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| Details | |
|---|---|
| Bedrooms | 9 |
| Bathrooms | 8 |
| Sleeps | 18 |
| Castle | |
| Suitability |
|---|
| No Pets |
| No Smoking |
| Suitable for Children |
| FlipKey traveler rating |
| 18 reviews |
| Stayed here? Write a review. |
Get the real scoop!
All reviews are written by verified travelers
Details
| Rental type | Castle |
| Minimum Stay | 3 nights |
| Living space | 559 square meters |
| Bedrooms | 9 Total |
| Bathrooms | 8 Total |
| Sleeps | 18 |
| Suitability |
Pet friendlyNo Smoking allowedNo Suitable for childrenYes Suitable for the elderlyAsk Wheelchair accessibleAsk |
| Theme | Adventure, Golf, Luxury, Beach, Ocean, Village |
Description from the owner
A short distance from the outstanding beaches of south west France, this 550 square metre chateau offers stunning luxury accommodation set in a private park of 6 acres.
Built in the 19th century, this property was totally renovated in 2005 offering 9 en-suite bedrooms, a grand reception lounge and hall, spacious dining room, billiards room and anterooms, with high ceilings, original parquet floors and an impressive oak staircase.
Set in the beautiful mature gardens with century old trees is a brand new heated outdoor swimming pool, summer kiitchen and BBQ, hot tub, tennis court, table tennis, volleyball and badminton court plus c...Read more
Amenities
Location
Chateau for luxury holidays near Biarritz, France
Soustons, Aquitaine, France
(Property location is approximate) ?
What's Nearby:
Additional Location Information
The 2.5 hectare estate of Domaine de Bellegarde sits on the edge of the attractive village of Soustons, a village in an exceptional position, bordered on one side by the Atlantic Ocean and its outstanding beaches and on the other side by a large fresh water lake, Lac d'Soustons, suitable for sailing, windsurfing, kayaking and swimming.
Soustons is divided into two areas, the town of Soustons, 7 km inland from the coast, located on the southerly end of a large Lake with an overall area of 700 square hectares and Soustons Beach on the large natural sea fed, salt water lake (with its own beaches & Island) known as the "Lac Marin de Port d'Albret", with an overall area of 51 square hectares.
The pine forests surround Soustons village with numerous cycle trails and walking paths leading to the lakes and beaches. Like most of the south west coast, Soustons is something of an outdoor playground.
The Region
South of Bordeaux begins the region of Les Landes. It feels like another world with the coast stretching virtually uninterrupted from the Gironde estuary all the way down to Soustons, Hossegor and Cap Breton before reaching the foothills of the Pyrenées and Basque country. It is remarkably unspoilt, open and natural, the coast is dominated by long stretches of sand washed by broad Atlantic rollers. The stretch where the Côte d'Argent turns - quite literally - into the Côte Basque, offers some of the Continent's best surfing. In all there is more than 220km of coastline with 55 supervised beaches.
The coast encompasses a huge variety including: oyster beds and yachting marinas, fishing villages and vineyards, and the highest sand-dunes in Europe. Climb the dunes and before you, stretching as far as the eye can see, lie the pine forests of Les Landes, 1100 km² of pine forest planted during the 19th century.
The magnificent sandy beaches of Les Landes, backed by sand dunes, pine forests and inland lakes are blessed with a superb climate and sea conditions throughout the year, which are perfect for water and other holiday sports of all descriptions from surfing to kayaking and golf to cycling.
The freshwater lakes that punctuate the forest provide a great alternative to the ocean and safer bathing for children. Rather like the Lake District in England, each lake, or étang, has its own atmosphere.
Besides the local Lac d'Soustons, there are others nearby to try: étangs Blanc , Hossegor and Léon; at the latter you can canoe from the lake along the serene Courant d'Huchet to the ocean's edge!
The remarkable thing is that it's something of a French (and Spanish) secret; unless you're a dedicated surfer, the chances are you won't have heard of the beaches and villages that make up this fantastic region.
The villa itself is only 2 minutes from beautiful fresh water lakes, and 10 minutes from wonderful ocean beaches (Soustons, Vieux-Boucau, Hossegor and Moliets).
The spa town of Dax, famous for its Hydrotherapy, is just 20 minutes away, Biarritz and Bayonne with their superb shops are just 30 minutes, and just 45 minutes away are the Pyrenees and Spain.
Three world class golf courses (voted in the Worlds Top 50) are within fifteen minutes.
The villa and surroundings are easily accessible from motorways, TGV trains from Paris (and the Eurostar from London to Paris), and Biarritz, Pau & Bordeaux airports.
