A stunning French Manor House, both inside and out, with period features and furnishings contributing to its comfort and appearance. La Bourdette boasts a fabulous location with a stunning view of the Pyrénées in the distance and provides a wonderful setting for relaxation and recreation, with superb leisure facilities in the extensive grounds and throughout the surrounding countryside.
La Bourdette
Daumazan-sur-Arize, Ariège-Pyrénées
Overview
The Main House: Sleeps 16
Bedrooms & Bathrooms
5 double bedrooms and 3 other children’s bedrooms
5 bathrooms (3 with bath, walk in shower and WC, 2 with walk in shower and WC. One further cloakroom with WC and washbasin)
More information on the bedrooms and bathrooms.
Rent per week
£4500 to £7500 per week depending on the season. Saturday to Saturday.
Detailed break down of price per week
Key features
Heated swimming pool
50 acres of grounds
Tennis court
Self contained pool house
Testimonials
The House and Accommodation
From a quiet country road within sight of The Pyrénées, gates open into a sweeping drive, lined with plane trees, which leads to this magnificent south-facing Manor House. La Bourdette has been completely restored, furnished and equipped to the very highest standards, with designer flair, elegance and sophistication throughout.
The kitchen: Very light and spacious with beamed ceiling, tiled floor, island unit and a chef’s range cooker, comprising a gas and electric oven, 7 gas rings and hot plate. Other equipment includes a drinks fridge, microwave, 2 dishwashers, massive toaster, Magimix, liquidiser, cafetières etc. plus a Bose CD player and radio with iPod input and lots of CDs. A door opens onto a flagged seating area and vine-shaded dining terrace with a table seating 16.
The sitting Room: A large, striking and stylish room with attractive ‘Osborne and Little’ wall covering, polished wooden floor, large comfortable sofas and a period stone fireplace. There is a wide-screen satellite TV with a DVD player. French windows on 2 sides open onto terraces.
The Dining Room: Large yet cosy, with a beamed ceiling, a table for 12, a second table for 4 and a large fireplace. In one corner is a desk with a printer and scanner. French windows open onto the gravelled area at the front of the house.
Bedrooms & bathrooms
Double ensuite Bedroom 1 – The Yellow room
King size double bed (1.8m wide), windows looking south and an en-suite (Bathroom 1) with a shower, washbasin, W.C. and bidet.
Double ensuite Bedroom 2 – The Green Room
With a 6’ 3″ wrought iron four poster double bed (1.6m wide), and windows looking south.
Bedroom 3 – ‘The Blue Room’
A children’s room with three 3’-wide single beds (not full length – 1.8m), and an en-suite bathroom with a bath, a walk-in shower, washbasin and W.C.
Bedroom 4 – The Rose Room:
With a Queen size wrought-iron four-poster bed (1.5m wide). This uses a bathroom opposite the bedroom and is very large, featuring a free-standing bath with overhead shower, a washbasin, bidet and W.C.
Bedroom 5 – The Stone Wall Room
With double bed (1.6m wide) with lofty ceilings, an exposed stone wall, French windows. Uses Bathroom 4 with a bath, walk in shower, wash basin and WC.
Bedroom 6 – The Red Room
A second children’s room with 2 full-length single beds and 2 full-length bunk beds (can sleep 4 in total).
Bedroom 7 – The Grey Room
Has two full length single beds.
NB: The two children’s bedrooms detailed below contain beds that are suitable for children and teenagers.
The Pool House
A fabulous 2-storey Pool House provides a large games room, comfortable sitting room and a charming double bedroom.
Games Room occupying the whole of the ground floor and featuring table tennis, table football and a kitchenette containing a large fridge/freezer/ice-maker. The doors open onto a terrace, 8 metres (25 ft) from the edge of the pool.
Shower Room – accessed from the ground floor terrace and featuring a shower, a washbasin and W.C.
Sitting Room – on the First Floor, and accessed by a spiral staircase from the games room and tucked under the eaves, featuring a comfortable sofa bed, and bean-bags, TV and DVD player (with some DVDs), and a CD player. There’s access to the large, open-air dining terrace overlooking the pool, plus steps descending from this terrace to the pool area.
