044 - Maison Dorenia  St Palais (3kms)

In our opinion

What makes Maison Dorenia a great holiday rental

First and foremost it delivers great value. When we added it to our collection in 2010 it immediately earned fame as our lowest-priced cottage with private pool!

Situated in the historic village of Garris and a short drive from the market town St Palais, Dorenia enjoys a lovely, rural location, yet the coast is easily reachable.

The countryside views from the idyllic pool terrace will ensure a very relaxing stay. 

Best for:
A popular choice for families (with young kids) and Francophile couples looking for an authentic French holiday rental in the very heart of the Pays Basque but who will also want to sample the coastal resorts.

Suitability for:

• Toddlers - ideal: safe gardens, no busy roads
• Teenagers - quiet location for the teens
• Reduced mobility - not suitable as no bedroom on ground floor

Anything to watch out for?
There is a working farm next door so some noise can be expected particularly on market day; but the farm animals are another attraction for younger kids.

Why the Basque Country?
If you really want to sample Basque Country culture you need to head inland and experience the rolling green hills and bustling market towns. St Palais is a delightful place, off the tourist trail and hardly another Brit in sight - bliss!

Accommodation

Holiday cottage and pool in historic Basque village, with views of countryside and mountains.

Originally constructed in around 1800, Dorenia was formerly the milking parlour for the adjacent farm. The property is now English-owned and has been renovated to provide a comfortable holiday cottage. The charm of the property has of course been retained - strict local laws would never permit wholesale changes - yet the interior is modern and well-equipped.

All-in-all, Dorenia offers excellent value accommodation and truly typifies the region's authenticity and charm.

Inside:

Ground Floor
Living room - accessed directly from the front courtyard via the original oak front door. The room is divided into a 'bureau' with 2-seater sofa (convertible into a sofa-bed) and desk with PC (with internet access), and a larger 'salon' with sofa seating for 5, fireplace and TV/DVD. This is a comfortable room, cosy and nicely furnished.

Kitchen - accessed from the lounge and fully-equipped with modern units and all the appliances you could want for a self-catering holiday (including ceramic hob, extractor hood, self-cleaning oven, microwave, dishwasher, washer-dryer). There is a small table with 4 chairs but a larger one in the dining room. Views over the pool.

Dining room - nicely furnished including a table which extends to 8 seatings, and an impressive antique sideboard. Direct access to the patio and pool via French doors protected by fly screen - very handy for eating indoors in the evening.

Downstairs WC - very convenient especially when guests spend time outside by the pool, and situated between the kitchen and dining room.

First Floor
Bedroom 1 - 140cm double bed situated at the front of the house and with a balcony. Clothes storage available in the wardrobe on the landing as well as a chest of drawers in the bedroom.

Bedroom 2 - twin beds, also situated at the front of the house. Chest of drawers and wardrobe in the room.

Bedroom 3 - 140cm double bed plus ensuite shower room (including WC). This bedroom enjoys views over the back garden and pool.

Family bathroom with corner bath, shower fitting, separate shower, wash-hand basin and WC.

Outside:

The outside area at the back has been thoughtfully landscaped and will undoubtedly be where much time is spent by guests. You will be able to enjoy:

- 10x5m swimming pool with sun-loungers on the terrace surrounding the pool
- patio terrace covered by retractable awning and with outdoor dining table
- barbecue
- views of the hills and the village of Garris

To the front of the house there is a gravel courtyard with ample parking for two cars. There is a gated side path to access the rear of the property and therefore the accommodation is enclosed (important for families with young kids).

Prices & Availability

Location

GPS: (43.34582989, -1.061124802)

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

Things to Do & See

Nearby Activities
Cycling · Horse-riding · Fishing · Pelote Basque · Hiking · Mountain biking · Mountain sports ·

Day-trip Ideas

• Tour local villages of the Bearn - Sauveterre, Navarrnex, Salies
• Discover the mountains in the Haut Bearn & Parc National des Pyrenees
• Day at the beach - try pretty fishing port St Jean de Luz
• City culture - Pau or Bayonne
• Cross the border into Spain & visit Pamplona or San Sebastian

Our Personal Highlights

• Market day in St Palais
• A day's hiking in the Haut Bearn or the Foret des Abailles
• Wine-tasting in the Jurancon appelation
• Hot chocolates and museums in Bayonne
• Visiting the 'postcard' Pays Basque villages - Ainhoa, Sare, Espelette

The Local Area: St Palais (3kms)

Garris & St Palais
This is humble corner of French Basque Country where the boundary between Basquaise and Bearnais begins to blur a little. You'll see plenty of rolling hills, farming and pleasant villages.

Garris is a fortified village lying on the pilgrimage Route de St Jacques de Compostelle. Many buildings in the village dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries. The traditional Foire de Garris is an anuual event at the end of July / beginning August; local cattle (Blondes d'Aquitaine) and horses are on display. The village fait takes place the following weekend, featuring Baque singing, dancing & pelote - it's an excellent introduction to the strength of Basque culture. 

St Palais is the area's chief market town and a little gem it is too, particularly on market day - Friday. If you happen to be there in August, you must check out the Festival de Force Basque, a kind of Highland Games for the Basque Country! The town has an excellent variety of shops and there are good restaurants too. Horse-riding enthusiasts will be pleased to find an equestrian centre in the town.

Local Villages
The great attraction of Sauveterre-de-Bearn 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.

Navarrenx dates from the 11th century; it is considered one of the finest example of a fortified town in the south west, not least because its Protestant inhabitants resisted every attempted invasion during the Wars of Religion!

Nearby 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.

Countryside & Mountains
This region is known as the Béarn des Gaves, where the mountain streams from the Ossau and Aspe valleys converge to form the famous Gave d'Oloron, known for exceptional salmon fishing (the world championship comes here here every year) and, for thrill-seekers, rafting and kayaking. The region is also famous for its abundance of heritage, especially châteaux (eg at nearby Aren and Laas) and bastides (medieval fortified towns), including Navarrenx.

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.

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.

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.

Customer Reviews

“Fabulous property/location. Stunning area and people were very friendly. Too many discoveries to mention, but the best day out was white water rafting in Sauveterre, great value for money.”

Mrs D Cantin, stayed in 2011