Chateau Bellevue - Eight Bedroom Castle, Sleeps 16

With views of the Pyrenees in the distance, soak up the historic charm of this delightful French château in the Pays Basque, perfectly positioned for admiring Biarritz, Hossegor and the elegant city of Bayonne. With a private swimming pool, tennis court and over four acres of grounds, Château Bellevue is ideal for family or friends seeking a relaxing escape in gloriously authentic surroundings.

It’s such a welcoming home which manages to encapsulate its enchanting heritage alongside warm touches and great comfort. From the grand hallway, double doors open to the traditional salon with its cosy sofas and antique furnishings whilst the TV lounge features its own little library in the château’s tower. Dappled light shines through to the gorgeous dining room where French windows lead straight out into the garden, next to the French kitchen which is full of charm and character.

15-16 guests can sleep comfortably across eight pretty bedrooms, many with double or king-size beds and some have their own bathrooms on the first floor – we especially love how the owner has converted two of the towers into en suite shower rooms.

There is such a laid-back ambience as you step outside and make the most of the wonderful grounds. Find someone to play tennis with (or have a go against the ball machine), splash around in the 15m long gated swimming pool, work out in the outdoor gym area or just gather for al-fresco meals in front of the château. Enjoy the calmness of the surrounding garden and woodland as bird sing and the breeze rustles through the trees.

Wander down the country road to the boulangerie in the local village, about 1km away, or drive further to visit pretty hilltop villages and the market town of Peyrehorade. There’s horse-riding nearby, birdwatching at Marais d'Orx, plenty of lovely cycling and walking routes as well as golf in stunning locations. Try mountain biking or hiking through the Landes Forest, enjoy watersports at Lac d’Hossegor or surf the Atlantic waves at many spots along the coastline, including much-loved Hossegor.

Biarritz can also be visited for the day, a 19th century seaside town with historic architecture, fine food and brilliant beaches. Crossing the border into Spain, San Sebastian is just over an hour away, famous for its exciting Basque cuisine and Michelin starred restaurants. Or stay closer to home and spend time in beautiful Bayonne where the Adour and Nive rivers converge, admiring its colourful lanes, vibrant markets, chocolate shops and UNESCO World Heritage cathedral.

Features:

Château Interiors

Ground Floor

-    Entrance hall
-    Large living room with fireplace, sofas, desk, small bar area and French doors opening out to front garden
-    Lounge with fireplace, TV, DVD player and small library in the tower
-    Dining room with doors opening out to garden
-    Kitchen, well-equipped including sink, gas and electric cooker, air fryer, toaster, kettle and small table
-    Smaller kitchen with cooker, two large fridge freezers, microwave, wine cooler, ice-machine and two dishwashers
-    Laundry room
-    WC

First Floor

-    Master bedroom with king-size double bed, small en suite shower room and separate en suite bathroom with bath, bidet and WC
-    Bedroom with double bed and separate WC in hallway (this bedroom also has a door direct to the master bedroom’s en suite bathroom but it is usually bolted – access can be allowed on request)
-    Bedroom with king-size double bed and small en suite shower room with sink and WC
-    Bedroom with king-size double bed and en suite bathroom with Japanese half-bath/shower, sink and WC
-    Bedroom/study with single bed, sink (in wardrobe) and the option to add an extra single bed, or convert to one double bed

Second Floor

-    2 x bedrooms with two single beds
-    Bedroom with double bed
-    WC with sink
-    Bathroom with bath and sink
-    Shower room

Outside Grounds

-    Swimming pool (15m x 6m, depth: 0.25-2.3m) with safety gate access. Open approximately June to end-September
-    Al-fresco dining table and chairs
-    Barbecue
-    Fire pit
-    Tennis court with lobster ball machine
-    Croquet set
-    Outdoor gym area
-    Vast private grounds/woodland (enclosed)

Facilities

-    Wi-Fi
-    Heating
-    Smart TV with Netflix
-    DVD player and DVDs
-    Sonos music system
-    Board games
-    Children’s books
-    Outdoor gym equipment
-    Tennis court
-    Croquet set
-    Ironing facilities
-    Washing machines and tumble dryers

Location:

Château Bellevue is in the Landes department, close to the banks of the Adour and the border with the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. Within easy reach of Hossegor, Bayonne and Biarritz as well as many amazing beaches, this is a great base for experiencing this beautiful and vibrant region of south-western France.

