Aquitaine, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Orthez, France

Built in the 1960s, this exquisite country house of 363m² is located in a veritable haven of peace and tranquillity, yet is just walking distance away from shops (including a boulangerie), bars, restaurants, schools and local amenities in a pretty market town.

The house is located at the end of a quiet country lane, which then continues around the property as far as a double garage, which is beneath the house on the property's lower-ground-floor. The garage is accessible from the exterior of the house via stone steps, as well as from the interior via a staircase. Adjoining the garage on the lower-ground-floor is a workshop, a wine cellar and various storage areas.

Decorative metal gates at the front of the house open into the lovely grounds, which surround the property. A gravelled drive leads up to the front door with a small parking area. A small paved terrace at the front of the house adjoins the front door and the kitchen - and is the perfect spot for enjoying breakfast in the morning sunshine!

The front door opens into a spacious entrance hall with doors to a kitchen on the right, a utility room on the left and the open-plan reception room at the far end.

The spacious kitchen has been equipped with new kitchen units. It also has a cosy dining area and a door out to the small terrace at the front of the house. The utility room (with separate WC) is opposite the kitchen; this room also has a door out to the small terrace.

The open-plan reception room adjoins the kitchen and has a cathedral-height ceiling, a sitting area, a dining area and a superb wood-burning stove in the centre of the room. French doors open directly onto the south-facing terrace, which runs the full length of the house. At the far end of the terrace is a beautiful covered dining area.

From the entrance hall, a corridor leads around to the rest of the ground-floor rooms: a master bedroom with an en suite bathroom (bath, shower & WC) and French doors out the south-facing terrace, two further bedrooms with French doors out the south-facing terrace, a fourth bedroom and a shared shower room (shower & WC).

The property's first floor feels light and airy and has lovely countryside views from all of the rooms. The accommodation comprises a master bedroom suite, a second bedroom and a huge mezzanine area, which could be used as an office, a study, a library...

The master bedroom has two adjoining dressing rooms and an en suite bathroom with a bath, a shower and a WC, as well as a small balcony, which overlooks the grounds. The second bedroom on this floor has a sauna in one corner and could also be used as a games room, a home cinema or a gym.
One or more of the property's six bedrooms could easily be used for accommodating Bed and Breakfast guests, if desired.

The house is set in stunning landscaped grounds and woodland. The swimming pool faces south and catches the sun all day long... and the views of the surrounding countryside and to the Pyrénées beyond are a delight!

Located near the riverside town of Orthez (15 minutes), this lovely country house is situated in the Béarn region in south-west France, which is famous for its Jurançon vineyards and magnificent scenery! There are so things to see and do all year round... walking, cycling and skiing in the Pyrénées... white-water rafting on the "gaves" (rivers)... swimming at a nearby leisure lake... and sailing and surfing on the Atlantic coast...


THE COUNTRY HOUSE

Ground floor:
- a south-facing terrace with a covered dining area and views of the grounds and the Pyrénées
- a small paved terrace at the front of the house
- an entrance hall (20m²)
- a huge open-plan reception room (67m²) with a wood-burning stove, a sitting area, a dining area and French doors opening out to the terrace
- an adjoining kitchen (22m²) with a dining area and a door out to the small terrace in the front garden
- a spacious utility room (12m²) with a separate WC and a door out to the small terrace in the front garden
- a master bedroom (26m²) with French doors opening out to the south-facing terrace
- an en suite bathroom (13m²) with a bath, shower & WC
- three further bedrooms (18m², 16m², 11m²), two with French doors opening out to the south-facing terrace
- a shower room (10m²) with a shower & WC
- a staircase down to the lower-ground floor and up to the first floor

First floor:
- a vast mezzanine area (30m²), which could be used as an office/study/library...
- a large master bedroom (43m²) with two adjoining dressing rooms, an en suite bathroom with a bath, shower & WC (12m²) and access to a small balcony overlooking the grounds
- a bedroom/games room/home cinema/gym (50m²) with a sauna
- a separate WC

