Aquitaine, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Salies-de-Béarn, France

Built in 1780, this charming Basco-Béarnaise villa of 271m² is in the centre of a small rural village not far from the Béarnaise town of Salies-de-Béarn and the Basque town of Bidache. The coastal resorts of Biarritz, Hossegor and St-Jean-de-Luz are about 40 - 45 minutes away; ski resorts in the Pyrénées are 80 - 90 minutes away.

Set in wooded grounds of 1,305m², this traditional-style villa incorporates a garage on the far side of the building and which is large enough for two cars. A door from the garage opens directly into the dining area next to the kitchen, which is very practical for unloading shopping...

The walled garden, which encloses the villa on three sides, has ample flat land for an in-ground swimming pool (permission required), a summer kitchen, a children's play area, a boules piste...

From the garden, the arched front door of the villa opens into a vast open-plan reception room (eskatz) with a wonderful oak staircase, a formal sitting area, a formal dining area and an informal summer sitting area at the far end of the room. Two stunning stained-glass panels separate the formal and informal areas of the room. The informal summer sitting area also has sliding glazed doors out to the garden.

To the left of the reception room is a cosy winter sitting room with a Bidache-stone floor, a traditional stone sink (used as a bookcase) and a super open fireplace. Adjoining this room is a study/office, which could be used as a fifth bedroom, a nursery, a television room, a games room... From the study/office, a door opens into a master bedroom, which is also accessible from the informal sitting area.

To the right of the reception room is another bedroom, a bathroom with a bath and an Italian-style shower, and a separate WC. There is also a kitchen on this side of the house, which has sliding glazed doors out to a small dining terrace. Adjoining the kitchen is an informal dining area with a door into the garage, where you will find the heat pump, a laundry area and a wooden staircase up to an unconverted mezzanine.

The magnificent Louis XIII-style oak staircase in the main reception room leads up to a superb gallery, which overlooks the ground floor. The gallery is currently used as a library and has two built-in cupboards for storage.

Set around the gallery, the first-floor rooms comprise a master bedroom with built-in wardrobes, a loft-style bedroom, a large bathroom and unconverted loft space of about 50m², ideal for creating a B&B bedroom suite with a shower room, an office, a games room, a home cinema...

This lovely property is located in a small, peaceful village in the beautiful Béarn in south-west France. The village has a primary school - and there is a boulangerie just a 10-minute cycle ride away.

The nearby towns of Salies-de-Béarn and Bidache are both a 10-minute drive away and have a good choice of shops and local amenities. Salies-de-Béarn also has a golf course, a casino and healing thermal spas. Beach resorts on the Côte Basque and the Landes are about 40 minutes away; ski resorts in the Pyrénées are 80 - 90 minutes away.

THE VILLA (271m²)

Ground floor:
- an arched entrance door, which opens into a vast open-plan reception room (eskatz) with a formal sitting area, a formal dining area and an informal sitting area with sliding glazed doors out to the garden (76m²)
- a winter sitting room with an open fireplace (22m²)
- a study/office/fifth bedroom accessible from the winter sitting room and the ground-floor master bedroom (14m²)
- a kitchen (28m²) with an adjoining informal dining area (which has a door into the garage) and sliding doors out to a small dining terrace
- a master bedroom (20m²)
- a second bedroom (12m²)
- a bathroom with a bath and an Italian-style shower (13m²)
- a separate WC (2.2m²)
- a garage (32m²) with a wooden staircase up to a mezzanine level

First floor:
- a gallery (36m²) with a library/sitting area and built-in storage cupboards
- a master bedroom (25m²)
- an attic-style bedroom suite (21m²)
- an adjoining bathroom with a bath and WC (15m²)
- an unconverted attic area (about 50m²), which could be converted into more living space
NB: please note that some of first-floor rooms have sloping ceilings


THE GROUNDS

The villa is set in grounds of 1,305m² with...
- a delightful walled garden planted with mature trees and shrubs
- two small outbuildings of about 15m² (currently used for storing garden furniture)
- a well
- a small dining terrace next to the kitchen
- ample flat land for installing a swimming pool, a children's play area, a boules piste...


THE POTENTIAL!

In excellent condition, this splendid Basco-Béarnaise villa can be moved into straight away. With 271m² of living space, it is perfect for a fantastic family home or a luxurious holiday home... and with five bedrooms to choose from, you will have plenty of room to accommodate your friends and family when they come to visit you!

For families with children, there is a primary school in the village; for older children there are collège-lycées in Salies-de-Béarn and Orthez (Béarn), Bidache (Pays-Basque) and Peyrehorade (Landes).

If you work on the coast, Bayonne is about 35 minutes away; Biarritz airport is 40 minutes away. For anyone who works from home or who would need an office/consulting room, the property has several rooms which could be suitable.

With the addition of some en suite shower rooms, this super villa has great potential for creating Bed & Breakfast accommodation. Tourists visit this splendid area all year round, with many hoping to find upmarket B&B accommodation. Not only are there five existing bedrooms, the 50m² of unconverted attic space on the first floor would be ideal for converting into a B&B bedroom suite and adjoining bathroom. A further bedroom could perhaps be created on the mezzanine in the large garage/utility room.

During the quieter months of the year, you might like to use the main room (eskatz) for hosting activities for your B&B guests, such as yoga and wellness, or for classes in painting, photography, music, gastronomy, Jurançon wine-tasting...

You could also offer luxury accommodation to pilgrims who are walking the Chemin-de-St-Jacques-de-Compostelle, since the pilgrim route passes close by (2km). Pilgrims need accommodation all year round - and they will be particularly delighted if you can offer hearty suppers when they arrive, delicious breakfasts and even picnic hampers for lunch, especially if they are full of local Béarnaise and Basque delicacies!


SERVICES & TECHNICAL

Double glazing
Telephone + ADSL + fibre available
Electricity
Heating: geothermal heat pump (water-water) + cast iron radiators + open fireplace
Mains water
Septic tank (needs updating)
Well


THE LOCAL AREA

The villa is located near the Béarnaise town of Salies-de-Béarn and the Basque town of Bidache.

Salies-de-Béarn has excellent shops, restaurants and amenities, along with a farmers' market every Thursday and Saturday. The town is famous for its healing thermal spas, casino and golf course, making it very popular with visitors and "curistes" throughout the year!

Bidache has a boulangerie, a supermarket, bars and restaurants, an outdoor swimming pool and regular buses to Bayonne, St-Palais and Mauléon-Licharre. Bidache is famous for its huge 12th-century château, which has been damaged by fire... twice! Partially restored and classified as a "Monument Historique", you can now explore the ruined buildings and enjoy views of the surrounding countryside from its hilltop position.

This part of south-west France is popular with tourists all year round, thanks to its proximity to the mountains and the sea, as well as its lush river valleys, picturesque Jurançon vineyards and the healing thermal spas of Salies-de-Béarn. The area is superb for hiking, mountain-biking, white-water rafting and skiing - or for those who prefer beach-based activities, the famous resorts of Biarritz and St-Jean-de-Luz are about 40 - 45 minutes away...

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

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

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