039 - Maison Gilbert  Soustons

In our opinion

What makes Maison Gilbert a great holiday rental

A modern and comfortable 3 bedroom house in the pleasant Landais town of Soustons, dominated by it's huge leisure lake and only a short distance to the Atlantic beaches.  This is an area packed with outdoor activities and excellent sandy beaches. The house itself is especially good for younger kids whilst the parents will appreciate being able to walk to shops, restaurants and the lake.

Best for:
The owners have young children themselves and have deliberately set the house up to attract younger families: there is a splash pool (safely fenced off), a play area, the gardens are enclosed, and there are lots of toys available too. Also, the local lake at Soustons is a good alternative for safe paddling and bathing if the Atlantic sea is a touch rough.

Also, the house is popular for families on a budget - there aren't many cottages near the sea and with a pool that stay well below GBP 2000/wk.

Suitability for:

• Toddlers - ideal
• Teenagers - good as you can walk to the town & lake
• Reduced mobility - good, accommodation all on ground level

Anything to watch out for?
There is a supermarket located just across the road; whilst it adds to the traffic it does also provide a convenient service! Whilst located within a residential area the property does occupy a relatively secluded and good size plot.

Why Soustons?
It's near the beaches and has a 'leafy' and leisurely feel about the place, boosted by the presence of the fabulous Lac de Soustons. The town centre is a nice size and offers all the basic shops, making it a handy place to do the daily run to boulangerie, as well as eat out in the local restaurants. It's not a 'tourist-y' town and this gives it an authentic ambience - and also means restaurant and shop prices are fair!

Accommodation

Modern and comfortable 3 bedroom house with splash pool

Maison Gilbert is a good option for young families looking for a relatively inexpensive cottage and pool. It is especially child-friendly - the owners brought up their young children at the house and still regularly stay there with their youngest son (2 years old), so it really has been 'child-tested'.

The house offers 100m2 living space and has been awarded 4 stars by the local tourist board.

Inside:

The accommodation is all on ground level and the house is a typical lotissement development (small, residential estates) seen in France. The interior is comfortable and modern and designed to cope with hot summers - the floors, for example, are tiled or wooden.

From the front door, immediately left is the large open-plan living area with high ceiling and which consists of lounge, dining area and integrated kitchen.

The living room has sliding doors at each end for access to the front and rear gardens. There are sofas and easy chairs and comfortable seating for 6 at the dining table. The sofa-bed in the lounge could accommodate an extra person if required. A TV and dvd player are provided. The modern fireplace shouldn't be required unless you're renting in the low season!

A breakfast bar delineates the kitchen and living room; it is a modern, fully-fitted kitchen,  equipped to UK standards including a toasterm kettle, microwave and dishwasher. Just off the kitchen is a separate laundry area where there is a washing machine and tumble dryer.

Leading from the front door to the right is a corridor to the remaining accommodation - the bathroom and three bedrooms.

The family bathroom is spacious and provides bath, shower and separate WC.

Bedroom 1 - double, overlooking the front garden. Pocket-sprung mattress
Bedroom 2 - twin, overlooking the back garden and pool, Equipped with lots of toys
Bedroom 3 - double, overlooking the back garden and pool

Outside:

There is a large front garden with ample space for kids to play and guests to sit out. The driveway can easily fit 3 cars and there is a gate at the front of the property.

Most of the outdoor time will undoubtedly be focused in the back garden. There is a small swimming pool (protected by fence and alarm), a BBQ, and a patio terrace with outdoor dining furniture on the large terrace, plus children's play area featuring slide and swings. There is also a full-size table tennis table and table football table.  The garden plot is 1000m2 and fully enclosed with a lockable gate. Included outside are 2x sun-loungers, hammock and comfy chairs.

The garden has a sprinkler system which will activate automatically at night.