Lower-ground floor:
- a double garage (47m²)
- a workshop (26m²)
- a wine cellar (38m²)
- storage areas
- a staircase to the upper floors


THE GROUNDS

The property is set in magnificent landscaped grounds and woodland of 23,190m² (5.7 acres) with...
- a south-facing terrace with a covered dining area and gorgeous views of the grounds and the Pyrénées
- a heated swimming pool of 10m x 5m (security fence, security cover, heat pump)
- a sun terrace next to the pool
- a small dining terrace next to the pool with a rose-covered pergola
- a paved terrace at the front of the house
- a greenhouse
- a woodstore


THE POTENTIAL!

In immaculate condition, this splendid country house can be moved into straight away. For families with children, there are schools in the local town (within walking distance), bilingual schools (French/English) in Orthez and Navarrenx and a great choice of collèges and lycées for older children throughout the area. The school bus passes at the end of the road.

The property is within easy commuting distance of Pau and TotalEnergies HQ (30 - 40 minutes), Mourenx (15 minutes), Orthez (15 minutes) and Bayonne (60 minutes) - and for anyone who works from home, the first-floor mezzanine area or one of the bedrooms would be ideal to use as an office/consulting room.

If you are hoping to find an excellent-value property that could be rented out to long-term tenants or to holidaymakers for short-term stays, the property would have excellent income potential, thanks to its heated swimming pool, sauna and lovely rural surroundings, as well as its proximity to the Pyrénées, the Atlantic coast and Spain.

One or more of the bedrooms could be used for welcoming Bed and Breakfast guests, if desired. There is an ever-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.

In addition, the Chemin-de-St-Jacques-de-Compostelle is just 1km away with pilgrims hoping to find accommodation throughout the year. As well as offering overnight stays, you might like to provide evening meals and even picnic hampers for lunches... especially if the hampers are full of tasty Béarnaise and Basque delicacies!


SERVICES & TECHNICAL

Partially double-glazed (70%)
Telephone + cable internet
Roof with picon tiles (recently cleaned)
Electricity
Heating: new wood-pellet boiler for central heating & hot water + wood-burning stove + electric boiler for hot water
Mains water
Septic tank (needs works)
Swimming pool (10m x 5m) with security fence, security cover & heat-pump heating system


THE LOCAL AREA

The property is located near the Medieval town of Orthez, which has a good choice of supermarkets, bars and restaurants, along with a twice-weekly farmers' market and numerous cultural and sporting events throughout the year. There is also "La Base de Loisirs d’Orthez-Biron", which is a leisure lake with a beach, so you can swim, sunbathe and picnic as if you are by the sea!

If you have children, the area has many excellent schools, including bilingual French/English schools in Orthez and Navarrenx; the International School of Béarn in Pau, which teaches the English National Curriculum, is just 30 minutes away.

The Béarn is popular with tourists all year round. The region is loved for its proximity to the mountains and the sea, along with its Jurançon vineyards and healing thermal spas in Salies-de-Béarn. The area is superb for hiking, mountain-biking, white-water rafting and skiing - and for those who prefer beach-based activities, the famous resorts of Biarritz and St-Jean-de-Luz are about 60 minutes away...

Airports: Pau, Biarritz, Tarbes-Lourdes
Train: Orthez, Puyoô
Ferry: Bilbao, Santander
Coach: Pau, Bayonne

Ski: Eaux Bonnes, Gourette, Issarbe, La-Pierre-St-Martin, Val-d’Azun...
Beaches: Biarritz, St-Jean-de-Luz, Hendaye, Hossegor, Tarnos...

Attractions: Base de Loisirs d’Orthez-Biron, Aqua Béarn, Golf de Salies-de-Béarn, Thermal Spas, Casino, Le Petit Train d’Artouste, Parc'Ours, Grottes d'Isturitz et d'Oxocelhaya, Grottes de Bétharram, Chemin-de-St-Jacques-de-Compostelle...