Aquitaine, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Jurançon, France

Surrounded by over a hectare of wooded grounds, this delightful country estate is in a very peaceful, rural setting, but just 10 - 15 minutes away from the city of Pau in south-west France.

The property comprises three main buildings: a stone farmhouse dating back to 1740, a U-shape extension of numerous rooms (built in 1995) set around a Moroccan-style courtyard garden and a separate guest cottage/gîte/poolhouse (also built in 1995).

From the road, a private drive leads up to an outdoor parking area and a lockable double garage with an adjoining wine cellar/storage room. From the parking area, a path covered by a wisteria-covered pergola winds up to the front door of the farmhouse and then continues around to the courtyard garden.

The accommodation in the farmhouse comprises a vast open-plan sitting room/dining room/kitchen, a master bedroom suite with a private roof terrace, a bathroom, a shower room and two WCs.

From the kitchen, a door opens into the gîte's delightful kitchen/diner. Beyond this room is a fantastic yoga studio/function room with a cathedral ceiling and a bar/office area. In addition, there is a gym/dance studio (currently used as a bedroom, with a further bedroom above it) and a spa area with a sauna and a jacuzzi/indoor plunge pool.

The remaining rooms comprise three more bedrooms, one of which has previously been used as an office/consultation room, a bathroom, a shower room and two WCs.

A separate guest cottage also acts as a poolhouse next to the swimming pool and could be rented to holidaymakers. The poolhouse has a beautiful hammam and a summer kitchen with a covered dining area.

As well as being convenient for people working in and around Pau, this super country property is perfectly located for anyone who loves both the mountains and the sea. Several Pyrénées ski resorts are 45 - 60 minutes away to the south - and the many Atlantic coastal resorts are just over an hour away to the west.

There are also the nearby Gaves (rivers) for exciting white-water rafting, along with numerous swimming lakes with sandy beaches for picnics and sunbathing. The centre of Pau is 10 - 15 minutes away; the HQ of TotalEnergies is 20 minutes away, as is the International School of Béarn.


THE PROPERTY

This superb country estate comprises three main buildings:
- the main house: a stone farmhouse dating back to 1740
- the courtyard garden rooms: added as an extension to the farmhouse in 1995
- the guest cottage/gîte/poolhouse: also constructed in 1995


THE MAIN HOUSE

Ground floor:
- a large open-plan sitting room/dining room (50m²) with a wood-burning stove
- an adjoining kitchen (40m²) with access to the summer kitchen and courtyard garden rooms
- a utility room (9m²) with a mezzanine-level laundry room
- a shower room (5.5m²) with a WC

First floor:
- a roof terrace
- access via a bridge to the swimming pool
- a master bedroom suite (32m²) with doors out to the roof terrace and to the bridge
- an en suite bathroom (10m²) and separate WC (1.5m²)


THE COURTYARD GARDEN ROOMS

Ground floor:
- a Moroccan-style courtyard garden with an ornamental pond
- a kitchen/dining room (42m²) with pizza oven
- a huge yoga studio/function room (44m²) with a cathedral ceiling, a pellet wood-burner and sliding picture windows out to the grounds
- an adjoining bar/office area (12m²)
- a spa area (21m²) with a sauna, a jacuzzi/indoor plunge pool, a changing area, a shower room and a separate WC
- a spacious bedroom (formerly a gym/dance studio) with a mirrored wall and doors out to a private terrace and the courtyard garden (30m²)
- a bedroom (27m²) with a wood-burning stove
- a bedroom, which has previously been used as an office/consultation room and has air-conditioning (21m²)
- a bathroom (6m²)
- a separate WC (1.5m²)

First floor:
- a south-east-facing balcony
- a large loft-style bedroom (17m²) with a fireplace and access to the balcony


THE GUEST COTTAGE/GÎTE/POOLHOUSE

- an open-plan sitting room/dining room/kitchen (36m²) + mezzanine sleeping area
- a dressing room/nursery/small child's bedroom
- a shower room (4.5m²)
- a separate WC (1.5m²)
- a small summer kitchen with a covered dining area
- a hammam
- a laundry room/pantry
- a pump room for the pool


THE GROUNDS

The grounds of 10,656m² (2.5 acres) include...
- a Moroccan-style courtyard garden with ornamental fishpond
- a large summer kitchen with a pizza oven
- several paved terraces for outdoor dining and barbecues
- a heated infinity swimming pool (12m x 7.5m/4.5m) with a security cover and a sun terrace (the pool is in need of some repairs)
- a poolhouse with a small summer kitchen, a covered dining area and a hammam
- a lockable double garage (88m²)
- a wine cellar/storage room
- woodstores


THE POTENTIAL!