Bedroom 8 – with a full length double bed (1.8m wide) and windows overlooking the pool.
Garden and Grounds
La Bourdette is set in 50 acres of totally private, rolling, wooded farmland, with distant views of the Pyrénées. The House is surrounded by an extensive colourful garden of lawns, flower beds, mature trees and shrubs.
Additional buildings, terraces and eating areas
Through Balinese doors from the kitchen and dining area, there is a charming dining terrace shaded by vines and another dining terrace on the first floor of the Pool House. In the middle of the garden, a shady terrace also has tables and a barbecue area with a brick surround containing two gas barbecues.
Swimming Pool
The L-shaped, heated swimming pool measures 18 metres (58 ft) in length, 7.5 metres (24 ft) at the base of the “L”, and 5 metres (16 ft) at its upper end. Very wide steps descend to the shallow end (1 metre, or 39 ins), sloping to a deeper area in the middle (2 metres, or 6′ 6″). There is a wide, safety shelf at a depth of 60cms (2 ft) running along 2 sides of the pool. The pool is filtered and slightly saline, (roughly the strength of human tears) which avoids the use of chlorine and helps keep the water crystal-clear. The pool is alarmed. Around the pool there are 12 sun beds, tables, chairs and several large sun umbrellas.
A charge of £250 per week will be deducted from tenant’s Booking and Security Deposits if pool heating is required.
Tennis Court
100 metres from the House is the state-of-the art tennis court with a practice wall at one end. There is also a badminton net plus racquets and shuttlecocks and a specially laid out ‘bouledrome’ (boules pitch) with 4 pairs of boules.
Location
La Bourdette enjoys a peaceful rural location in the stunning South West region of France, against a backdrop of the Pyrénées.
There are basic shopping facilities at Daumazan-sur-Arize (2 kms), including an excellent ‘boulangerie’, butcher and a small supermarket whilst at Montesquieu-Volvestre (7 kms) there is a wider variety of shops including several good boulangeries and a larger and well stocked supermarket. The market towns of Carbonne and St Girons are 22 and 40 kms respectively.
How to get there
2 hrs (123 miles) from Bordeaux airport
1 hr 10 mins (57 miles) from Toulouse airport
1 hr 23 mins (58 miles) from Bergerac airport.
Nice
7 (Agen), 8 (Auvillar) or 9 (Castelsarrasin) depending on direction of approach off the A62 running between Bordeaux and Toulouse.
Toulouse (50 mins)
Things to see and do nearby
Local villages
There are a number of pretty villages in the surrounding area. An outstanding example is Carla-Bayle, standing on the top of a hill, with fine views of the Pyrénées, and boasting several interesting art galleries and shops
Golf
The 18-hole Golf de l’Ariège is near the pretty village of La Bastide-de-Sérou (20 kms)
Children's Play Park
Near Carla-Bayle is a very popular children’s “treetops” adventure centre
Prehistoric Caves
There are prehistoric caves at Tarascon, and ancient cave drawings at Niaux. The fascinating caves of the Grotte du Mas d’Azil (10 kms) are “drive-through” but can also be visited on foot
Walking
There are fine walks in many directions. Marked pedestrian and mountain-biking trails lead to the upper heights of the Pyrénées where chamois, genets and even lynxes and brown bears are to be found
Fishing
Trout streams abound in the Pyrénées
Canoeing
Dropping down to rivers much favoured by kayakers and canoeists.
Bicycling
This is excellent bicycling country, reasonably flat, and with a dedicated trail from the House to the next door village of La Bastide de Besplas and into the surrounding countryside.
Toulouse
Outings to Toulouse (45 minutes) are highly recommended to enjoy the many fine art galleries, museums, restaurants and excellent shopping. Its Old Town with its rose-pink façades (therefore known as the ‘Ville Rose’) is particularly attractive. Visits to the Aerospatiale Centre and to the Airbus factory, both near Toulouse, are much recommended.