Location Type Beach, Ocean, Village
Rates
Rates shown in $ USD (Rental listed originally in GBP) (change)
| Date | Weeknight | Weekend Night | Weekly | Monthly | Minimum Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate Summary | $1,330 | $1,643 | $4,687 - $29,247 | $0 | 3 nights |
| Jan. 5 2013 - Mar. 1 2013 January & February |
$861 | $1,174 | $4,687 | - | 3 nights |
| Mar. 2 2013 - Mar. 29 2013 March |
$1,330 | $1,643 | $6,251 | - | 3 nights |
| Mar. 30 2013 - Apr. 12 2013 April - Easter |
- | - | $10,171 | - | 7 nights |
| Apr. 13 2013 - May. 3 2013 April |
- | - | $8,607 | - | 7 nights |
| May. 4 2013 - May. 24 2013 May |
- | - | $8,607 | - | 7 nights |
| Can't find rates for your travel dates? Contact the owner | |||||
| May. 25 2013 - May. 31 2013 May Half Term (catered) |
- | - | $16,039 | - | 7 nights |
| Jun. 1 2013 - Jul. 5 2013 June (catered) |
- | - | $16,039 | - | 7 nights |
| Jul. 6 2013 - Jul. 12 2013 July special (catered) |
- | - | $22,455 | - | 7 nights |
| Jul. 13 2013 - Aug. 30 2013 July & August (catered) |
- | - | $29,247 | - | 7 nights |
| Aug. 31 2013 - Sep. 27 2013 September (catered) |
- | - | $16,039 | - | 7 nights |
| Sep. 28 2013 - Nov. 1 2013 October |
$1,330 | $1,643 | $7,668 | - | 3 nights |
| Nov. 2 2013 - Dec. 20 2013 November & December |
$1,174 | $1,487 | $6,251 | - | 3 nights |
| Dec. 21 2013 - Jan. 3 2014 | - | - | $11,736 | - | 7 nights |
| All Other Dates | $673 | $673 | $4,694 | - | 3 nights |
| View all 14 Rate Periods | |||||
Additional notes from owner
Saturday changeover
Catered and self catered holidays available
The catered package includes:
Champagne reception (soft drinks for the children)
Daily breakfast (Full English and Continental breakfast) served on the poolside terrace, in the grand dining room or in the privacy of your own room, if preferred
Daily afternoon tea with a selection of cakes, muffins, biscuits, fresh fruit, tea, filtered coffee, hot chocolate, soft drinks & juices
Two lunches:
A gourmet BBQ served on the poolside terrace; wine/beer/soft drinks included
A 3-course lunch served on the poolside terrace; wine/beer/soft drinks included
Four gastronomic 4 course evening meals with complimentary regional wine served either inside in the grand dining room or alfresco-style, on the poolside terrace. An a-la-carte wine list will also be available
Free use of sporting equipment including mountain bikes, tennis, table-tennis, badminton, croquet, boules, football, volleyball and more
Drinks minibar by the pool
All linen including large bath towels, hand towels, bathrobes and pool towels
All cleaning and hosting services during the holiday from a team of four staff in addition to ourselves
Easter can be booked as self catered at £6,500.00
If catered date can be reduced if wanting self catered only
Availability
AvailableUnavailable Last updated: May 09, 2013 ◀▶
What Past Guests Are Saying
Overall Rating
ExcellentVery Good
Average
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Charlotte Dunstone
SydneyAmazing house for a wedding or a holiday home!
Left on 12/18/2012 for a stay in October 2012
We can't recommend the Domaine de Bellagarde enough. My husband and I booked our wedding here just based on photos as we live in Sydney but we were so delighted with the house when we came for a visit. The house is decorated to an excellent quality but retains original features and the charm of an old house. Every room has an en-suite which our guests were delighted about and the large landings and numerous living areas and even a pool room means that you're not on top of each other even when the house is full. Everything is provided from all the cutlery and crockery you could need, gorgeous L'Occitaine products in the bathrooms to tennis rackets and towels for the pool. We fully utilised the pool area and we had our wedding on the grounds of the house which meant that we could use separate outside areas for the house, marquee and drinks which felt like three different venues and meant the guests could move around freely.
Q and Mez, the owners, live in a house on the grounds and were an absolute delight. We were slightly worried about this and thought they might be disturbed by the wedding but they were really relaxed and so helpful the whole 5 days we were there. Q even lent us his surfboard when the waves were good! Their young children were lovely too and played with the kids in our family. After the wedding, Q sent us the photos they took too.
Ryan and Fin helped out in the house and made sure that everything went smoothly for us. They seemed to work non-stop, raking the gravel prior to the wedding, putting the sun loungers out each day to even providing a babysitting service on the night.
