Villa Ardea

Pricing & availability

Villa Ardea
4 bedrooms, sleeps 8

Notes on prices

• Price includes: Bed linen & bathroom towels (one set per booking)
• Compulsory extras: Exit cleaning charge, 150 EUR per booking (payable in cash locally); tourist tax (1.30 EUR per person aged 18+ per night, payable locally
• Optional extras: Cot, high chair & stair gate available on request
• Security deposit: 1800 EUR (GBP 1500)
• Changeover day: Saturday (mid-July to mid-September).
• Arrival and departure:
• Fortnight booking restriction: Minimum fortnight bookings 13th July to 31st August (any 2 of last 3 weeks)

Accommodation

Villa Ardea is a modern, tastefully decorated house adjoining another of the owner's rentals, Maison des Herons, on one side. There is excellent interior sound-proofing and good screening outside so that neither house overlooks the other.

Inside

The house is reached via an enclosed garden at the front of the property, gated from the road outside. The entrance porch leads via double doors into the downstairs area comprising:

· Good sized living/dining room, with extendable dining table and chairs for up to 10 people
· A small kitchen opening onto the terrace, equipped with dishwasher, washing machine, oven, 4-ring hob, microwave, fridge
· Lounge/reading room
· Bedroom 1: double bed, with built-in cupboards
· Shower room

Upstairs:

Open stairs lead to the first floor and:

· Bedroom 2: double bed, with built-in cupboards
· Bedroom 3: bunk beds and built-in cupboards
· Bedroom 4: twin beds (can make a double), shelves
· Mezzanine area/TV corner with single bed
· Bathroom, plus separate WC

Outside
The porch at the front of the house doubles as a very pleasant outside sitting and eating area - with two sets of double-doors into the house it also nicely extends the space inside, and is directly accessed from the kitchen as well as the dining/living area. The porch is raised from the front garden by a single step; the gardens are partly-paved, partly-unmade ground, with a small grassy area, totally enclosed and have plenty of playing space for children. There is a barbecue, garden furniture and parasol. 

The owner Caroline is, like us, passionate about Cap Ferret and will be delighted to share her enthusiasm and knowledge with you. Speaking from experience, it is infectious!

Bedrooms

2x doubles, 1 x twin (can make double), 1 x bunk beds, plus single bed on mezzanine level

Bathrooms

1 shower room with WC downstairs, 1 bathroom (no WC) upstairs, further separate WC upstairs

Pool

No pool

Equipment

Kitchen

• dishwasher
• washing machine
• oven & hob
• microwave
• fridge freezer
• kettle
• coffee maker
• toaster
• iron & ironing board

Entertainment

• dvd player
• tv with French channels
• wi-fi

Outside

• bbq or plancha

General

• high chair

Additional House Info

Please note the Wifi is of a low level and at times the signal can be very weak, this is due to the location of the property and unfortunately means a signal can not always be guaranteed.

House Rules

No pets, sorry. No smoking in the house.

Location

Villa Ardea is situated on a quiet residential road on the edge of the high sought after area of Cap Ferret village, just 500m from the lighthouse and a five minute walk from the village's first shops (including boulangerie - always essential) and 10 minutes amble from the centre (including Cap Ferret's summer daily market), and ocean and Bay of Arcachon beaches.

Local Amenities

Nearest village / town: Cap Ferret
Nearest beach: Cap Ferret (300m), l'Horizon (600m)
Boulangerie: Cap Ferret
Restaurant: Dozens in Le Cap Ferret
Market: Cap Ferret (open everyday in summer)

Distance to nearest major transport connections

• Bordeaux airport: 60 kms
• Bergerac airport: 150 kms
• Arcachon railway station: 4 kms + foot ferry ride
• Bordeaux railway station: 70 kms
• St Malo ferry port: 600 kms
• Calais ferry port/tunnel: 950 kms

Things to do and see

Our Highlights

• Daily shopping in Cap Ferret food market
• Visit the oyster-farming villages and stop for dégustation - Cap Ferret, l'Herbe, le Canon & Piraillan
• Explore Cap Ferret's wonderful forest cycle trails (pick up 500m from the house)
• Boat trips around the Bassin and to Dune de Pyla
• Le Petit Train trip across the peninsula is a delight
• Mussels, chips & sauvignon at l'Escale or Chez Hortense - perfect!

