Tarrit de Bas

15 charming Gascon farmhouse in tranquil countryside

Instant Book Available

Ref: 019 Eauze (13km)

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3 bedrooms, Sleeps 8
3 Bath/Shower Rooms
private pool
Comfort Rating Good quality
Space & tranquility

We Say

A very good value rental with character accommodation, vast grounds, a superb pool and lovely views - experience the best of Gascony!

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Pricing & availability

Tarrit de Bas
3 bedrooms, sleeps 8

Start Day Available Selected
Enquire Unavailable

Notes on prices

Price includes: Bed linen, bathroom towels, tea towels & pool towels. Water, gas, electricity, internet.
Compulsory extras: Winter heating EUR 100/wk Oct through Apr.
Optional extras: Cleaning EUR 15/hr. Exit clean EUR 150 - pre-book. Babysitting EUR 15/hr
Security deposit: GBP 300 held by Alternative Aquitaine on the owners' behalf.
Changeover day: Saturday in summer
Arrival and departure: Arrival from 17:00, departure by 10:00 please.
Fortnight booking restriction: Fortnights preferred mid-Jul to end-Aug

What makes Tarrit de Bas a great holiday rental

Idyllic, tranquil location in the French countryside
Slow down and enjoy Gascony's markets, historic towns and cuisine
Pool table, beautiful pool & DVD library to keep the kids happy

Gascony is often said to epitomise the idyllic French country life and Tarrit de Bas certainly reflects the pleasures of Gascony. A delightful, timbered farmhouse packed full of charm and character. Set in huge grounds with wonderful views and a sumptuous swimming pool, Tarrit really captures the spirit of a French countryside holiday.

It is also one of just a few rentals included in our value villas collection - villas with private pools, all the 'right side' of 2000 GBP/wk.

Best for:
Tarrit works best for families who just want to unwind for a week or two without straying too far from the house - a genuine holiday. It really is a great choice for Francophiles who will love the local markets, villages and cuisine. In the low season, Tarrit also has two working log fires to keep things cosy.

Suitability for:

Toddlers - superb safe grounds. Cot (without linen) & high chair available
Teenagers - lots of space and games / entertainments, but quiet location
Reduced mobility - old house with a few steps

Anything to watch out for?

A car is absolutely essential.
You'll be in deep countryside so expect to be visited by wildlife!

Why Gascony?
The landscape is gently undulating, punctuated by the occasional picturesque 'bastide' and barely changed from centuries ago. And the land is still relatively free of tourists too. This region is what French lovingly refer to as "la France profonde". With its hearty food, tannic red wines, armagnac and rural tranquillity, it's little wonder that Gascons enjoy the highest life expectancy in all of France!

The local village - Castelnau d'Auzan - is reputed to have the best boulangerie in the area - winner of many prizes. The town also has a weekly market, small supermarket, pharmacy and bar/restaurant. On the edge of the village is a tennis centre, superb lido and leisure lake - a lovely spot on a summer's day.

Accommodation

Tranquil holiday farmhouse with wonderful pool in 19 acres of land.

Tarrit de Bas has been in the hands of the same English family for over a decade now and they frequently visit. As such, the property is furnished and equipped to be 'lived in' and does not really feel like a holiday home - we consider this a big attraction.

The long private track leading to Tarrit is a reminder of holidays in Tuscany and sets the scene for what will be relaxing break in the countryside. In all, Tarrit offers 19 acres of land bordered by farms, fields and vines! You will certainly have that feeling of tranquillity and relaxation.

All 3 en-suites were completely renovated in 2012.

Inside:

Ground Floor
The main entrance leads into an open-plan living area divided into dining area and outstanding lounge. Both areas are heavily beamed with the lounge benefiting from triple French doors to the terrace. Lounge facilities include huge TV, DVD (plus an excellent DVD collection), vcr and a large fireplace.

Leading from the dining area is an traditional country kitchen recently upgraded with new units and granite work-top and with a Nespresso machine for guests' use.

There's also a handy downstairs cloakroom / WC close to the front door.

Two of the three bedrooms are downstairs:

Master bedroom with king-size bed, large dressing room and views south over farmland. This room has direct access to the terrace. The en-suite bathroom is also very spacious and offers bath, separate shower, WC and basin.
Double bedroom with doors to the terrace, additional single bed and separate dressing area. The en-suite includes bath with shower fitting and basin. The WC is in a separate room.