Prices & Availability

Location

GPS: (43.75019545, -1.339581013)

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 · Pelote Basque · Course Landaise · Adventure 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 Spain 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

Our Personal Highlights

• Canoe or kayak along the Courant d'Huchet
• Explore the coast, forests and lakes via the network of cycle trails
• A day's golf & surf at Moliets
• Take a break from the beach and unwind at the Lac de Soustons 
• Catch an exhibition of Course Landais at St Vincent de Tyrosse

The Local Area: Soustons

Originally named ‘South Town’ by its English occupants in the 14th century, Soustons is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the huge Etang (lake) de Soustons, as well as the largest pine forests of Europe. It is within easy reach of the Pays Basque, Spain and the Pyrénées. 

The Atlantic beaches are close by - 10 minutes drive to the sandy beaches of Vieux Boucau, 20 minutes to the surf capital of Hossegor and the coastal port town of Capbreton.

Whilst the popularity of Soustons as a holiday town has grown, its strength is in its mix of residents and holiday visitors. It's not just a holiday town, it has locals too! Unlike many of the seaside towns, Soustons does not close down after the summer. Lakeside and town centre restaurants are open all year. The Fête de la Tulipe takes place in Spring. The Centre des Spectacles (concert hall) and Centre Nautique (water sports centre) as well as many of the other activities nearby, are open to the public all year long. There's tennis courts, cinema and discotheque too.

In August Soustons holds its five days of fêtes. Throughout the season Soustons arena hosts weekly ‘Courses Landaises’ (bull jumping without the gore), as well as a true French traditional market on Monday morning, and a ‘Marché Nocturne’ on Friday evenings (till very late) - Soustons is in fact the most important market town for the region.

South westerners love their sports and outdoor activities. Soustons is host to rugby matches against British and Irish teams and local Pelote Basque competitions are frequent. Join in with the French and try your hand at boules in the shaded town squares. The pine forest is criss-crossed with cycle paths and walkways leading to the lakes and beaches. For golfers there are three highly rated golf courses (ranked in the top 15 in France) in close proximity.

Soustons boasts Francois Mitterand, ex French President as ‘amoureux’ of the locality, with a statue dedicated to him (and his fatihful dog!) in the town centre and his family's residence is located on the edge of Soustons.There's still a handful of resplendent lake-side villas dating to the turn of the 20th century, built by wealthy city folk (Bordeaux, Mont-de-Marsan) requiring a tranquil holiday retreat.

It is the lake, in fact, that still dominates the town. It's far from being the largest of the many freshwater lakes which punctuate the Aquitaine coastal landscape, but at 800 acres, it's no pond either! There is an excellent sailing base on the north-side at Azur. All sides of the lake are surrounded by dense pine forest but there are many tracks leading to the lake, cycle paths and picnic spots too. Kayaking, windsurfing and a tree adventure park are all available at the lake.

Useful links:
Soustons Tourist Office
Landes Tourist Office

Customer Reviews

“This lovely house was the perfect base for our holiday. Close to some great beaches (Capbreton takes some beating) and in reach of good shopping in Bayonne/Biarritz. Soustons itself is a friendly small town, with a good choice of places to eat and the excellent Monday market (not forgetting the night market on Fridays). The house had everything to keep a young family occupied, the pool was perfect for us (our youngest learnt to swim without armbands whilst we were there) and the stock of games and books very welcome. We would recommend the house and Paul & Kath as hosts.....and will certainly be considering a return trip....”

Mrs J Ridgway, stayed in 2010

“It exceeded our expectations, was much more spacious than expected, very well equipped and totally secluded.”

Mr J Ring, stayed in 2008

“The property was ideal for us - our children loved the garden and pool, and it was an ideal base for exploring. The owners, Paul and Kath, could not have been more helpful. Fantastic beaches very accessible - Seignosse Les Bourdaines is excellent for children (it doesn't shelve steeply and is easily accessible). In Soustons, the restaurants on the lake are nicest.”

Mr J Trask, stayed in 2011