Located halfway between ski resorts in the Pyrénées and chic beach resorts on the Atlantic coast, this superb country estate is absolutely perfect for a wonderful family home or a luxurious holiday home... and with five bedrooms to choose from, as well as a cosy guest cottage, you will have plenty of room to accommodate your friends and family whenever they come to visit!

The property is within very easy commuting distance of Pau and its TGV station (10 - 15 mins), the HQ of TotalEnergies (20 mins), the International School of Béarn (20 mins), Tarbes (45 mins) and Biarritz (70 mins).

For anyone who works from home, one of the bedrooms on the far side of the courtyard garden has previously been used as a consulting room/office and has air-conditioning and its own separate entrance. Wheelchair-friendly access to this room is via a smooth path through the grounds. This bedroom also has access to a bathroom and a separate WC. The guest cottage/gîte would also be perfect for using as an office/consulting room.

The guest cottage/gîte/poolhouse needs some updating and redecorating but can be rented out straight away (should you wish to increase the accommodation, the hammam could be converted to a bedroom).

This building would also be ideal for Bed & Breakfast guests who may prefer to book short breaks during the low-season months. There is a growing demand for B&B accommodation from tourists visiting this beautiful area, especially during the summer months, the skiing season and for Christmas and New Year. You could even consider providing evening meals and picnic hampers for your guests' day trips... especially if the hampers are full of tasty Béarnaise and Basque delicacies!

The Courtyard Garden bedrooms could also be used for accommodating Bed & Breakfast guests - or with the addition of a kitchen (or by redesigning the large summer kitchen), this part of the property could be used as a "gîte de groupe" where a large group of up to 15 people share the accommodation. This would make it possible to run residential holidays for horse-riding, rambling, cycling, skiing, mountain climbing...

Your B&B accommodation would also appeal to horse-riders following the trans-European horse-riding bridleway - the "Route d'Artagnan" - which passes just 500 metres away, with many riders hoping to book overnight stays for themselves... and their horses! If you have horses yourself, it should be possible to build a shelter on the land or perhaps convert the garage or the adjoining wine cellar/storage room into a stable.

This amazing property also has a large function room for hosting workshops, courses, weddings or corporate events. There is an ever-expanding market for yoga and wellness retreats, as well as holidays based around painting, photography, dance, music, theatre, gastronomy or wine-tasting... and when the weather’s perfect, the activities could take place in the delightful courtyard garden and grounds.

Should you wish to set up a sports centre, a gym or a spa business, the function room, along with the swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi and hammam, make this an ideal venue. Clients from Pau will love the short trip out to the property where they can relax in the tranquil countryside environment...


SERVICES & TECHNICAL

Telephone
ADSL + fibre available soon
Solar panels (generating 3KW)
Double glazing (2017)
Reversible air-conditioning
Heating: central heating via heat pumps + wood-burning stoves + wood pellet stove
Septic tank (works required)
+
Heated infinity swimming pool, 12m x 4.5m/7.5m + security cover (in need of some repairs)
Ornamental fishpond
Sauna
Jacuzzi
Hammam


THE LOCAL AREA

Located to the south of Pau, the many shops and amenities of the city are easily accessible from this super property, including a TGV train station (15 mins) and an airport (25 mins, but flights mainly within France).

There are many excellent schools in Pau and neighbouring towns, with collèges-lycées offering a range of options (some in English), as well as the possibility to specialise in theatre, dance, sports… and even horse riding! The International School of Béarn, which follows an English school curriculum, is just 20 minutes away.

The Béarn is extremely popular with tourists all year round for hiking, mountain-biking, white-water rafting and fishing. The region also offers a great choice of winter sports, such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, downhill skiing and snowboarding - and ski-buses to the ski resorts run regularly from Pau during the winter months. For beach-based activities, the famous resorts on the Atlantic coast are about 75 minutes away, with family beaches at Hendaye and St-Jean-de-Luz -and surfing at Biarritz, Anglet and Hossegor.

Airports: Pau, Tarbes-Lourdes, Biarritz
Train (TGV): Pau
Long-distance coach: Pau
Ferry: Bilbao, Santander

Ski: Eaux-Bonnes, Gourette, Val-d’Azun, La-Pierre-St-Martin, Issarbe, Iraty, Somport, Candanchú (Spain)...
Beaches: Biarritz, St-Jean-de-Luz, Hendaye, Hossegor...

Attractions: Aqua Béarn, Le Petit Train d’Artouste, Grottes de Bétharram, Parc'Ours, Gorges de Kakuetta, Passerelle d’Holzarte, Chemin-de-St-Jacques-de-Compostelle, Route d'Artagnan...