First Floor
A staircase from the far end of the lounge leads to a mezzanine landing accessing the third bedroom - double bed, additional single bed and separate dressing area. The en-suite includes bath with shower fitting and basin. The WC is in a separate room.

Outside:

Guests are likely to spend most of their time out of doors at Tarrit and it's easy to see why. Surrounding the property is a mixture of formal gardens, terraces, a barn (with pool table) plus the pool at the rear of the property. There's also a covered terrace and plenty of sun-loungers and parasols.

The gardens to the front of the house offer plenty of space for kids to enjoy ball games.

The swimming pool (open from May until end of September) is deserving of special mention. For one thing, it's not a bland rectangle, but is kidney-shaped, and large too. The depth ranges from 1.0m to 3.0m (so quite deep). There are Roman steps to the shallow end, and it is protected by an alarm. Its siting is idyllic - it overlooks lovely secluded countryside, and you really do feel as though you are swimming in a little oasis. In our opinion the pool is a real draw for this property.

There is parking for several cars.

And make the most of the fruit trees! In the past, guests have picked fruit from the orchard to make cakes and jam - a perfect 'Tarrit' souvenir to take home!

Bedrooms

3x doubles, two with additional single bed

Bathrooms

3x ensuites with bath, shower & WC. Additional independent WC on ground floor & outdoor pool shower

Pool

Kidney-shaped with depth ranging from 1.0m to 3.0m so quite deep. There are Roman steps to the shallow end. Pool open from May until end of September and protected by alarm. Pool is unheated.

Equipment

Kitchen

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

Entertainment

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

Outside

table tennis
bbq or plancha
parking space

General

cot
high chair

Additional House Info

WiFi; 40” TV with free-to-view English channels; DVD library; pool table; 4.5" refracting telescope (unpolluted skies for star-spotting); 19 acre grounds; cot and high chair

House Rules

No pets & no smoking please

Location

The house lies on its own at the end of a long track: this is a landscape of rolling hills reminiscent of Tuscany. Privacy and tranquility are a real feature of Tarrit. The property is a couple of miles east of Castelnau-d'Auzan and 24 kms west of Condom. Situated half way between Bordeaux and Toulouse (100km), the region is well served by airports - Pau, Toulouse and Bordeaux are all easily accessible.

Local Amenities

Nearest village / town: Eauze (13km)
Nearest beach: The resorts of Sud Landes - a good 2½ hour drive. This is not really the choice of property for beach-lovers!
Boulangerie: 3kms - Castelnau-d'Auzan, said to be one of the best in the area!
Restaurant: Bar & restaurant in the village. More choice in Eauze 12 kms and Condom 24 kms. Restaurant recommendation: Les Caprices d'Antan, place de la Mairie, Lannepax - c30kms south.
Market: In the village on Tuesday. Lots more in the region.

Distance to nearest major transport connections

Pau airport: 100 km
Bordeaux airport: 150 km
Toulouse airport: 140 km
Biarritz airport: 175 km
St Malo ferry port: 680 km

Things to do and see

Our Highlights

Unwind to the pace of Gascony life...

Cruising the local towns and villages on market day
Visiting one of the many Armagnac producers - and tasting of course
Finding a Gascon auberge and dine with the locals
Visiting historic Gascon bastides - Barbotan, St Justin, Labastide
Lazy day exploring the Adour villages: Aire, Grenade & St Sever

Nearby Activities

Golf
Cycling
Horse-riding
Fishing
Spa & thalassotherapy
Wine-tasting
Degustation

Day Trip Ideas

Within 2-3 hrs by car you will find some excellent destinations including:

Cordes/Ciel, a hill top medieval village
Pujols, one of the 100 most beautiful villages in France, a must for a Sunday morning.
Albi with its Toulouse-Lautrec museum and superb painted cathedral
Auch for its famous cathedral
The virtually unknown yet beautiful city of Pau
Prehistoric caves: Pech Merle, Les Eyzies, Lascaux

The Local Area

Castelnau d'Auzan
Reputed for the best boulangerie in the area – winner of many prizes. The town also has a small supermarket – where most things can be purchased - plus a doctor, pharmacy and bar/restaurant. Market day is on Tuesday. On the edge of the village is a tennis centre, superb lido and 'leisure lake' - a lovely spot on a summer's day.