We'd really recommend staying here whether for a family party, a wedding or just a place to relax as the area is gorgeous with the lake, beaches and Hossegor nearby (which had a surfing content on while we were there which meant the town was buzzing).
We loved it!! -
JamesAllen
LondonBeautiful house, stunning surroundings and amazing welcome.
Left on 10/07/2012 for a stay in September 2012
We recently visited the Domaine de Bellegarde to celebrate the 70th birthday of our mother. Whilst we were there we also celebrated another birthday and in fact an impromptu engagement!
We were travelling as a large extended family and looking for a property which was both big enough to accommodate us all and at the same time offer a luxury and fuss free trip. This was just the ticket. The property is easy to find yet secluded and private. It is large and imposing yet all of the interiors are warm and welcoming with beautiful furnishings. The attention to detail is very high with all of the amenities well maintained and thought out.
The owners Quintin and Merrilyn are very welcoming and it's obvious what pride they take in the property and retaining high standards. Nothing is too much trouble and they are keen to share their knowledge of the local area and produce but at the same time they are not overbearing and certainly respect your privacy.
The food was excellent in every respect and the evening service struck the right balance of being formal enough to be special yet warm and friendly.
The pool was beautiful and clean and the pool side area was a particular highlight with outdoor eating a great well stocked selection of games/sports equipment and even bicycles.
If you're looking for the quality and service of a 5* hotel with the warm welcome and personality of a luxury holiday home then Domaine de Bellegarde is perfect.
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Gillzeee
CheltenhamUnforgettable Birthday Celebration Weekend!
Left on 10/03/2012 for a stay in September 2012
Glorious setting, the most friendly and accommodating staff, fabulous food, beautifully furnished - perfect! We were a large party, filling the house and beyond, making full use of the pool, tennis court, volley ball court, bicycles and relaxed atmosphere - fed like kings by the wonderful hosts. Thank you all so much!!
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Mike M - Cheltenham
CheltenhamGreat venue for a great party...
Left on 10/02/2012 for a stay in September 2012
We stayed here as a large group to celebrate a friend's 40th, beautiful house, excellent facilities, lovely (and very plentiful) food, and welcoming staff in a great location. All in all highly recommended.
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40th birthday group
CheltenhamSuperb venue for my 40th birthday party
Left on 10/02/2012 for a stay in September 2012
I have just celebrated my 40th at Domaine de Bellegarde with 26 fiends. The cuisine was excellent, service superb and the house is beautiful. We were able to take advantage of the tennis courts, play volleyball, swim and head down to the beach on our bikes available. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff. They are extremely friendly. Every meal time the food was immaculately presented and tasted delicious. The rooms are lovely and beds comfortable. All in all a fabulous weekend.
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james williams
londonOne of the best spots for a 40th Bday we've had...
Left on 10/02/2012 for a stay in September 2012
Service 2nd to none with all the staff being very helpful. Facility wise perfect and all you need... tennis, volleyball, swimming pool, table tennis and the list goes on. The beach only 25mins cycle (decent mountain bikes to take you there) We will be returning...
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Nick Daniell
LondonThis is how I would like to have my home!
Left on 09/26/2012 for a stay in September 2012
Domaine de Bellegarde was the perfect setting for our family long weekend. It has everything we needed, a rarity for such a large group of people. We were so well looked after, there was not much more you can ask for. Thank you.
Response from Mr Quintin Hetherington - 09/26/2012
Owner
Dear Nick,
Thank you very much for your fantastic review.
It was a pleasure to meet your whole family and host your long weekend to celebrate birthdays and the engagement!
I hope that we can welcome you back to the Domaine de Bellegarde in the future.
Kindest regards
Quintin, Merrilyn and family -
Thomas family
SurreyPerfect week - only tempted to keep quiet to stop others discove
Left on 09/03/2012 for a stay in August 2012
Beautiful house, wonderful food, superb hospitality - we were made so welcome, and had to make use of every facility (cycling, tennis, swimming on site and surfing and canoeing nearby) to work off the splendid meals cooked and delivered by very friendly and very efficient "staff" (we felt like family rather than guests). A couple of longer day trips, including the Guggenheim in Bilbao, offset the other days lazing by the lovely pool and doing a variety of sport - we were very sad to leave and really hope to return.
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keren & gary
prestonawesome chateau and stunning surroundings
Left on 06/23/2012 for a stay in May 2012
my partner and i really enjoyed staying in this beautiful châteaux,quintin was a fabulous host and totally made us welcome throughout our stay.we would definitely return in the near future,we had a fantastic holiday luxury at its best!!!
