Salies-de-Béarn

This delightful château of 468m² is located in a tiny hilltop hamlet close to a charming rural village in the beautiful Béarn, close to Atlantic beach resorts and Pyrenean ski resorts. The pretty towns of Salies-de-Béarn and Orthez are 10 minutes away; Pau and Bayonne are 40 - 45 minutes away via the nearby motorway.

Although in need of some finishing, the new owners can move in straight away and will immediately feel at home! Further renovation works are required on the lower-ground-floor (garden level), but this definitely increases the potential of this stylish property, since you will have the chance to design the layout of this immense area of 150m² to suit your own particular project...

Located at the end of a winding country lane, the château is accessible via a private drive, which leads around to a small parking area. Built in 1898, the property is set in an estate of 4.16 hectares (10 acres) with a swimming pool, a tennis court (in need of rehabilitation) and various terraces for outdoor dining.

Stone steps at the front of the château lead up to the front door, which opens into an impressive central entrance hall. The light and airy hall is dominated by an elegant double staircase, which leads up to the first floor of the property. A door at the far end of the hall opens out to two sets of stone steps, which echo the shape of the double staircase and which lead down to the grounds, the swimming pool and the tennis court.

Set around the entrance hall, the ground floor of the château comprises a large sitting room, a dining room with an open fireplace, a library/study/office and a kitchen.

A wooden staircase next to the library/study/office leads down to the château's lower ground floor (garden level), which is partially renovated. There was previously a kitchen, a sitting room, three bedrooms and a bathroom on this floor, so the space could easily be transformed into a self-contained apartment, if desired. There is still a useable utility room, along with a shower cubicle. Doors from this floor open out directly into the gardens and grounds.

From the entrance hall, the beautiful double staircase leads up to a huge landing on the first floor. From the landing, a door opens out onto a lovely balcony with views of the swimming pool and grounds. The first-floor rooms are set around the landing and comprise two master bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom (bath, shower, handbasin & WC), two further bedrooms, each with an en suite shower room (shower & handbasin) and a separate WC with a handbasin.

It would be possible to use the second floor as a self-contained apartment, since there was previously a small kitchen area in one of the rooms, which is now used as a children's bedroom/guest bedroom. There are four further bedrooms on this floor, along with a family bathroom (bath, shower, handbasin & WC) and a shower room (shower, handbasin & WC). There is also a sunny sitting room, which could be used as a study/office/games room/playroom/home cinema...

The château is located 10 minutes away from the riverside towns of Salies-de-Béarn and Orthez. Salies-de-Béarn is famous for its healing thermal spas, so is very popular with visitors throughout the year, many of whom are looking for upmarket accommodation to stay in during their cures.

Both Salies-de-Béarn and Orthez have a great choice of shops and amenities. The closest boulangeries and local shops are only five minutes away; the closest primary school is 1km away in the village. For older children, there are several excellent secondary schools in the area - and the International School of Béarn in Pau (45 minutes away), which follows the English National Curriculum, accepts children of all ages.

THE CHÂTEAU

Garden level (150m²):
- a huge open-plan area to transform into additional accommodation/home cinema/self-contained apartment/offices...
- a utility room with a shower

Ground floor:
- a huge formal entrance hall (40m²) with access out to the grounds
- a sitting room (30m²)
- a dining room (30m²) with an open fireplace
- a library/study/office/games room (23m²)
- a kitchen (14m²)
- a WC with handbasin

First floor:
- a balcony
- a huge landing (30m²) with access to the balcony
- two master bedrooms (30m², 30m²), each with an en suite bathroom (bath, shower, handbasin & WC)
- a third bedroom (20m²) with an en suite shower room (shower & handbasin)
- a fourth bedroom (13m²) with an en suite shower room (shower & handbasin)
- a WC with handbasin

Second floor:
- a sitting room/study/office/games room/playroom (21m²)
- a room which could be used as a children's bedroom/guest bedroom (6m²)
- four loft-style bedrooms (10m², 12m², 13m², 16m²)
- a family bathroom (bath, shower, handbasin & WC)
- a shower room (shower, handbasin & WC)

NB: the rooms on the second floor have sloping ceilings


THE POTENTIAL!

This splendid country residence is currently used as a family home/second home, but also has huge business potential for a tourism-related business. There is much demand for top-quality holiday accommodation in the Béarn and this wonderful château could be transformed into a boutique hotel or a chic B&B, attracting guests who want to be located halfway between the Atlantic coast and the Pyrénées. Demand is especially high during the summer months, the skiing season and for Christmas and New Year.

Easily accessible from the airports at Pau, Biarritz and Tarbes-Lourdes, the château would also be an excellent location for an impressive business headquarters and could be used for hosting corporate seminars and events, with the additional advantage of being able to offer accommodation to participants.

Hosting exclusive weddings and functions would also be a possibility, along with offering upmarket leisure activity holidays, such as painting and photography workshops, tours of the nearby Jurançon vineyards, wine-tasting and cookery courses, yoga and mindfulness retreats or music, dance and drama courses. Murder Mystery weekends and Escape Games would also be fun!

Alternatively, the property could be used as a wellness centre and spa… or even transformed into a beautiful tearoom or restaurant - and the possibility of offering overnight accommodation or relaxing weekend breaks to restaurant diners is something that is very popular in this area.

NB: please note that permission will be required for any change of use


SERVICES & TECHNICAL

Cable internet connection
Heating: electric + open fireplace
Mains water
Well
Septic tank (will need works)
Swimming pool (12m x 4m)
Tennis court (will need works)


THE LOCAL AREA

This lovely château is 1km away from the local village and 10 minutes away from the towns of Salies-de-Béarn and Orthez. The property is 45 minutes away from Atlantic beaches and 90 minutes away from ski resorts in the Pyrénées. In addition, the nearby motorway and TGV train stations are easily accessible from the château, should you need to commute to Bayonne, Pau, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Paris...

The Béarn is very popular with tourists all year round who come to fish or go hiking, mountain climbing, mountain-biking, white-water rafting... During the winter months, the numerous ski resorts in the Pyrénées offer downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snow-shoeing - and during the summer months you can head for the Atlantic coast where you can picnic, swim and surf at Biarritz, St-Jean-de-Luz, Hendaye, Hossegor...

If your interests are gastronomic, visit the daily markets throughout the Béarn, the Landes and the Basque Country to sample the locally produced Jurançon wines, tasty Bayonne ham and fabulous Brebis, which is a cheese made using milk from sheep and eaten with black cherry jam from Itxassou!

Airports: Biarritz, Pau, Tarbes-Lourdes
Train: Orthez, Puyoô, Bayonne, Pau
Coach: Bayonne, Pau, Orthez
Ferry: Bilbao, Santander

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

Attractions: Aqua Béarn, Parc’Ours, Le Petit Train d’Artouste, Le Train de la Rhune, Les Grottes d'Isturitz et d'Oxocelhaya, Grottes de Bétharram, Gorges de Kakuetta, Passerelle d’Holzarte…