Eauze
A very pleasant market town which bursts into life every Thursday morning on market day. There's some nice examples of half-timbered architecture too plus a good choice of places to eat. Amenities include a cinema and supermarket.

Gascony
Sublime, hearty food and red wine, armagnac and rural tranquillity. It's little wonder that Gascons enjoy the highest life expectancy in all of France!

The land is gently undulating, punctuated by the occasional picturesque bastide town and barely changed from centuries ago. And the land is still relatively free of tourists too. This is what French refer to as "la France profonde" (deep, real France).

Foodies should head to Les Caprices d'Antan, Place de la Mairie, Lannepax: this restaurant was the winner of the The Guardian's Readers' Tips: France on the Cheap.

Montréal is an English-built bastide founded in the late 13th century. Further east are Larressingle with its fort and moat, and Condom which claims to be the 'capital' of the unofficial Armagnac region and is home to the Musée de l'Armagnac. Condom's market is a foodie's paradise but a duck's worst nightmare.

This area is little known, outside of France, for its wine despite a number of highly rated labels including Tursan and Madiran appelations. It is armagnac that southern Gascony is famous for and there are plenty of places where you can taste a drop. Many Armagnac producers locally are open to the public or you can visit Ecomusee de l'Armagnac near Labastide d'Armagnac, another medieval bastide renowned for its exceptional arcaded square.

It is an easy ride by car to historic Nérac, a quiet, attractive town on the Baïse river. The old town is a maze of narrow streets lined with 16th and 17th century houses. There is also a lovely park (La Garenne) with several fountains, which was laid out by Henri IV's father in the 15th century, and a good selection of pleasant shops and restaurants. If you're near Nérac, then try and visit the four-tower mill of Barbaste, a landmark in Lot-et-Garonne. It's next to a romanesque bridge on a pre-Roman causeway leading from the Pyrenees to Perigueux. Slightly further on is the walled village of Vianne founded in 1284 when English and French started to fight over Aquitaine. Vianne has charming handicraft shops, glass factory and a lively night-market.

To the north, Casteljaloux, about 45 km away, has a wide selection of shops, restaurants and spa; market days there are Tuesday and Saturday.

The nearest main town west is Mont-de-Marsan which has a summer party lasting two weeks at the end of June. This is a good time to watch corridas or sample the local and less blood-thirsty version of bull-fighting, courses landaise.

There is plenty of history and heritage to explore. In the Gers is Fources, an extraordinary example of one of the region's many bastides (planned medieval towns founded in the 13th and 14th centuries) and known for its annual flower show in May. Close by is Seviac, a site of Gallo-Roman villas of some luxury for their time.

If music is your thing, there is much to enjoy: for two weeks in August Marciac (approx 50 mins' drive away) hosts an internationally-known jazz festival; Vic Fezensac (approx. 30 mins' drive) hosts a latino festival in the last week of July; Mirande (approx 50 mins' drive) holds a country festival in the second week of July; there is a classical festival in the towns surrounding Nérac from June to August.

Somewhat bizarrely, the area around Labastide d'Armagnac does a nice line in sports-themed churches: Notre-dame-du-Rugby in Grenade-sur-l’Adour; Notre-dame-du-Courses-Landaises in Bascons and Notre-dame-des-Cyclistes in Lasbastide d'Armagnac!

Striking a similarly bizarre note is the delightful Gascon village of la Romieu (lying just east of Condom). It's peculiarity is that it boasts a colony of stone cats! It's all to do with an old legend that saw the number of cats in the town reduced to two. See if you can hunt down all 15 stone cats that now reside in the village! True or not, the village is worth a visit - the 14th century collegiate chapel is quite a sight - and the Armagnac pruneaux ice cream delicious!

The lack of large towns makes this area an ideal retreat for nature and countryside lovers. There are many cycling and walking tracks both in the forests and in the gentle country of Armagnac and Chalosse. Mushroom hunting and bird-watching are popular pastimes and there are also good venues for fishing and horse-riding.

At the delightfully maintained village of Barbotan-les-Thermes, you can enjoy a day's pamering at the town's thermal spa station.

Why not enjoy the area by river and take a boat trip along Le Val de Baïse. Between Valence-sur-Baïse and Condom you will pass rolling countryside, castles and fortified villages.

If you are feeling active (Why? You're in Gascony!), there is an 18-hole golf course close by at Eauze plus two others within three quarters of an hour's drive at Mont-de-Marsan and Barbaste.

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