Chalet in Lasseube , Pyrénées-Atlantiques , Aquitaine - Part of Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Conceived by an architect and constructed by the current owners, this completely unique bohemian-style cottage is located in a delightful hillside setting in the heart of the Jurançon wine country. Surrounded by gardens and forest 21,774m² (5 acres), the property also has a separate outbuilding of about 25m², an above-ground swimming pool and an in-ground swimming pool (in need of total renovation).

Bursting with character and flooded with light, the cottage has been used by the current owners as a family home, with much of the space used as an art studio and a music studio. The main room, which has a raised stage area, could also be ideal for hosting private concerts, art courses, small yoga classes... Subject to planning permission, it should also be possible to extend the main building by up to 40%, along with adding an additional storey above.

The cottage is accessible via a country track, which leads down to an outdoor parking area behind the main building - or a little further on, to an open-sided outbuilding used as a garage.

A path from the parking area leads around to the front of the cottage and a terrace, which is set above an in-ground swimming pool (in need of complete renovation) and has fabulous views of the land.

From the terrace, the front door of the cottage opens into a light and airy main room, which is glazed on two sides, and has stunning views of the grounds and surrounding countryside. There is even a large round window, which frames the garden beautifully - and French doors on the far side of the room, which open out to the terrace.

The main room is ideal for using as an open-plan sitting room/dining room. There is an open fireplace on one side of the room and a wood-burning stove on the other. Along the back wall of the room is a small raised stage area.

Next to the stage area, wooden steps lead up to a huge south-west-facing mezzanine room, which is currently used as a music studio, but which could be used as a second bedroom or an office. This room has French doors out to the garden. Beneath the mezzanine room is a walk-in wine cellar/storage room (accessible from the main room).

Adjacent to the main room on the other side is a kitchen area with fitted (handmade) cupboards. There is also a cosy sleeping area, a shower room and a separate room equipped with a bath. This room has a floor-to-ceiling window with views of the grounds. Part of the window slides open to give access to the grounds and to an outside WC (eco-friendly).

A door at the back of the main room opens into a vast, open-sided workshop, which is also accessible from outside. From the workshop, a wooden ladder leads up to a storage area above the workshop - and from here a door opens into a loft-style room, which could be used as a bedroom, an office, a games room... At the far end of the room, windows open out to a south-west-facing wooden balcony with superb views of the Pyrénées. The balcony itself is only accessible via wooden steps up from the garden.

Set away from the cottage, the outbuilding/garage (25m²) would be perfect for using as a stable for horses, donkeys, goats...

Situated in the delightful Béarn region in south-west France, the cottage is not far from several well-known Jurançon vineyards and about 10 minutes away from the picture-postcard town of Lasseube. Atlantic beach resorts are about 90 minutes away to the west - and Pyrenean ski resorts are under an hour away to the south, as is the Spanish border. The city of Pau, the Medieval riverside town of Oloron-Ste-Marie and the verdant Basque Country are all about 20 - 30 minutes away.

THE COTTAGE

Ground floor:
- a terrace for dining alfresco
- a main room with a sitting area, a dining area, an open fireplace, a wood-burning stove, a raised stage area and French doors out to the terrace
- a kitchen area
- a sleeping area
- a shower room
- a bathroom with a sliding door outside
- a WC (only accessible from outside)
- a wine cellar/storage room

Mezzanine level:
- a mezzanine room (with French doors out to the garden) for use as an art or music studio/second bedroom/office/study/games room...

First floor:
- a wooden balcony (only accessible from the garden)
- a loft-style room (accessible from the workshop) with fabulous views of the Pyrénées


THE WORKSHOP

Ground floor:
- a huge open-sided workshop

First floor:
- an open storage area
- access to the loft-style room


THE OUTBUILDINGS, GROUNDS & FOREST

The cottage is set in land of 21,774m² (5 acres) with...
- hillside gardens and grazing land of approximately 5,000m² - ideal for horses, donkeys, goats... or for planting certain varieties of vines
- forest of approximately 1.6 hectares
- an outbuilding/garage/workshop (25m²)
- a small woodstore
- a terrace for dining alfresco
- a rustic first-floor balcony with views of the Pyrénées (only accessible from the garden)
- an in-ground swimming pool for lengths (in need of complete renovation)
- an above-ground swimming pool
- a source
- a stream


THE POTENTIAL!

This charming cottage comprises 123m² of living space, making it ideal for a small family home, a lovely holiday home, a weekend pied-à-terre... If you work from home, there is ample space for creating an office, consulting room, professional workshop, ...

You will probably want to renovate and modernize part or all of the property in the future. Planning permission should be available to extend the footprint of the main building by up to 40% - and it should be possible to add at least one additional storey to the building.

Once renovated and modernised, the property could have huge potential for renting out as a holiday cottage/gîte, thanks to its magical setting and its proximity to the Pyrénées and the Atlantic coast. You could even create one or more Bed and Breakfast suites when you redesign the layout of the property. As the number of people visiting this area increases each year, there is a growing demand for unique accommodation all year round, especially during the summer months, the skiing season and for Christmas and New Year.

If the in-ground swimming pool is renovated, this will definitely increase your demand for accommodation.

The property is used by the current owners as an art studio and a music studio - and the stage area in the main room has been used for private recitals and concerts. The room could be used for small yoga workshops, for example, or even for cooking and wine-tasting classes, especially with several nearby Jurançon vineyards to choose from!

The hillside grounds and forest of 21,774m² (5 acres) are ideal for keeping horses, donkeys, goats... There is a source and small stream, which crosses the land - and the outbuilding of 25m² could easily be transformed into a stable.

If you have a horticultural project, such as growing vines, the open grazing land in front of the house could be ideal for certain varieties of grapes.


SERVICES & TECHNICAL

Cable internet connection available
Some double glazing
Steel roof
Electricity
Heating: open fireplace + wood-burning stove
Mains water
Septic tank - works required
Source
Stream


THE LOCAL AREA

The cottage is located near the pretty town of Lasseube, where you will find a boulangerie, a grocery shop, a pharmacy, restaurants and bars, along with a weekly market. For a much larger choice of shops and amenities, Oloron-Ste-Marie and Pau are 20 - 30 minutes away. If you have children, the area has many excellent schools, including a bilingual French/English school in Navarrenx and the International School of Béarn in Pau, which teaches the English National Curriculum.

The Béarn region is loved for its proximity to the Pyrénées and the Atlantic coast, its famous Jurançon vineyards and its healing thermal spas in Salies-de-Béarn. The countryside and mountains are ideal for hiking, mountain-biking, white-water rafting, skiing... or for those who prefer beach-based activities, the chic resorts of Biarritz and St-Jean-de-Luz are about 90 minutes away...

Airports: Pau, Tarbes-Lourdes, Biarritz
Train: Ogeu-les-Bains, Pau
Long-distance coach: Pau, Orthez
Ferry: Bilbao, Santander

Ski: Somport, Issarbe, La-Pierre-St-Martin, Gourette, Artouste, Val-d’Azun, Candanchú (Spain)...
Beaches: Biarritz, St-Jean-de-Luz, Hendaye, Hossegor, Tarnos...

Attractions: Aqua Béarn, Le Petit Train d’Artouste, Parc'Ours, Grottes de Bétharram, Gorges de Kakuetta, Passerelle d’Holzarte, Chemin de St-Jacques-de-Compostelle (15km), Route d'Artagnan bridleway (15km)...
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Information about risks to which this property is exposed is available on the Géorisques website : https://www.georisques.gouv.fr