Located just off a country road, you have easy access to the D817 that takes you to Peyrehorade, the nearest town about 13km by car. As well as restaurants, supermarkets and other useful amenities, Peyrehorade hosts a market on a Wednesday and Saturday morning. Even closer, a bakery and hairdressers can be found in the small local village around 1km away (as well as a tabac which is closed for renovations at the time of writing).

Pretty local villages worthy of a visit include Saint-Barthélemy (16km) as well as Saint-André-de-Seignanx (13km) and Saint-Martin-de-Seignanx (15km), both offering some lovely walks and close to the incredible Marais d'Orx, a paradise for nature lovers and bird-watching enthusiasts.

Ondres (20km) and Tarnos (24km) are the gateways to this part of the Landes coastline where you will find fantastic wild sandy beaches backed by pine forests. The much-loved seaside resort of Hossegor (25km) is just slightly further north, famous for its fine surfing beaches and atmospheric summer vibe. For a break away from the Atlantic waves, Lac d'Hossegor is perfect for paddling as well as watersports such as canoeing and stand-up paddle boarding. Make sure you try Hossegor oysters as well!

Outdoor enthusiasts can walk, cycle or mountain bike through the Landes Forest to the north of Hossegor whilst horse-riding and golf are also incredibly popular across this region with courses such as Golf de Seignosse (28km) and NAS Golf Chiberta (30km) both in stunning locations.

Biarritz (32km) is yet another fine day out whether admiring its 19th century art-deco architecture, dining out in the old town near Port des Pêcheurs or walking along La Grande Plage as far as Biarritz’ lighthouse. Plage de la Côte des Basques is one of Biarritz’ most well-known surfing spots or head further south towards Guéthary (45km), perhaps stopping off in the very charming Basque seaside village of Bidart. A magnificent coastal walking path connects Bidart to Hendaye, via the picturesque bay at Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

You could even drive as far as the Spanish border and onwards to San Sebastian (82km), just over an hour away. Closer to home, don’t miss the elegant city of Bayonne (25km) where the Adour and Nive rivers meet. Bayonne is not only famous for its ham, chocolate and bull-fighting, it’s also a very beautiful place to explore with cobbled lanes, colourful houses and its impressive cathedral, a listed UNESCO World Heritage site.

Terms & Conditions:

Security deposit?
£2500 charged to client’s credit card as a pre-authorisation before arrival and refunded two weeks after departure, subject to full inspection.

Arrival time?
5.00 p.m.

Departure time?
10.00 a.m.

Energy costs included?
Yes.

Heating costs included?
Yes.

End of stay cleaning included?
Yes and mid-stay cleaning for stays of 7+ nights also included. However, guests are required to leave the accommodation clean, tidy and in the same condition as on their arrival. Any extra cleaning, laundry, maintenance and/or rubbish disposal required will be charged against the security deposit.

Linen & towels included?
Yes. Changed once for stays over 7 nights.

Pool towels included?
Yes.

Pool opening dates?
The pool is open approximately May to end-September. Please note that pool opening dates are subject to local weather conditions and pool maintenance requirements and that cooler months may not be suitable for swimming.



Changeover day?
Saturday from June to September, otherwise flexible.

Minimum stay?
7 nights. All other durations on request.

Pets welcome?
Dogs may be allowed on request only and with prior agreement with the owner.



Smoking Allowed?
No.

Other Ts and Cs?
The château sleeps up to 15 guests across eight bedrooms. An extra bed can be added to the study/single bedroom for a sixteenth guest, but please note in this case there may not be room to use the desk comfortably.
Pets - allowed
Smoking - not allowed