A great base for your holiday in the French Pyrenees

Situated in the grounds of the resident English owner's property - they will be more than happy to point you in the right direction with their local knowledge. The accommodation sleeps 4-6 people, has an open plan ground floor, including a fully equipped kitchenette, sitting / dining area with a separate laundry room. The first floor has two good sized bedrooms. Bedroom one has a double bed and an en suite shower and WC. Bedroom two has two single beds but can accommodate a third and is served by a separate shower room and WC. All rooms are heated by electric radiators. There is a small terrace with barbecue and garden furniture. Use of a shared garden with the owners and plenty of parking. Situated in the heart of south-west France, it is one of the largest regions in the country with a landscape of ancient towns, villages, castles, Romanesque churches and inexhaustible history. The Pyrenees is an excellent all year round destination, so when you visit depends on what you would like to do. With four clearly defined seasons, the Midi-Pyrenees enjoys temperatures of 15-35 degrees from April to October. September and October often enjoy an Indian summer climate conducive to walking and cycling, whilst profiting from the more peaceful low to mid season. With a good snow cover usually by the beginning of December we enjoy a ski season up until April. The Valley des Gaves is one of the largest valleys running through the Parc National des Pyrenees and is certainly an unspoilt part of the world. It is a gateway to many world renowned heritage sites such as Lourdes, Gavarnie, Pont d'Espagne and Pic du Midi de Bigorre - an observatory at 2,886m. Come for:- The cycling - this area is a 'Mecca' for both road and mountain bike enthusiasts. Many of the famous climbs of the Tour de France, including Hautacam, Ardiden, Soulor, Aubisque and Tourmalet are within easy striking distance and there are up to 1150km covering 73 marked off-road routes for the mountain biker. If you find the mountains a bit fierce you can roll back out of the valley, beyond Lourdes, and enjoy the flatter countryside. We are happy to arrange bike hire or you can do this directly - two reputable and reliable companies - www.cycles-vtt-pyrenees.com (based in Lourdes - 10 mins from us) or www.wandeo.fr (based in Toulouse but happy to arrange delivery to site). The walking - possibilities are endless - there is something for all levels of fitness. Explore this spectacular mountain area on well marked paths, which could transport you on a nice gentle stroll or to the summit of the Vignemal at over 3,000 metres. Or for really serious mountain trekking there are expert guides. The skiing - with the stations Domaine du Tourmalet, Cauterets and Luz-Ardiden within 30 minutes and the family-friendly station - Hautacam - on the doorstep, this is a great base for all your skiing requirements. 'Volets Verts' is easy to find - just a few minutes from the pretty town of Argeles-Gazost, about 10 minutes from Lourdes. We will of course forward exact directions on confirmation of your booking. By Air: Stanstead - Lourdes (30 minutes drive) every Tuesday + Saturday. Gatwick to Toulouse and Stanstead to Biarritz (both 2 hours drive). By Train: TGV links directly into Tarbes (30 minutes) or Lourdes (just 10 minutes) takes approximately 8 hours from Paris from which you can get the Eurostar from London Waterloo. If you are already in France our nearest SNCF station is Lourdes. By Ferry: If you want to bring your own car without driving the entire distance Brittany Ferries sails from Plymouth to Santander or P&O Ferries sails between Portsmouth and Bilbao, but please note the drive from Northern Spain can take 3-4 hours. Bike Bus: the 'European Bike Express' has many pick-up points throughout the UK and our nearest drop-off point is Lourdes - 30 min. by bike.