077 - Maison Oloron  Sauveterre-de-Béarn (1.5 kms)

In our opinion

What makes Maison Oloron a great holiday rental

Lovingly renovated house retaining its traditional features - exposed stonework and beams, the Béarnais 'hat-shaped' roof, bright blue shutters, the old well and cast iron radiators. The owner has carefully blended this period charm with modern facilities such as home cinema, air conditioning and luxury kitchen. The result is a wonderful holiday home for a larger group.

Best for:
Larger groups wanting a high quality, relaxing rental property with enough to keep younger members entertained without having to travel too far, and away from the bustle of the coast but still with in day-trip distance.

Suitability for:

• Toddlers - gardens are enclosed; cot available. Back garden overlooks the river, Gave d'Oloron. There is a fence running the length of this border. The staircase is polished wood and open-tread - some care needed.
• Teenagers - pool, table-tennis and home cinema provide good entertainment.
• Reduced mobility - down stairs bedrooms, bothwith en-suite bath/shower rooms

Anything to watch out for?
No.

Why Sauveterre-de-Béarn?
Sauveterre is only a small town but has an air of history plus some interesting architecture, and lovely views over the Gave d'Oloron. Nearby Salies is a very pretty spa town. There are several other medieval market towns nearby which are a pleasure to explore. In the Pyreness there's excellent walking, mountain biking, including rafting in the Pyrenees, and it's an easy day-trip to the coast, and over to Spain.

Accommodation

High quality cottage with fantastic gardens and pool

Maison Oloron is a spacious cottage, full of character, dominated by exposed stone and beam. The accommodation, furnishing, equipment and décor are of a high standard throughout.

Inside:

Ground Floor.
Bedroom 1: Double bed, air-conditioning and en-suite bathroom.
Bedroom 2: Twin bedroom with en-suite shower room & wc.

The beautiful stone and beamed kitchen is fully-equipped to include dishwasher, washing machine/dryer and microwave plus conventional oven and hob. The kitchen has a double aspect with a side entrance/exit leading to the pool and to the rear of the house are French doors leading to the back garden. The kitchen also has a TV with satellite connection.

The living room provides plenty of comfortable seating and features a home cinema plus dvd, vcr, satellite TV and CD stereo system.

The dining room has French doors leading to the terrace.

First Floor:
The first floor bedrooms are accessed from a staircase from the living room. Toddlers and elderly guests should take care - the stairs are open-tread and polished wood.

Bedroom 3. Double bed, air conditioning, en-suite shower room and wc
Bedroom 4. Double bed, air conditioning
Bedroom 5. Twin bedroom
Bedroom 6. Twin bedroom
There's also an extra shower room and wc.

Outside:

The 10x5m swimming pool is safely and tastefully protected by a stone wall and security gate. The pool is surrounded by an area of decking and there are sun-loungers for lazing by the pool. A relatively ecent addition (2010) is a relaxing hot-tub adjacent to the pool. The garden is a good size and to the rear overlooks the Gave d'Oloron. There is a fence along the garden boundary to ensure safe enclosure from the river below.

For eating outside, a BBQ is provided and a covered terrace allows alfresco dining in the shade.

Prices & Availability

Location

GPS: (43.3927111966805, -0.937727093696594)

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

Things to Do & See

Nearby Activities
Golf · Horse-riding · Birdwatching · Fishing · Spa & thalassotherapy · Wine-tasting · Degustation · Hiking · Mountain biking · Mountain sports · Skiing & winter sports ·

Day-trip Ideas

• A day exploring the Pyrenees National Parc
• Touring the historic towns of the Béarn…Orthez, Salies, Navarrenx
• White-water rafting the Gave d'Aspe
• Visit under-rated Pau for its fine shops and mountain views
• The beaches, glitz and seafood of the Côte Basque at Biarritz or St Jean de Luz

Our Personal Highlights

• Hiking the Haut Bearn's two beautiful river valleys – d’Ossau and d’Aspe
• Take the kids on the mountain funicular, Le Petit Train d’Artouste
• The stunning wildlife and scenery of the Parc National des Pyrenees
• Vulture-watching at Laruns
• Sample the views from the Pic du Midi observatory on a starry night
• Tea, cakes and shopping in 'Anglified' Pau

The Local Area: Sauveterre-de-Béarn (1.5 kms)

The great attraction of Sauveterre 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 1.5 km from the cottage - it's just a small village with a restaurant/bar and a handful of shops.

For the more active, there's tennis and rafting within 1 km.

The region around Sauveterre-de-Béarn 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.

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!

Neighbouring 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.

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.

Mountain pursuits
The location will satisfy mountain-lovers as much as beach enthusiasts. 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.

Golfers
The house is located within 50-60 minutes' drive of several courses on the Cote Basque, plus two courses near Pau, including Pau Golf Club, continental Europe's first course, built in 1856 by a resident Scotsman. The 12-hole Golf de Salies-de-Bearn is a 10 minute drive away.

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. 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.

Other suggestions for day-trips are:

• A day exploring les grottes (caves) d'Isturitz and d'Ococelhaya, both within a 30 minute drive
• Wine-tasting in the vineyards of Jurançon, Madiran and Béarn
• Crossing the border into Spain for a visit to Pamplona, San Sebastian or Bilbao
• A trip to Lourdes to satisfy the religious or the plain curious

Customer Reviews

“The house was fab and the surrounding area was really, really fabulous.”

Mrs K Macintosh, stayed in 2010

“Best holiday home we have booked so far! Excellent property with attention to detail and comfort. Fantastic area with loads to do and stunning scenery.”

Mrs Lambert, stayed in 2011