Volets Verts

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Gite |2 bedrooms |Sleeps 6

Ayros-Arbouix in Argeles-Gazost

£72–£86 / night
£505–£605 / week

7 nights minimum stay

Changeover Saturday

4 out of 5

5 reviews | Write a review

Key info  Balcony/terrace, car essential, no pets allowed

About the home

Surrounded by mountains - Volets Verts - is situated in the village of Ayros-Arbouix, close to the small town of Argeles-Gazost within the Parc National des Pyrenees. There is plenty to do if you like the outdoors; skiing, walking, cycling, paragliding, climbing, canyoning, rafting, canoeing, golf, tennis, horseriding. There are also many local places of interest, including the pilgrimage site in Lourdes. It is just a 10 minute drive to the grotto from Volets Verts, where you can stay peacefully away from the hustle and bustle of the town. Or if you prefer why not spend some time relaxing at the newly renovated Thermes in Argeles (see www.argeles-gazost.com).

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.

Facilities

Further details indoors:
The sympathetic renovation was completed in March 2010, so the decor and contents are completely new. We hope we have created a pleasant and comfortable space for an ideal holiday base.

Further details outdoors:
Enjoy your croissant and coffee on the sun-drenched terrace.
Enclosed garden for the younger children.

Further details

Welcome pack provided on arrival
Garden shared with owners
English speaking owners on site to answer any questions
Sports massage available by qualified sports massage therapist

Conditions

Pets - on request only
No smoking inside the property
25% deposit required to secure booking. Balance payable 6 weeks prior to arrival.
Refundable breakages cheque of £200. Returned within 7 days of departure, (subject to satisfactory property inspection)

Photos

 

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'Volets Verts'

 

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Winter view from the gite

 

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Double bedroom (1)

 

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Living Area

The Midi-Pyrenees / Hautes-Pyrenees region

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 where at 2,886m in altitude you have 360 degree views all year round - day and night.

The Pyrenees National Park offers stupendous landscapes and its exceptional biodiversity with species who only live in our mountains. The Pibeste nature reserve - the largest in France at over 2,600 hectares - is home to 25 of the 31 known species of birds of prey in mainland France.

The Argeles-Gazost / Ayros-Arbouix area

Whether you 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.

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 - piste (downhill), ski-de-fond (cross country), or rackets (snow shoes) - there is something for everyone. Season - December - April. Ryanair fly from Stanstead to Lourdes (less than 1/2 hours drive from Volets Vert). There are also Easyjet flights from Stanstead into Toulouse and Biarritz (2 hours drive). For information on skiing visit www.n-py.com.

Other outdoor activities include rafting, canoeing, climbing, canyoning, paragliding, golf, tennis, horseriding and swimming. For the younger members of the family there is an outdoor adventure park, a wild animal park, a wild bird reserve, and an aquarium all within 3km.

Why not browse round the weekly market at Argeles or completely relax at one of the many spa / thermes in the area? Or spend some time visiting the many local Artisans and sample some of the excellent regional produce - foix gras, pur brebis (local cheese), and the very palatable Jurancon and Madiran wines.

How to get there

Volets Verts What's nearby: Attractions Restaurants Click map icons for more information

Reset Map

'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: For the serious cyclist the 'European Bike Express' has many pick-up points throughout the UK and our nearest drop-off point is Lourdes (around 20 minutes cycle from us) www.bike-express.co.uk.

Activities near Argeles-Gazost

Reviews

Review: 1 to 3 of 5

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19 Dec 2011

“Location, location, location!” This comfortable and functional rental is ideally located for access to hiking trails and cycling routes. Despite the adjacent road, it was quiet with a pleasant ambience inside and out, including distant views. We were able to cycle from here without going through any busy towns or major roads. Many of the famous cols are within easy reach without having to do more than a 50 mile round trip; Hautacam, Col de Soulor, Col d'Aubisque, Luz Ardiden, Tourmalet, and Pont d'Espagne as well as many other delightful cycle routes especially up towards Lourdes. There's at least one good restaurant within walking distance, and numerous others a short drive or cycle away. The wifi signal was very poor, and needs a booster or perhaps just not to be advertised as otherwise some may be disappointed. We would have liked a dishwasher, but it wasn't the end of the world! The weather was warm and rather cloudy at times, and we had a bit of rain, but my friend in Pau tells me it wasn't a typical summer!

27 Nov 2011

“Almost Heaven” Everything was great about the house-nicely stocked kitchen for cooking and house was very clean! Great location for cyclists as well as hikers. Also, great base for taking day trips to other areas of interest. My only negative is no cable television and wi-fi was very spotty-had to go outside to access internet. Owners on premises were very accommodating and eager to help with reservations, sightseeing, etc.

13 Nov 2011

“Cosy, neat, spacious cottage” We had a very warm welcome. The owners were always prepared to give tips and advice. The property was situated in a quiet area. It is a very clean house with enough privacy. Very good eating facilities in the neighbourhood (500 metres). The only thing we missed a bit was a dish washer and the few channels on the television.