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Mrs Moore
BasingstokeExcellent value for Money - lovely house, gorgeous location - su
Left on 06/11/2012 for a stay in May 2012
We had a wonderful week at Domaine De Bellgarde. The house was lovely, and the grounds were wonderful. For a large party it (there were 15 of us), it had so much to offer and luckily the weather was superb too. The service provided by Quintin and his staff was absolutely superb - they couldn't do enough for us. The whole team were so friendly and the meal they prepared for my birthday celebration was aboslutely fantastic! Literally everything had been thought of and was available for our use. Quintin's knowledge of the surrounding areas also meant we got the best of our trips on our days out. It is a great location for biking too (very flat and fairly quiet roads) - and what's more the chateau has a large range of bikes to suit everyones needs. The surrounding area was so beautiful with a big lake and lots of outdoor activities available. You have to try the Kyaking - it was so much fun! Would definitely recommend this place and will definitely be going back.
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Monica
BucharestExcellent
Left on 05/10/2012 for a stay in June 2011
We spent a wonderful holiday at Domaine de Bellegadre. Hosts were very welcoming and helpful. Meals were delicious. Field is well maintained with all necessary facilities, the rooms are cosy. Area allows many activities (surfing, kayaking, biking). A perfect location! Go there!
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thegardenoffice
East DevonLovely property, pleasant holiday, but...
Left on 05/04/2012 for a stay in April 2012
We stayed at Domaine de Bellegarde in the south of France for a week from 5/4/12.
Our holiday was generally relaxed, with a bit of sight-seeing, but essentially centred around spending time with 3 generations of the family.
The house is lovely and spacious, pleasant rooms, and very comfortable beds. There is plenty of space outside in the mature grounds with a lovely pool, tennis court, and other garden games to enjoy. Plenty of bikes, including for children, which you can use to cycle into town easily – 5 -10 mins ride, and get fresh croissants, etc from several bakeries, or even to the local lake – again very close. The region itself is a pleasant place to visit and explore, and we travelled to several of the towns round about, and enjoyed distant views of the Pyrenees to where day trips would be a possibility. We self-catered for the whole week, which worked very well, there being a large supermarket on the edge of the local town of Soustons, with everything you might need.
We did not have brilliant weather, though it could have been a lot worse, and I don’t really think this spoilt it for us - we are well used to making the most of whatever the weather has in store on holiday. However, we were extremely disappointed on arrival to discover that the pool was very chilly, despite having agreed 6 months in advance that we would take up the offer to pay £300 for it to be heated. (we did not pay). Unusually cold weather had immediately preceded our stay, and this was the reason given. However, there were 11 of us, including two 12/13 yr. old boys, and 4 in their 20’s, and we were all really looking forward to using the pool. The heating system apparently relies heavily on air temperature, from what I can gather, so very weather dependent! A big downer as far as we were concerned. To make matters worse, there was no hot tub, despite being advertised on the website, so this made a bad situation even worse. These two things together effectively put paid to the activities we planned to enjoy most in the grounds, and have therefore coloured our judgement to a great extent.
Other things mentioned on the website, did not turn out to be quite as stated; – only computer for access to internet was in owner’s office, which we were relying on being available at all times for planning our days out; mention of river along edge of property not even visible, and inaccessible, along with a large patch of grounds in front of it; location somewhat closer to town intersection than we expected – Soustons is a town, not a village as stated (though traffic noise not a problem, and advantage of convenience in the end);owner lives in grounds, but also occupies room on ground floor of villa as office (separate access, in addition to adjoining door to lounge); some of the soft furnishings were unacceptably tatty; almost all of us had trouble with the TV’s and DVD players in our rooms. I think they did work, but decidedly user-unfriendly - probably all a bit too old.
Some have obviously enjoyed their time at this property, and we can appreciate that. However, we felt badly let down by a few fundamental short-comings, that had a significant effect on our expectations and hence enjoyment. Subsequent correspondence with the owner proved a frustrating experience – he has plenty of plausible excuses, but at the end of the day, they didn’t really count for much. A detailed overhaul of the website descriptions for this property is long overdue. We made the most of the time we were there, but I’m afraid have ended up feeling a bit ripped-off, considering we paid nearly £5,000 for the time of year. -
Mrs D
WeybridgeA great house with great food with something for everyone.
