052 - Maison Plage des Basques  Biarritz

In our opinion

What makes Maison Plage des Basques a great holiday rental?

This smart seaside townhouse offers luxury accommodation in an ideal situation in one of Biarritz's older 'quartiers', with easy access to the town's many attractions. A short stroll takes you down to the long surfing beach, Plage des Basques and there are sea views from the first and second floor balconies.

Almost 100 years old, the traditional Basque blood-red half-timbered facade, contrasts with its light, contemporary and stylish interior - wooden floors, art pieces, solid oak furniture and stainless steel electrical sockets are just a few such features.

Best for:
 Couples or a family with older children  or teenagers ready to enjoy all that a lively and fashionable French seaside resort has to offer.

Suitability for:

• Teenagers - beaches, café and nightlife for older teens all within walking distance.
• Older children will enjoy the games room (pool table and table football).

Anything to watch out for? Given its central location, there is little by way of outside space - there is a small courtyard with table and chairs for eating out, but no garden. 

Why Biarritz?
Biarritz is the most famous resort in Aquitaine and offers brilliant surfing, shopping, golf and lots more attractions too. The house is close to the characterful Vieux Port district, known for its bistrots, cafés and chic, bohemian atmosphere. Pretty Basque villages, the Pyrenees, and Spanish resorts such as San Sebatsien are close by too - all in all it's a wonderful mix.

Accommodation

Smart, period seaside townhouse with sea views and pool table, in old part of Biarritz.

Spread over three floors, Maison Plage des Basques is a successful blend of traditional Basque features and a contemporary interior design.

Inside:

Ground Floor
A small courtyard at the front of the house is used for drinks and dining during the summer.

The hallway floor is original - a local tiled pattern often seen in Basque houses of this age. The ground floor is open plan in design, creating a feeling of space and allowing much natural light to permeate.

There is a table on either side of the open hallway; on the left is a wonderful solid oak dining table to seat 8, and on the right is a table with green baize - that's right, a pool table! In fact, this side of the room is dedicated to social sports - there is also table football (or "baby foot" as it's known in France) to enjoy.

The kitchen is integrated with the dining room, separated by a waist-high partition wall. The kitchen is of modern design and stylish too with its tiled floor and contemporary appliances and utensils. The kitchen is fully equipped and includes conventional oven, microwave, fridge freezer, washing machine and dishwasher. The lateral courtyard - ideal for storing beach equipment & bikes - is accessed via the kitchen.

Lastly on the ground floor is a very convenient shower room with wash-hand basin and wc.

First Floor
A superb wooden staircase leads to the main lounge / sitting room and master bedroom on the first floor.

The antique oak double bed is hand carved and the large en-suite bathroom offers corner bath, shower, wc and wash-hand basin. Also in the en-suite room is a series of wardrobes providing plenty of clothes storage.

Polished wooden floors, oak furniture and hanging art are again features of the lounge / sitting room. The room also benefits from a reading area and a double balcony with sea views and plenty of space for sitting out. Satellite TV, DVD player and a video recorder are available.

Second Floor
The wooden staircase continues to second floor where there are three more double size bedrooms, two of which have views over the ocean. One room has twin beds (which can be pushed together) and balcony, whilst the other two rooms each have two single beds. All of the bedrooms are brightly decorated and feature wooden floors. One of the bedrooms has an en-suite shower room.

There is also a separate bathroom and wc on the second floor.

Please note there is no parking directly at the house, instead an allocated parking space is available two minutes away.

Prices & Availability

Location

GPS: (43.48000508, -1.56493485)

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

Things to Do & See

Nearby Activities
Surfing · Windsurfing · Sailing · Golf · Cycling · Horse-riding · Birdwatching · Fishing · Spa & thalassotherapy · Pelote Basque · Course Landaise · Degustation ·

Day-trip Ideas

* Tour the Basque Country villages: Ascain, Ainhoa, Sare, La Bastide Clairance Cambo-les-Bains, Espelette and St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
* Visit Bayonne, the under-rated capital of the Pays Basque; sample its famous chocolates and hams and visit the splendid cathedral
* Stroll the stylish streets of St Jean de Luz and stay for a seafood lunch or supper
* Crossing the border into Spain & visit San Sebastian, Pamplona or the Guggenheim museum at Bilbao
* Explore the superb Pyrenees National Park for great walks and wildlife

Our Personal Highlights

* Watch the world go by on the Grande Plage promenade - it's like being in L.A!
* See the experts take on the surf at the Plage des Basques
* Take a stroll around the dramatic Rocher de la Vierge walkway, after dinner in one of Le Vieux Port's bistrots
* Take le Petit Train de la Rhune to this local Pyrenean summit and take in the exceptional views
* Give yourself some pampering at the Atlanthal or le Miramar spas, or try retail therapy at Galeries Lafayette!

The Local Area: Biarritz

Around Maison Plage des Basques
The house is situated on the edge of one of Biarritz's most characterful quartiers, le Vieux Port, which has lovely local shops, cafés, bistrots plus charming beach. Les Halles - Biarritz's bustling covered market - is just 250m away, so you need never use a supermarket while you are here! The boutiques of central Biarritz, including Galeries Lafayette (like a mini Selfridges), are just a 10 minute walk. With these amenities in such easy reach you really can go native.

Biarritz
After the wilderness years of the 1980s, this town is back in fashion. Celebrities and sports stars are flooding back to live in the region, turning their back on the Côte d'Azur. Biarritz is an eclectic place; it somehow manages to mix an affluent elderly population with a steady flow of well-dressed surfers plus a sprinkling of super-rich jetsetters on top. A compact and stylish town, Biarritz really does have something for everyone...famous beaches, museums, fine restaurants, boutiques, casino, golf courses, horse-riding and the south west's famous spa and thalassotherapy centres.

Customer Reviews

“The market is always excellent,also the exhibitions on at the Belle Vue. Fireworks superb in the summer season. (2nd visit by this client)”

Dr J Harrison, stayed in 2011

Mrs Kissin, stayed in 2011