024 - Villa Baïta  St Jean de Luz - 1km to centre

In our opinion

What makes Villa Baïta a great holiday rental

We've been searching for a villa with a pool in this resort for several years - they are are hard to come by! This villa enjoys a fabulous location near the coast path in the prestigious Sainte Barbe residential district. It offers peace and privacy, spacious accommodation (250m2) and excellent sea views. It's a lovely walk into Saint Jean de Luz for great shopping, cuisine and beaches.

Best for:
One family or two or three couples.

Suitability for:

• Toddlers - house has secure pool although interior not 'toddler-friendly'. St Jean de Luz has excellent, safe beach for young kids
• Teenagers - great as you can walk to the town and feel independent
• Reduced mobility - too many steps

Anything to watch out for?
The interior has several pieces of artwork, antiques & objets which would require vigilance with children. Some of the decor has a slightly old-fashioned feel, but overall (size, facilities, seclusion, location) the property merits its Higher Quality rating

Why St Jean-de-Luz?
One of our favourites. A colourful and proudly Basque fishing port and holiday resort. A superb & safe town beach, excellent for the 'little ones'.

Accommodation

Basque Villa in secluded location with pool and superb sea views.

A large and luminous summer villa with excellent ocean views and swimming pool. The accommodation is very spacious - 250m2 - and well lit. The villa was constructed in the 1970s and follows the Basque style of architecture found locally; the terracotta roof tiles blend superbly with the blue sea, giving the villa a distinctly 'south of France' ambience.

The decor of the bathrooms and kitchen is somewhat dated - they both have a 1980s design - however, overall we are confident the villa justifies its high quality rating.

Owned by a retired Swedish family, the owner mixes her time between Sweden and St Jean de Luz - a unique combination we think!

Inside:

Ground floor

• Grand entrance hall with marble floor
• Vast 'cathedral' living area featuring a contemporary style of decor and artwork
• Open-plan dining area and kitchen, fully-equipped and with a balcony offering a sea view
• Living area with feature fireplace, flat screen TV (with European satellite TV), hi-fi and dvd player. Room opens via French doors to the covered terrace offering superb ocean views.
• Bedroom 1 -parquet flooring, double-aspect (east and south), double bed 2m
• Bathroom with bath & shower plus double wash-hand basin
• Separate WC
• Bureau closed off to guests

First floor

• Marble staircase to the first floor
• Bedroom 2 - double bedroom with 2m bed, balcony with excellent sea views
• Bedroom 3 - double bedroom which can be twins or double bed
• Bathroom with bath and double wash-hand basin
• Separate WC
• Attic area is closed off to guests

Basement

• Utility room with washing machine
• Shower room and WC for use with the swimming pool (or returning from the beach)
• Interior garage is closed off to guests

Outside:

Covered terrace with ample seating and lighting for dining outside. BBQ-plancha (hot plate) provided.

Mme Frisk takes great care of her gardens and the well-maintained and attractive plants are in keeping with the overall presentation of the villa. Given the adjacent presence of the Jardin Botanique, this is quite appropriate! A gardener will visit during guests' stay to ensure the plants are watered and gardens are maintained.

The swimming pool is protected by electric cover (very handy for retaining heat overnight) and a security fence. There is a spacious sunbathing area surrounding the pool.

Parking for 3 cars.

Prices & Availability

Location

GPS: (43.402812, -1.656873)

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 · Hiking · Mountain biking ·

Day-trip Ideas

• Tour Basque Country villages: Ascain, Ainhoa, Sare, Espelette
• Visit Bayonne, the under-rated ‘capital’ of the Pays Basque
• Cross the border into Spain - San Sebastian, Pamplona & the Guggenheim
• Explore the Pyreneees National Park for its wildlife, walks & scenery
• Taste the glitz & glamour of 'Belle-Epoque' Biarritz

Our Personal Highlights

• An evening stroll of St Jean de Luz's bustling streets, before drinks & supper!
• Sampling the pintxos - Basque tapas - in St Jean de Luz or Ciboure old town
• Catching a game of Basque pelote at one of the village frontons
• A visit to Ainhoa or Sare - both 'picture perfect' Basque Country villages
• 18 holes at gorgeous Golf de Chantaco - then lunch in the clubhouse

The Local Area: St Jean de Luz - 1km to centre

St Jean de Luz
Whether its beaches, boutiques, culture, restaurants or festivals you are looking for, this town is hard to beat. Stylish but without the pretence of the Riviera, St Jean is an authentic and colourful seaside town and working fishing port. It has plenty to offer discerning visitors of all ages. In particular, this is a great place to eat out - St Jean de Luz is recognised as the capital of Basque cuisine and is noted for its seafood (it is one of Rick Stein’s favourite places).

To the French, St Jean de Luz is one of the nation’s coastal jewels. Beyond France however, this delightful holiday resort and fishing port is known by surprisingly few people – but it is adored by those that do.

With the more famous resort of Biarritz just a few kms up the coast, St Jean de Luz has lived – contentedly – in the shadows of its more illustrious neighbour. To the Basques of St Jean de Luz, Biarritz is practically a foreign land!

In fact, arriving in St Jean de Luz you might well wonder if you are in France at all. This is where France meets Spain and the mix on this side of the Pyrénées creates a distinctly different ambience. This is French Basque Country.

The relative secrecy of this far south western corner of France has served St Jean de Luz well. Whilst it is an ever-popular French holiday destination, the town is also a working port and bustling shopping centre and consequently it is alive and vibrant all year round.

St Jean de Luz suits the discerning traveller: whilst the sandy beaches are excellent for families, this is not a “bucket and spade” resort - the Basques and the fishermen would never allow this! It’s for those who want to experience active and varied days and relax in the evening and enjoy a meal in one of the many brasseries and bistrots which line the town’s enchanting back streets.

The location is enviable, set in a horse-shoe bay with a beautiful sandy beach and a backdrop of the western Pyrénées, peaked by La Rhune, the mythical Basque mountain. This combination of ocean and mountain landscapes is a unique draw and also helps to keep St Jean de Luz surprisingly mild in winter.

More than that, the landscape and vibrant Basque architecture produce a combination of light and colour that gives St Jean de Luz a special, intangible, quality that is matched in only a few other places in France. Little wonder it’s one of our favourite resorts.

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