Left on 08/16/2011 for a stay in July 2011
We have had an excellent holiday with adults and kids from 10 to 22. Quintin went out of his way to ensure we had great holiday from the food which meant catering for a range of likes/dislikes- accomodating changes at the last minute. He had a wide knowledge of the area with useful insider info on things like where to park. If you wanted anything all you had to do was ask and he would try his best to find something for you. There is room for everyone with space for football, volley ball and rugby passes! The pool area was spotless with lots of loungers and umbrellas The area has something for everyone- golf , gyms, surfing , bike rides/walks, sightseeing, shopping as well as local markets and festivals.
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Umla
LondonThe beautiful Chateux with timely friendly service
Left on 06/07/2011 for a stay in May 2011
The Chateux and overall stay was excellent, and I don't think their website does it justice. There is a lot to do if you do not want to leave the grounds, which is exactly what we wanted.
In detail, the service around the food, room and ground maintenance and overall friendliness were excellent. We knew what to expect from our meals (food board and discussions) and it was delivered to a high standard. Even with last minute requests and the group (11 adults and 2 infants) being unsure what we wanted was met with a smile and accommodated to the best of their ability. We were extremely impressed with the Quintin's hosting. Tirelessly catered to the varying needs of the whole group, whilst always maintaining a smile, from 8am until midnight, when he was checking we had enough wine! The wines provided were also great value for money.
As we had 2 infants it was important they were accommodated. They provided a whole range of baby equipment from monitors and high chairs to a walker, swim seat and even a sterilizer.
The rooms were beautifully laid out and furnished. They were cleaned daily and we were provided with L'Occitane showering products. The girls loved the smell of the lotion.
The villa and grounds were beautiful - even nicer than the pictures on the website. In fact the pool, table tennis, cricket and tennis were so great that some of us didn't leave the villa for the entire holiday, except for a bike ride (baby bike seats were also provided) and a bit of golf.
Overall, a fabulous place for a relaxing holiday in a beautiful villa and grounds, with great food, fantastic facilities and faultless hosting! -
Caroline and Brett Lyons
WeymouthFantastic!
Left on 01/09/2011 for a stay in August 2007
My partner and I stayed at Bellegarde in the summer of 2007 during a trip down the West Coast of France and it was absolutely amazing. We had been roughing it in our campervan for a few weeks and staying here was complete luxury. The Chateau was stunning on first arrival and our stay was pure bliss. The room we stayed in was very grand with a large 4 poster bed and ensuite. It was beautifully decorated and extremely comfortable. The service the staff provided was excellent and the food was simply delicious! Nothing was too much trouble and everything was tailored to our needs. There is a large pool to enjoy in the gorgeous weather and the surrounding area is beautiful. I would highly recommend a stay here and we will definitely return in the future.
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Judy
Western AustraliaAmazing
Left on 11/29/2010 for a stay in June 2010
I would not hesitate recommending this fabulous property. The owners and staff go out of their way to make your stay one you will never forget. We spent nine weeks travelling Spain and France but nothing compared to this property and the meals were five star gourmet. It is a beautiful home surrounded by immaculate grounds, swimming pool and gardens. There is a village within walking distance, beautiful lakes, cycle paths, ocean and interesting towns to visit nearby. making this location a must.
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The Ward family
Bishops StortfordLuxuriously relaxed holiday for all the family
Left on 11/27/2010 for a stay in August 2010
From initial enquiry to final departure, nothing was too much trouble for Q and his team. Special diets, local top tips, booking restaurants, arranging surf lessons for our 11 and 14 yr iold boys to name but a few! The house is grand and typically french, intimate enough to create a warm atmosphere and large enough to always find a quiet spot to just read a book. Bedrooms and bathrooms are comfortable, clean and spacious, whilst not being over elaborate. Location is great, close to all ammenities and perfect if you want to start your holiday without a long journey from any of the 3 regional airports serving the property. This has the added benefit of being flexibile with flight times from the UK. A few good restaurants serving reasonably priced local menus, go karting, golf and the beach all within cycling distance (if you have the energy or inclination to drag yourself away from the immaculately maintained pool at the house!)
Best things about this holiday are the unique blend of informal style coupled with high levels of service and cuisine. As a holiday for families with young teenagers, nothing we have found beats the easily acessible safe activities during the day, coupled with a calm and sophisticated dinner served under the magnolia tree as the sun sets and you enjoy a glass or two of well earned local wine!
Our only negative comment would be the condition of the tennis court surface, which does throw up an occasional wild bounce! -
Laurent
Willebroek, BelgiumImpeccable service
Left on 11/27/2010 for a stay in July 2010
Overall we had a wonderfull stay with Quintin in Soustons. However the kitchen deserves a special remark (Duschan really is a great chef) ! We had some fantastic gourmet dinners out on the front terrace. Thanks very much to the whole team for a great weeks holliday.
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