“Pistoulet” – Our holiday rental house in the French Pyrénées
Our holiday rental house in the French Pyrénées
Australia has been my adopted home since 1986, but part of me never left the Pyrenees. We had been on the look-out for a special place to call home. We fell in love with “Pistoulet” and decided to make it ours. Adding our own touch was important and to make it a comfortable home was essential. “Pistoulet” was built in the 1800’s in the hilltop village of Lagor. The village has kept its heritage and still retains a country feel with all amenities close by.
The Béarn region is full of history, character and has so much to offer to holiday makers. The mountains, the sea, Spain and the Basque region are situated within an hour’s drive. The varied gastronomy is some of France’s best.
We loved this area so much that over the last few years we have shared it with hundreds of friends and clients taking them walking or giving them a taste of the many culinary delights that the region has to offer. We do believe this area is France’s best kept secret.
Address of Pisoulet
More information:
Downstairs you will find a fully equipped kitchen, dining and living area, glassed in veranda, separate toilet, bathroom and one bedroom. From the veranda there is a view of the Pyrenees over the garden. Parking is available at the front of the house inside the courtyard. Living space is approximately 100 m².
Upstairs there are 2 bedrooms and a bathroom with toilet.
The weekly rent starts at 450 Euros and is 650 Euros during the high season.
The village of Lagor is situated between Mourenx and Maslacq on the D 9, 20 minutes from Pau and Orthez in the Pyrenées Atlantic.
You can fly to Pau, Biarritz, Lourdes or Toulouse airports from Paris (CDG or Orly ) and London. The TGV stops in Pau and Orthez. The A64 tollway has an exit 10 minutes away in the town of Artix between Pau and Orthez.
Most car hire companies are available from Pau .
Within walking distance from “Pistoulet” you can find a general store, chemist, post office and a medical centre. Large supermarkets are available in the town of Mourenx, only 5 minutes by car, and are open 6 days a week from 9am till 7.30pm. They are E. L’eclerc, Leader Price, Carrefour Market and Lidl. Towards Pau , Lescar has a big selection of supermarkets ( including Carrefour) as well as many other boutiques selling clothing, furniture and electrical goods, etc., etc..… For the trés chic boutiques, Pau definitely has the best selection. Petrol is generally cheaper at super markets and many of them are open 24 / 7 with credit card facilities. Banks and teller machines are located in Mourenx.
Mourenx market is every Wednesday and Saturday morning next to the town hall for general goods and below for the fresh markets. Local farmers sell their local produce. Monein has a small market on Monday mornings under the arcade at the town hall. Oloron has a great market on Friday mornings. Orthez market is on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Wi-Fi is available at the house.
Very good restaurants are available in the area. Information is available in a booklet at the cottage.
Monein has a tourism bureau offering maps and brochures.
We strongly advise that you obtain a book on the South West of France or the Aquitaine region so you have a better idea of what the area has to offer. In the cottage you will find information on tourism attractions.
Jurancon is the local wine grown in the region of Monein and around the town of Jurancon. It is white wine, the sweet to drink as an aperitif or with foie gras and cheeses, and dry to serve with seafood. Local wineries are open most days and they don’t charge for tasting. A small amount of red wine is grown around the area from Monein to Salies de Béarn. The Madiran and Irouleguy wine regions are an hour away from Lagor. Madiran produces some delicious hearty red wines as well as whites and the Irouleguy is the Basque wine; both red and white.
The variety of walks is endless in the mountains, national parks or in the valleys. Most towns or villages have free maps available at the town hall and most walks are very well marked. Signs usually indicate the duration of the walks.
Most sporting activities are available in the area. Mourenx has an aquatic centre and indoor tennis courts.
There are many golf courses around the area, the most famous being in Pau . It was the first golf course on the continent. It is advisable to carry a letter from your club with your handicap if you would like to play! Most places hire golf clubs.
Pau and Orthez have hospitals and clinics.