Nearby Activities

• Surfing
• Kitesurfing
• Windsurfing
• Sailing
• Water-skiing
• Jet-skiing
• Kayaking
• Golf
• Cycling
• Horse-riding
• Birdwatching
• Fishing
• Degustation

Day Trip Ideas

• Foot ferry or water taxi to Arcachon & Dune de Pyla
• Stroll around central Bordeaux
• Médoc vineyards and wine-tasting
• St Emilion (UNESCO world heritage site)
• Fishing trip from Cap Ferret jetty

The Local Area

The Cap Ferret peninsula is a treat for the senses - the scent of the pine forest, the constant rumble of rollers washing up on the western coast, the salty, slippery taste of oysters washed down with a Bordeaux blanc and, at the end of the day, sitting on top of one of the dunes overlooking the Atlantic and watching the sun go down. Bliss!

All these experiences and more are within very easy reach. The Atlantic beach ("l'Horizon"), popular with surfers, is about a 600m away to the west, the bassin d'Arcachon beach at Cap Ferret village, with amazing views over to the Dune de Pyla, is 400m to the east.

On the way you pass through Cap Ferret village, the chic-est spot on the the Presqu'Ile. Smart boutiques, cafes and restaurants in a low-rise, laid-back setting - the ambience is casual, relaxed but appreciative of good living. A couple of 'bonnes adresses': it's worth stopping for a drink the stylish Tchanqué bar of the Hôtel Maison du Bassin (so named after the famous houses on stilts close to the Ile aux Oiseaux) - the address for an 'apéro'; and Fredelian, a salon de thé renowned for its patisseries, especially the local favourite (and ours), canelés.

From the village you can take a ferry over to Arcachon or Le Moulleau, but you'll probably miss your 'desert island' home quite quickly! Or try a boat tour spotting the oyster beds and bird life of the bassin d'Arcachon.

There's also a charming 'petit train' that runs from the jetty on the bassin side over the Atlantic beach on the other side of the pensinsula; the trip takes 10-15 minutes and, especially if you have children, is a delight!

Heading on down to the Pointe is a must, stopping to climb to the top of the famous Cap Ferret lighthouse on the way - the views across the bassin to the sandy wild-life reserve of the Banc d'Arguin and over to the Dune de Pyla (Europe's highest sand dune) are breathtaking.

The famous '44 Hectares' of the Cap Ferret peninsula are situated south of the lighthouse. This is an area of villas built in the earlier part of the century set amongst the pine trees all served by unmade roads, owned by several French stars, Bordeaux vineyard owners and generations of Cap Ferret inhabitants of more modest means. It's probably the most natural, exclusive yet unpretentious housing estate in France and also home to the island's most famous restaurant, Chez Hortense - laid back (what else could it be here?) and popular with France's VIPs.

If you feel the urge to leave the Cap - and many don't while they are here - the famous appelations of Pauillac and Margaux north in the médoc rouge are not far away. There are many vineyards where you can visit and taste some of the famous wines. Two very approachable châteaux are the under-rated (and relatively inexpensive) Château Maucaillou, a medium-sized, family-run estate in Moulis-en-Médoc; there is an interesting museum exhibiting some of the history of wine-making. Or for a very special visit, Château Giscours in the Margaux region organises tastings of various vintages of its grand crus classés.

Around the other side of the basin is Arcachon, a popular French resort; a part of the town known as the Ville d'Hiver (winter town) is well worth strolling to see the quirky architecture of its many 19th century villas.

South of Arcachon is the famous Dune du Pyla, the largest sand dune in Europe, standing at over 100 metres. A journey to the summit (try it without the staircase provided!) is a must; sunrise and sunset are the best times.

If you're feeling beached out, Bordeaux is about an hour away and is a good option for a day-trip, whether it’s boutique shopping, sight-seeing or culture. Medieval gems of the Gironde east of Bordeaux are also wonderful days out; St Emilion, with its 11th century basilica, is the best known but can be busy - get there early!

Customer Reviews By Feefo

Review posted on 22 Aug 2016

Service: Product:

Service: Very efficient service

Product: Good