Review: 1 to 3 of 5

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Review: 4 to 5 of 5

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01 Nov 2011

“Stay Here!” I would stay here again in a heartbeat. The guest house was in excellent shape and very well kept and clean. The owners were great people. They were friendly and helpful in finding places to go and just to chat with if you felt like it when you ran into them. The location is a little way from town but, I liked feeling being away from everything and as a cyclist the place is located on a great road for getting to a whole bunch of great rides without having to mix it up with traffic from the towns. It was also just a few minute drive to the store and a few more minutes to downtown argeles. The only thing that I think could have been better was the wifi signal was weak enough to where I sometimes had to go outside to use it. Which was fine most of the time except the rainy afternoons. :) I loved it there. It was hard to leave. Response: Many thanks for your great review. We're glad you enjoyed your stay and look forward to welcoming you again. You'll be pleased to hear we've fixed the wifi problem, so you don't have to sit under the trees now!

23 Aug 2011

“A well equiped gite in the grounds of a larger house in Pyrenees” Very helpful and efficient service from English owners. Light and spacious property recently converted into a gite. Convenient location for both mountains and sight-seeing at Lourdes and Pau and... more

Review: 4 to 5 of 5

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Guestbook for Volets Verts

Thank you for a simply wonderful time in your gite. It has been decorated to a very high standard and had everything we needed for a weeks holiday in the Pyrenees. We will be back. Dr. A. Whitfield & Family

We have all had the most wonderful holiday experience here in the Pyrenees. Having such beautiful accommodation has made the experience even more memorable. We will be recommending your gite to all of our friends and family in Ireland. Hardiman Family

Thank you so much for a fantastic week in your well appointed gite. We can thoroughly recommend it, even though not everyone will have the excitement of seeing the Tour de France pass by twice in one week! David & Rosalind Dyer.

Très bon accueil dans un beau gite où il fait bon s y réfugier aprés une bonne journée de marche. A peine arrières, avons envie de revenier. Très belle règion que celle où vous vivez! Vivement l'année prochaine!! La Famille Serazin, Bretagne.

Thanks to all for the fantastic hospitality. The gite is modern, clean and comfortable - with lots of lovely personal touches that make it feel homely too. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time here and have been overwhelmed by the fantstic scenery, stunning views and variety of things to do. We are planning return visits - Stephanie for skiing, the children for climbing mountains and Patrick for conquering various mountain climbs on his bike! Davis Family, Upminster

Lovely, lovely, lovely!!!
Lovely accommodation - everything we needed and wanted. Tracey & Tim great hosts - helpful but discreet.
Lovely scenery - beautiful, lots to see and do - loved Argeles.
Lovely cycling - big cols - nice valleys - lucky to do Tourmalet twice.
We will be back. Mark & Julie, North Wales

Thank you for a lovely stay. The gite was exactly what we had hoped for (if not bigger than expected!) David made the most of the beautiful weather and the mountains on a daily basis with his bike and I think even he was grateful for a day of rain on Friday if only to give his legs a rest. We will recommend the gite to friends and hopefully visit ourselves again too. David & Asha, Bristol.

Well done Tracey & Tim. A lovely home from home experience, and a lovely location. A lovely experience. We hope to visit you again. A biéntot. Yvonne, Craig, Kate (France) & Allyson (Australia)

Rental prices

Prices for group size 6
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
High Season	26 Feb 11	12 Mar 11	605£ 605	-	-	1 Week
Low Season	12 Mar 11	1 Jul 11	505£ 505	-	-	1 Week
High Season	28 Aug 11	2 Sep 11	505£ 505	-	-	1 Week
Low Season	26 Jan 12	25 Feb 12	505£ 505	-	-	1 Week
High Season	25 Feb 12	10 Mar 12	605£ 605	-	-	1 Week
Low Season	10 Mar 12	30 Jun 12	505£ 505	-	-	1 Week
High Season	30 Jun 12	1 Sep 12	605£ 605	-	-	1 Week
Low Season	1 Sep 12	22 Dec 12	505£ 505	-	-	1 Week
High Season	22 Dec 12	5 Jan 13	605£ 605	-	-	1 Week

The property's weekend rates apply to: Saturday and Sunday nights

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.

We can accept payment by sterling or euro cheque (exchange rate confirmed on day of booking) or cash in euros.

Receipt of 25% deposit cheque secures booking

Refundable damages cheque of £200

Electricity chargeable at 10cents/kw between 15th October and 15th April.

Availability

See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here

Contact the owner

* Required fields Please check the following errors: First name * Last name * Email *   Did you mean ""? Yes / No Phone number Arrival date Departure date   Ignore calendar - enquire anyway No. of adults No. of children Message * Email me special offers and holiday ideas

2 years listed You are contacting Tracey Simmons Landline 33 05 62901374 Mobile n/a Languages spoken The owner is based in France and has advertised with Holiday Lettings since 2010. This gite has received 5 reviews from previous guests.

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