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The fully-fitted kitchen has a fridge, microwave, 4-ring gas cooker with
oven and grill, kettle and toaster. Also on the ground floor there is a spacious shower room with basin and WC,
which also houses the washing machine. A wide staircase leads up to two large double bedrooms, the larger of which
has a decorative fireplace and is south-facing. With two double beds, the cottage sleeps four comfortably, but
can stretch to six with the double sofa-bed in the sitting room. The house does not have a garden, however previous
visitors have not found this to be a problem as it is only a hundred yards away from the riverside, which has probably
the best picnic spot in the world! Here, with magnificent views of the river, Kiwi Island, tall poplars and banana
trees, and the ancient buildings of Sorde all around you, you can enjoy your baguette, cheese, olives and wine
under an ancient spreading walnut tree, to the accompaniment of the sound of water lazily running over rocks. The
house is provided with folding chairs and picnic equipment.
For more photos, click HERE.
SORDE L'ABBAYE
is a quite exceptional village, which has grown up around the Abbey and what was a large and important monastery,
holding sway over much of the area, on the banks of the river. The ruins of the monastery remain, overlooking a
dramatic weir. The Abbey was built on the remains of a Roman villa (the Villa Sirtius, from which the name 'Sorde'
derives) and sections of well-preserved Roman tiled mosaic floors can be viewed inside the church. Due to its important
history, both as a resting-place for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela in Spain (who pass through
the village to this day) and also because of its Roman origins, the entire village has been designated a World
Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Amenities:
- An auberge, with a terrace overlooking the Abbey, just a few minutes'
walk along the river from the house (unfortunately the boulangerie has closed, however the Champion supermarket
at Peyrehorade has an excellent in-house bakery, open 7 days a week).
- Recreation ground, including a tennis court and childrens' playground,
a Fronton court (similar to squash) and boules/petanque is played nearby, under the trees. Within minutes there
are wonderful walks along the river and also on the bluff overlooking Sorde l'Abbaye
PEYREHORADE,
the nearest town, is 2.5km (under 5 minutes' drive) from Sorde l'Abbaye, and is a bustling market town situated
on an estuary, where the two large rivers of the area, the Gaves (meaning mountain torrent) de Pau and d'Oloron
converge, and boasts an attractive chateau.
Amenities:
- An excellent large and colourful market, every Wednesday
- Supermarkets, petrol stations, banks, chemists, doctor's surgery, bars,
bakers and restaurants.
- A good supervised outdoor swimming pool and swimming in the leisure
lakes nearby, as well as boat trips up-river to Port-de-Lanne and Dax
- A railway station, with a direct connection to Bayonne/Biarritz and
Pau in under half an hour
- A motorway connection, providing fast and easy access to the sea, the
mountains and Spain beyond.
THE AREA:
The surrounding countryside is lush and exotic: thickly wooded, rolling hills, green valleys dotted with palm and
banana trees and wide rivers, against the spectacular backdrop of the magnificent Pyrénées (although
they are not always visible in the heat haze of summer), making the area wonderful for walking, cycling, golfing,
horse-riding, swimming, canoeing, rafting and fishing. Highly recommended are the Grottes (caves) of Sare and Bettharam,
the Kakuetta Gorge and the 'petits' trains (La Rhune and l'Artouste). During the summer and autumn there are numerous
fêtes in the various towns and villages of the area, all of which are great fun and very lively.
TO SEE AND DO:
Half and hour away:
- The unspoilt sandy, pine-fringed beaches of the Atlantic coast;
- Surfer's paradise, chic Biarritz, with a renowned golf course;
- Fascinating, vibrant Bayonne, which hosts a jazz festival in the summer;
- The Roman spa town of Dax, with the finest spa facilities in France,
as well as a water-sports centre and golf course, and a Salsa festival in September.
- The smaller spa town of Salies-de-Béarn, under 15 minutes' drive
away, has a golf course and very good indoor and outdoor swimming pools and spa baths.
- The dramatic and historic town of Sauveterre-de- Béarn, perched
high above the Gave de Pau, which also has a white water centre.
An hour away:
- The magnificent Pyrénées for more serious walking in summer
and skiing in winter;
- Spectacular towns of St Jean Pied-de-Port, St Jean de Luz and Pau, and
San Sebastian in Spain
Further afield:
- Lourdes
- Pamplona, Bilboa and Santiago de Compostello in Spain
PRICE: xxx Euros (approx. £
xxx **)
If you would like to arrange a visit to see this property, or you've
got any questions, please email us using the link below.
** Sterling price is based on a rate of exchange of 1.3001
euros / £ which is correct as at 03/01/08.
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