Description
Just west of Bordeaux and tucked away in a serene cove off the French Atlantic Ocean, sits the beautiful and tranquil Villa Arcachon. It is a place where luxury accommodation meets exemplary service in an inspiring environment of land, sea and pine forest. This exclusive country estate offers eight refined bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms (four with original marble fireplaces), and includes a tower suite \"La Tour\" with 360 degrees floor-to-ceiling windows offering breathtaking sea and forest views. Other features include a cozy, club library with fireplace and an extensive international book selection, and a media/movie room with a 55 inch flat-screen TV and state of the art video system that can be converted in to a meeting room for seminars or confrences. For guests with restricted mobility, a specially built ramp offers access to the outdoor covered terrace, the dining room, as well as to a double bedroom, \"La Verandah\".
Outside are wide vistas over the front lawn extending as far as Cap Ferret and Arcachon. Unchallenged sea views and nightly sunsets are just a few of the perks available to guests of Villa Arcachon. A centuries old stone wall with gate, lined with Tamaris trees that have withstood the winds of times, separates the grounds from a direct stroll onto the beach at low tide, or a refreshing dip at high tide. The estate gardens are highlighted by an ecological lap pool fed by natural spring water, a petanque field, and outdoor table tennis.
The main villa is approx. 9700 sq. feet and consists of three levels.
Ground floor:
Entrance with cloakroom and separate WC/powder room. Fully equipped gourmet kitchen (large center island, double ovens, stove, grill, deep fryer, microwave, American coffee maker, toaster, dishwasher, chef utensils). Dining room and separate salon, both with open fireplace and floor-to-ceiling French doors, leading out on to the terrace with sea views. Cinema/seminar room with large screen Satellite TV with PC plug-in. Library with fireplace and an extensive collection of books and games. Double bedroom with ensuite bathroom and verandah (wheelchair access).
First Floor:
Bureau/home office with printer, scanner, etc. Double bedroom (King bed/twins on request) with ensuite bathroom and private verandah. Double bedroom (King bed/twins on request) with ensuite bathroom. Master suite (king bed) with ensuite bathroom with shower and Jacuzzi, his/her dressing rooms, private terrace overlooking the sea and another private terrace overlooking the pool. Double bedroom (king bed) with ensuite bathroom. And a fifth double bedroom (king bed) with ensuite bathroom with bathtub/shower and 360 degree sea and forest views.
Lower ground floor (garden level):
An independent studio with private access from the garden and ground floor. It includes a small kitchenette (with small stove, sink, and mini fridge) and two double bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. There is also a wine cellar where guests can buy wine, and a guest bathroom.
Included in the rental price: Daily French breakfast, welcome drink & cheese/local specialties, butler or waiter (high season only), Concierge service, daily cleaning (6 hours), tea/coffee/soft drinks, weekly change of linens, daily towel cleaning, Internet, Satellite TV, use of sports equipment (table tennis, boules, trampoline, volleyball, canoes, bicycles)
Available upon request at additional charge: Chef service, extra housekeeping, laundry, limousine, helicopter, body guard, massage, boat rental, babysitting
Nearby attractions/activities:
• The Arcachon Bay is a mecca for beach related tourism and has taken care to preserve its natural heritage as an integral part of the Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park. It is tidal by nature, with the daily withdrawal of the Atlantic Ocean ensuring the release of health-giving ions into the atmosphere from the depths of the sea bed and the replenishment of clean, fresh, invigorating waters.
• 126 km of beaches devoted to surfing, kite surfing, body boarding, sand-yachting and sea kayaking.
• Sheltered by the coastal dunes, three great lakes lying in un-spoilt natural settings make an ideal destination for families in search of safe bathing, water-sports enthusiasts, ramblers and anglers alike.
• The 600 km² Gironde Estuary is the largest in Europe and the best protected. Born of the confluence of the Garonne and the Dordogne, the Estuary has something of the Mississippi about it, stretching between islands and marshes and bordering Médoc’s renowned winegrowing estates and the vineyards of Blaye and Bourg.
• Its wines may have made Gironde famous, but its rivers and streams have also contributed much to its development. When Celtic people, the Biturigi Vivisci, settled on the banks of a meander of the Garonne in the 3rd century BC, a port grew up on the river, known as Burdigala – the present-day Bordeaux, UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007.
• 4200 km of hiking trails, including 2300 km of marked-out routes, wind their way through vineyards and pine forests, and alongside the coast and the Estuary. Gironde has progressively become France’s number one cycle tourism destination.
• The Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park was created in 1970 and is part of the largest forest in Europe. It covers over 315,000 hectares (over 1200 sq. miles) and can be explored on foot, by mountain bike, on horseback, or by canoe along the Leyre, a river that winds through the heart of the pine forest before flowing into the Arcachon Basin.
