although it hasn't ever been highlighted as an issue by previous clients.

Why Lacanau?
The nearest ocean resort, famed for its surfing, kitesurfing, golf and watersports. It combines lakes, forests and ocean to provide a superb summer playground. The huge nearby lakes of Hourtin-Carcans and Lacanau add a superb extra dimension offering an array of watersports and the lakes themselves have excellent sandy beaches.

Accommodation

Peaceful modern villa in tranquil setting

The entrance to Villa Hélène is shared with Villa du Lac. However, with both homes occupying a one-acre plot of land, privacy is not an issue.

The setting is highly tranquil. Ste-Hélène-de-l’Étang consists of just nine houses and the land is surrounded by forest. There is abundant wildlife including frogs, toads, rabbits, lizards, deer and a variety of birds.

The villa has 3 double-size bedrooms and a large open-plan living area all on ground floor level. The home has a summer feel to it with its tiles floors and French doors. The house is fully centrally-heated however, making it suitable for low season breaks and longer winter lets.

Inside:

Three bedrooms each with plenty of storage:

• Master bedroom with queen-size bed, en-suite shower facilities, and French doors to the garden.
• Second bedroom contains twin beds
• Third bedroom with two sets of adult-size bunk beds and French doors to the garden.

A separate family size bathroom includes bath with shower fitting and wc.

The living area of the cottage consists of a large lounge, dining table for 6 and a fully-equipped integrated kitchen. The lounge has two sets of French doors opening on to the patio and plenty of comfy seating plus TV, DVD & vcr.

The kitchen has breakfast bar, washing machine, dishwasher, fridge freezer, gas hob and electric oven, microwave, coffee machine, kettle and toaster.

Outside:

There is a patio terrace area immediately to the front of the house where sun loungers, garden furniture and a BBQ are provided. The garden is lawned and is of a good size. The pool has an approved cover for security.

The surroundings are very tranquil and natural and this is one of the majour attractions of the cottage.

Prices & Availability

Location

GPS: (45.11212217, -1.066537499)

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 · Water-skiing · Jet-skiing · Kayaking · Golf · Cycling · Horse-riding · Birdwatching · Fishing · Spa & thalassotherapy · Wine-tasting · Degustation · Mountain biking ·

Day-trip Ideas

• A day of watersports on the lake at Hourtin, Bombannes or Maubuisson
• Oysters & sophistication in Cap Ferret
• Chateau touring in sleepy Medoc
• Scale the amazing Dune du Pilat near Arcachon
• City culture in Bordeaux, particularly the old town quarter

Our Personal Highlights

• Exploring the vast pine forests on bikes
• Kayaking along the immense Hourtin-Carcans lake
• Quieter beach resorts such as Carcans Plage and Hourtin Plage
• Lakeside picnics with the kids
• 18 holes at Lacanau Golf d'Ardilouse then into the surf at Plage Sud

The Local Area: Carcans (4 kms)

Carcans
A charming Medocaine village with essential shops and amenities plus a weekly market.

Local Area
Beach lovers have the choice of ocean and lakes. The Lac d’Hourtin-Carcans and Lac de Lacanau provide safer bathing and have their own sandy beaches plus there is outstanding watersports potential. Hourtin-Port and Maubisson are the main beach resorts at Lac d’Hourtin-Carcans and both are great for sailing; there is a marina at Hourtin-Port.

Lacanau-Océan is the most popular resort on this stretch of the Côte d’Argent and hosts a world-pro surfing tournament in August. For less crowds try Carcans-Plage and Hourtin-Plage.

Cap Ferret and Arcachon are the favoured sunning spots for wealthier Bordelais folk. Near to Arcachon is the magnificent Dune du Pilat – Europe’s highest sand dune. Set on the southerly edge of the Bassin d’Arcachon, the town is perfect for boat trips, seafood, boutique shopping and a good old-fashioned stroll along the promenade or the beautiful Winter Town.

Montalivet-les-Bains and Soulac-sur-Mer are the main beach resorts on the north coast. Soulac, like Arcachon’s Winter Town, is full of eclectic villas and mansions dating to the late 19th century and built by wealthier residents of Bordeaux. Soulac also has its own Unesco World Heritage Site – the Romanesque Benedictine Abbey, Esplanade Alienor d’Aquitaine. Further north still, at the Pointe de Grave, you can take a ferry to the resort of Royan.

For wine-lovers, the nearby Médoc region is home to several world-class vineyards including celebrated appellations such as St-Julien, Pauillac, Haut-Médoc, Margaux and Médoc itself. The warm climate and gravely soil combine to produce some of the world’s most sought-after red wines. Naturally there are plenty of wine-tasting opportunities. To visit the best-known châteaux such as Lafite Rothschild and Margaux, you are advised to make a booking in advance.

And if drinking wine isn’t enough, you can also bathe in it. Yes, vinothérapie is the latest in hedonistic body-revitalisation treatments and you can indulge in this treat at Martillac, just to the south of Bordeaux.

Golfers will be pleased to hear that they are a short drive away from the prestigious championship courses of Golf du Medoc, Les Châteaux and Les Vignes. Just outside of Lacanau, is Golf d’Ardilouse, a lovely 18-hole course set in the pine forests.

The city of Bordeaux is an hour away and is a good option for a day-trip, whether it’s forboutique shopping, sight-seeing or culture. Walking around the 18th century old town centre (Quartier St. Pierre), you can begin to imagine the city’s commercial and maritime past.

Customer Reviews

“We had an excellent holiday with superb service plus a wonderful property at which we enjoyed a thoroughly lazy week.”

Mr M Skehel, stayed in 2008

“We had a lovely time. The kids spent every waking minute in the pool or sea! Hope to return next year.”

Mr S Bullick, stayed in 2011