Maison Ocre at Nouvelle-Aquitaine

The Neighborhood

Maison Ocre is in a residential area just off the main road parallel to the coast, a short walk from Chiberta Golf Course, one of the most prestigious and most beautiful courses in France (do book well in advance). The beaches, Plage d’Ocean and Les Dunes, are also just over a five-minute walk away with their lovely promenade walkways, popular with walkers, cyclists and skateboarders. You can walk up the Chiberta forests and a pretty lake near the coast in just under half an hour, part of the Izadia Ecological Park (open in the summer months) near the mouth of the Adour River. This is a lovely area for walks, bird spotting and there are discovery kits for children. This part of the coast also has a skate park near the beach, tennis courts, a thalassotherapy centre and a tree-top adventure course near the river. You’ll find plenty of surfing schools along this part of the coast, as well as further south in central Biarritz; indeed this region has become a mecca for surfers from across the world. Oliver’s Travels guests can arrange surf coaching and/or equipment hire during their stay. It's only 5km to downtown Biarritz, an elegant seaside town dating back to the mid-19^th century when aristocracy built their summer residences along this part of the coast, including the well-known Hotel du Palais, built by the wife of Napoleon III on La Grande Plage, Biarritz’ most famous beach. You will find some wonderful restaurants in the Port des Pecheurs, the former fishing port, where you will find fresh seafood. Food lovers don’t miss the amazing market at the Halles de Biarritz including many wonderful Basque specialities. Some of the local specialities include the local touron (marzipan), locally cured ham as well as mussels, mushrooms and more. For a change of scene, head to Bayonne (6km) where you can walk around the narrow streets admiring the beautiful and historic architecture or walk along the river front. Other coastal areas to visit include the picturesque town of Ciboure (27km) to the south where Matisse once lived and the lively resort of Saint-Jean-de-Luz (22km) with a great sandy beach and plenty of family-friendly activities as well as an abundance of golf courses and lovely walks along the surrounding coastline and hills. There are also some idyllic Basque villages inland to explore such as two of France’s Plus Beaux Villages; pretty Ainhoa (32km) and Sare (31km), where you can take the old wooden train up to the summit of La Rhune, one of the most dominant peaks of the Pyrénées, where there are some restaurants with incredible views as well as hiking opportunities. Indeed, this whole region offers an extended range of outdoor activities, such as walking, horse-back riding, fishing, cycling, canoeing and many others including water-sports along the coast.