Villa Les Goelands

What makes Villa les Goelands a great holiday rental

• Fabulous beach-side location, sea views
• Attractive, contemporary interior
• Walk to local restaurants and fishmongers
• Beautiful area with lots to do

Best for:

Families and groups of friends attracted to Cap Ferret's chic, laid back way of life - beach days, markets, exploring by bike, oyster-tastings, waterside eating.

Suitability for:

• Toddlers - will need supervision in garden at high tide.
• Teenagers - wifi, great area for being independent, shops, beaches etc to cycle to.
• Reduced mobility - ground floor bedroom with ensuite at garden level (sloping access but no steps).

Anything to watch out for?

At high tide the sea comes close to the garden edge - very picturesque, young ones will need supervision. Two bedrooms are independently accessed at the rear of the property.

The owner does not accept dogs.

Why Claouey & Cap Ferret?

The Cap Ferret peninsula is a chic, natural sandy strip on the western side of the Arcachon Bay. Claouey is the first village you come to, featuring an oyster-farming quarter where producer selling direct to public, fishmongers and chic waterfront restaurant, and kids' beach club. Lovely forest cycle trails connect Claouey to the Atlantic beaches for surf, and several other villages down the peninsula to Cap Ferret village itself. The ambience is casual, relaxed but appreciative of good living. The bay is renowned for sailing & oysters, the Atlantic beach is superb. It's an Aquitaine gem.

Accommodation

Fabulous bayfront cottage with direct beach access

Villa les Goelands was built in the 1930s by the current owners' great-grandfather, when Cap Ferret was only accessible by boat. It was completely renovated in 2014 in a warm and comfortable style, to very good quality contemporary standards.

It is accessed at the end of a track leading to the water's edge. An area at the back of the house has parking for 2 cars.

Inside:
Around the front, on the bay side, the house is entered via the lovely garden room (seating 5) - perfect for watching an early morning sunrise. Beyond the garden room is the main living area, with smart, well-equipped kitchen at one end, dining table (seats 8) and sitting area for 4-6 facing the magnificent stone fireplace. French doors from the kitchen end of the room open on to the terrace.

Three bedrooms and two bathrooms are accessed from the living room, all facing the rear of the house:

Bedroom 1: 160cm double bed with en-suite shower
Bedroom 2: 90cm single bed and mezzanine with 2x 90cm single beds (for children over 4 years)
Bedroom 3: double bed (140 cm)
Shared bathroom with overhead shower

At the back of the house, independently accessed via the rear terrace, is a further ensuite bedroom:

Bedroom 4: 160 bed with en-suite shower room including shower, basin and toilet.

Outside:
At the front facing the bay is a spacious decked terrace overlooking the lawn and bay behind, a beautiful spot for watching wildlife, sailing boats, or just the ebb & flow of the tide. There is a good size garden table & chairs, loungers, and barbecue.

The garden is separated from the beach by a raised wooden border. When the tide is high the water reaches the border's edge so children will need supervision. When the tide is low it's a hop on to the beach!

The rear, west-facing terrace (outside bedrooms four and five) gets afternoon & evening sunshine, and has a table & chairs for taking a long cool aperitif, or cup of tea.

Bedrooms

3 doubles (2 x 160cm, 1 x 140cm), 1 triple

Bathrooms

3 shower rooms - 2 ensuite, 1 shared

Pool

Equipment

Kitchen

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

Entertainment

• tv with French channels

Outside

• bbq or plancha
• parking space

General

• cot
• high chair

House Rules

No smoking in the house please. Sorry, no pets permitted. Please be respectful of the neighbours and keep noise to a minimum where possible.

Location

The house is located on the bay front at Claouey, the first village you come to on the Cap Ferret peninsula. It's a short stroll from the oyster-farming quarter and its producers selling direct to public, fishmongers (Poissonnier Lalande) and chic waterfront restaurant (Chez Bobo). On the way you pass Claouey beach club, open in July & August offering half-day activity sessions for children of all ages, on the beach itself or in the adjacent pine wood. Swimming lessons also available in the club's above-ground pool. The other side of the oyster shacks is Claouey sailing club offering courses all summer. A few other restaurants, boulangerie, market and supermarket are within a 5-10 minute walk. Lovely forest cycle trails connect Claouey to the Atlantic beaches for surf, and several other villages down the peninsula to the tip.

Local Amenities

Nearest village / town: Claouey
Nearest beach: Claouey - at the bottom of the garden
Boulangerie: Claouey
Restaurant: Claouey port (200m)
Market: Claouey square (500m)

Distance to nearest major transport connections

• Bordeaux airport: 50 kms
• Bergerac airport: 150 kms
• Bordeaux railway station: 60 kms
• St Malo ferry port: 600 kms
• Calais ferry port/tunnel: 950 kms

Things to do and see

Our Highlights

• Oyster-tasting direct from the producer & on the water's edge - perfect with a glass of chilled sauvignon
• Pick up the forest cycle trails (pick up 500m from the house) over to the Atlantic for an afternoon.
• Head down to chic Cap Ferret village to browse the boutiques.
• Boat trips around the Bay, to Dune de Pilat, and to the 'mainland' at Arcachon
• Le Petit Train trip across the peninsula is a delight especially with young kids
• Visit Médoc wine region and its extravagant chateaux (Margaux, Lafite, Cos d'Estournel, etc), revitalised Bordeaux, historic St Emilion.

Nearby Activities

• Surfing
• Windsurfing
• Sailing
• Kayaking
• Golf
• Cycling
• Horse-riding
• Fishing
• Spa & thalassotherapy
• Course Landaise
• Adrenaline park

Day Trip Ideas

• Climb the Dune de Pilat (get there by water taxi)
• Ride a tram through central Bordeaux
• Tour the Médoc vineyards and wine-tasting
• Walk around St Emilion (UNESCO world heritage site)
• Hire bikes and take a tour of Cap Ferret's cycle trails

The Local Area

Claouey is the first village you come to on the Cap Ferret peninsula. It is known for a lovely oyster-farming quarter where its producers selling direct to public, popular fishmongers (Poissonnier Lalande) and a chic waterfront restaurant (Chez Bobo). Claouey also has a children's beach club, open in July & August offering half-day activity sessions for children of all ages, on the beach itself or in the adjacent pine wood. Swimming lessons also available in the club's above-ground pool. The other side of the oyster shacks is Claouey sailing club offering courses all summer. A few other restaurants, boulangerie, market and supermarket are within a 5-10 minute walk. Lovely forest cycle trails connect Claouey to the Atlantic beaches for surf, and several other villages down the peninsula to the tip.

Cap Ferret is a beautiful sandy strip bordered by beautiful Atlantic beaches & dunes on one side, the gentle Bay shore on the other, and the scent of pine forest in between. It has a stylish, laid-back ambience and an unspoilt, natural environment which give it an 'island' feel - what could be better for a holiday.

15 kms to the south, Cap Ferret village is 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 to the fantastic Atlantic beach "l'Horizon" 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 is worth exploring by bicycle. It is 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.

Customer Reviews By Feefo

Review posted on 12 Aug 2016

Service: Product:

Service: easy

Product: Beautiful house and location

Review posted on 17 May 2016

Service: Product:

Service: Excellent and professional communication, all worked out fine

Product: Exactly like on the photos, beautiful property