Skiing
There is ski-ing in the Pyrénées (90 minutes’ drive) in most years from January to March and a recommended resort is Luchon.
Vineyards
The nearest local vineyard encourages tastings and on-the-spot purchases. Visits should be arranged in advance – details are in the information folder.
Additional Information
Arrival, welcome and departure: Tenants will be welcomed on arrival, and will be shown how everything works, both inside and out. Roland and Petra are the house managers and welcome guests on arrival. They have an apartment with its own separate entrance.
Wifi and Broadband: There is WIFi broadband internet access in the main house.
Housebook: There is a comprehensive Guest Information Folder in the house with details of recommended local shops, restaurants, markets, cultural, sporting and recreational activities plus many other suggestions on what to do and where to go in the vicinity. The folder also includes and is accompanied by maps, brochures and important local contact details.
Additional entertainment: There are a number of English language books, playing cards and board games for the use and enjoyment of guests.
Music and TV: There is a flat screen TV with DVD player and a CD player/radio and sound system with a selection of CD’s in the sitting room.
Services included: 3 hours of cleaning per day on one mid week day per week are paid for by the owners (also on Saturdays in the case of a rental of more than one week), aswell as swimming pool and garden maintenance.
Optional / additional services available: Any additional hours of housework should be paid to her/them by tenants at €20 per hour. Guests wishing to take advantage of this service are asked to request it in advance of their stay. Provided sufficient notice is given, a part-time cook and/or a babysitter can usually be found. Payment in cash for each meal will be the tenants’ responsibility and the charges per meal will be advised prior to confirmation and should be settled on the day.
Air conditioning and heating: There are ceiling fans in all bedrooms except bedroom 6 (one of the two children’s rooms) which is air conditioned. A charge of £250 per week will be added to the rental amount for central heating from September onwards if house heating is required.
Children: There are two travel cots and two high chairs.Car Parking: Parking is available outside the house.
Rents
2024
May | £4,500 per week |
June and September | £5,500 per week |
July and August | £7,500 per week |
Easter, Christmas and The New Year | £6,250 per week |
For all other months please enquire
Terms & conditions and the booking process
The Booking Process – A deposit of 25% of the rent will be payable to Anglo French Properties Ltd on signing the Rental Agreement, with the 75% balance to be paid 8 weeks prior to the commencement of the tenancy.
Security Deposit – A Booking and Security Deposit of £750 will also be payable to Anglo French Properties Ltd on signing this Rental Agreement. This will secure the booking and will cover (a) the cost of replacing/making good any losses, breakages and/or damages incurred during the rental, (b) the cost of pool heating (if required) @ £250 per week, and (c) any exceptional cleaning work which may be required at the end of the tenancy. It will be refunded (less any deductions as outlined above) within 4 weeks of the conclusion of the tenancy.
Minimum stay: Unless otherwise agreed, all rentals will be for a minimum of one week and will begin and end on a Saturday.
Arrival Time & Departure times: Tenants should arrive as soon as possible after 5pm on the commencement day. They will be welcomed on arrival, given a tour of the property and shown how everything works. Tenants should leave by 10am on the agreed day of departure.
Number of People: Unless otherwise agreed, there should not be more than 16 people (plus babies) staying in the property at any one time.
Security: The owners’ insurance policy requires that all doors are locked, and that all windows and shutters are closed when tenants are away from the property.
Energy costs are included: The energy costs are included in the rental price.
Heating costs: A charge of £250 per week will be added to the rental amount for central heating from September onwards if house heating is required.
Linen and towels: Linen and towels, and the cleaning of the linen and towels are included in the rental price. These will be changed on a weekly basis.
Pets: On request prior to booking ONLY and at the owners discretion. Subject to charge if agreed. Please state the breed of dog at the time of booking.
Smoking allowed: No smoking allowed inside the property. Caution should be taken when smoking outside during the summer months as the risk of fire can be extremely high.
Internet access: yes, included in the rental price. Optional / additional services available: any additional services, if available, (eg extra cleaning or cooking) will be agreed in advance at a pre-agreed rate per hour. These costs will be the sole responsibility of the tenant.