Driving by car from the UK.........

With an early start Maison Touyarot can be reached from the channel tunnel in a day - it is approximately a 10 hour drive can can be done on the motorways for all but the last 1 1/2 hours.

Hire cars can be booked either on the above airlines websites or directly with the likes of Hertz and Europcar.

E-mail us for advice about cheap air travel and car hire - it can be cheaper than taking your own car on the ferry and driving down....and a lot less stressful.

Garos is a small hill-top village, just a few minutes walk down the lane . The nearest town Arzacq is a bustling little market town ten minutes’ drive away. It has markets every Saturday, and has a good variety of shops, including a bakery, a supermarket, a lovely outdoor "infinity" swimming pool, tennis club, banks and cafés.

Many activities are available locally:

Tennis - The village tennis court is a 5 minute walk from the house and available free of charge.

Beach/ Surfing - The golden sandy beaches of the Pyrenees Atlantique are an hour away and include the famous surfing beaches around Biarritz. There are wide expanses of sand and all the main beaches are lifeguard controlled to ensure that bathing is safe for everyone. There are a number of surf schools providing tuition for adults and for children on the basics of surfing. You may prefer to make use of the body boards we provide at Touyarot to have some fun in the waves.

Swimming - There is a beautiful open air infinity swimming pool 10 minutes away in Arzacq and a lake within easy reach at Orthez, with a fine sandy beach and supervised swimming over the summer months.

Mountain activities - Drive south for 45 minutes and you are in the Pyrenees. Activities such as white water rafting - which has been particuarly popular with our guests in the summers months, walking, fishing, mountain biking - in the summer season ( hire a bike and take the ski lift to the top of the mountain and make the descent down to the skiing village - suitable for aged 10 and over) and canoeing are all easily accessable and available in abundance.

Skiing - The nearest ski resort is just over a hour away in Gourette, complete with mountain restaurants and 28 ski runs to 2450 metres altitude (5 green, 10 blue, 12 red and 1 black). There are 2 ski schools and facilities at the ski hire outlets (75 metres from the nearest ski lift) to change and leave hired skis etc. overnight so that you need not worry about transporting ski equipment. The higher slopes provide challenges and great fun for the good intermediate skier whilst the lower  slopes are tree-lined and enable the more cautious / novice skier wonderful winding scenic runs back to the resort.

The resort boasts the largest dedicated beginners area in the pyrenees and cable cars allow non-skiers access to these slopes ( and to the restaurant / bar). We can provide you with a ski pack upon request giving information about travel, where to hire skis, lift passes, ski school etc. You can try it for a day whilst you are here or make this your skiing holiday and ski for a week. Why go to the Alps when you can enjoy fantastic skiing for a fraction of the cost and stay in the beautiful surroundings of Maison Touyarot?

Click on the link to view the live webcam at the resort Live Webcam 

Golf - There are two 18 hole golf courses within 25 minutes near Pau a 10 hole golf course at Salie de Bearn set in stunning surroundings 40 minutes drive away.

Wine tasting - There is a an internationally respected vinyard less than 10 minites from the house, Chateau Cabidos, run by a very welcoming english speaking vigneron. Here you will be given a tour of the premises and have the opportunity to taste their full range of wines. Further afield the predominantly white wine region of Jurancon and the red of Madiran are both within an easy 1/2 hours drive and the famous Armagnac region is 50 minutes drive in the direction of Aire sur l'Adour.

There are many excellent restaurants nearby, including Ferme Auberge situated a stones throw from the 15th century Chateau in the delightful village of Morlanne where the delicious food served is all produced on their own farm. L’Auberge in Arqacq is also worth a visit and serves fine food in warm and welcoming surroundings.

The nearby town of Pau has numerous restaurants, bars and cafés.

Bearn is located in the Pyrenees Atlantique, in the Aquitaine. This is a warm corner of France, steeped in history and rich in natural beauty and gastronomic delights. Within easy reach is the Atlantic coast and the magnificent Pyrénées mountain range. The nearby town of Pau is stylish and has excellent restaurants. There are formal gardens and a castle to visit. From the Boulevard des Pyrénées, the mountains fill the horizon – a breathtaking sight on a clear day. In June the streets of Pau are taken over by a premiere international classic car race.

For further details and availability please e-mail: nick@hodsonlewis.co.uk