Our Region - La Chalosse / Les Landes
Ideally located within easy reach of the Pyrenees moutains, the Atlantic Beaches and the Spanish border
We are located in the Chalosse region of Les Landes in South West France, just an hour thirty from the Pyrenees and one hour the sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast. Winter snow sports and summer beach activities make the region an ideal lifestyle choice for an all-year-round holiday home or a main residence. France has always been a popular holiday destination due to its close proximity to the UK, its great climate, its gastronomic delights, its accompanying wines and its endless culture. Despite these obvious attractions of France as a country, the far southwest tip remains comparatively little known to the foreign visitors. Most people have heard of Biarritz, the town with its exquisitely restored ancient façades, famous for its world class surfing but Pau, as a city, remains little known and yet it is just one hour inland. Apart from its historical and picturesque city centre, Pau also boasts a significant number of key business sectors from aeronautics; geosciences and oil & gas; IT process and communication and equine sector. Pau is also a university town, home to 9,000 or so students, which give a youthful buzz to the historic city. This is the Les Landes / Chalosse bit see if there is anything that we want to add to the intro blurb In vogue since the glamorous heydays of the 1920’s, the Landaise coastline is famous for its sailing, surfing, outdoor sports and fresh markets. The vibrant town of Hossegor plays host each year to the International surfing competitions. Central to the town is the 4 star 18 holes golf course. Other key resorts include Cap Breton, Contis sur Mer and Seignosse, Vielle Saint Girons and Vieux-Boucau all popular spots for surfing. The genuine breath of the cool fresh air, found amidst the vast pine forests, is often a welcomed relief during the long summer months. It’s largely thanks to the orders of Napolean III that the deserted marshlands were drained and planted with countless pine trees. The Courant d’Huchet Nature Reserve, known as the Small Amazon of Les Landes, is a picturesque site offering discovery paths, guided tours and boat rides which attracts tourists, bird watchers and hikers throughout the year. For a memorable weekend away, check out the Cabanes du Menoy. Pau airport serves daily flights to Paris plus regular flights to Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Strasbourg, Lille and Ajaccio in Corsica. The neighbouring airports of Biarritz, Lourdes, Toulouse and Bordeaux serve the UK directly. TGV to Paris (4 hrs). Road Network Links : A65 to Bordeaux in 2hrs; A64 to Biarritz under 1hr; A64 to Toulouse within 2hrs |
The coast
Our 95m² stone cottage, once the old buanderie where cooking and laundry were done, has been fully renovated into a charming and comfortable retreat for two.
The spacious open-plan bedroom occupies the entire first floor, while downstairs features a large, well-equipped kitchen and living area with views over the rolling hills of the Chalosse.
Guests can enjoy a private garden with BBQ area and shared access to the swimming pool.
The mountains
Some of the finest hiking in the Pyrenees is easily accessible as a day trip. A highly recommended option is a scenic circuit around Lescun, a 2–3 hour walk that climbs 270 metres above the village and offers spectacular views year-round.
For those seeking more of a challenge, summiting Pic d’Anie or Pic d’Ansabère is achievable in a day. The area around Pic du Midi d’Ossau also offers many beautiful trails—on a hot day, don’t miss the chance to cool off with a swim in one of the mountain lakes.
After your hike, Lescun is the perfect place to relax with a cold beer and take in the views.
Traditions & Festivals
Annual fête Montaut, 1st Saturday in September, corse landais, music, repas dans la rue
Music Festivals, international Jazz festival, music in the streets all through the town, headliners on main stage
The Ecological Museum of Marqueze in Sarbres was created in 1969 to pass down the patrimony of Les Landes to future generations by reconstituting the life of the locals in the 1800s. Accessed by an authentic 1903 steam train, the site offers a fun and educational day out for the children.
Le Course de Vaches Landaise is one of the longstanding traditions of Les Landes.
Music festivals are in abundance in Les Landes with The Arte Flamenco hosted in Mont de Marsan in July; the Aout of Jazz in Capbreton; Latinossegor in Hossegor; L’Art Scène de Rue Festival in Saint Sever and Musicalarue Sur Un Plateau in Luxey featuring International artists.
Gastronomy
For gastronomic experiences, the world-renowned chef, Michel Guérard’s offers two restaurants in Eugénie les Bains; Les Prés d’Eugénie, which has held 3 Michelin Stars since 1977 and La Ferme Aux Grives offering wonderful hearty local food.
Within the same grounds, The Ferme Thermale Spa offers spa treatments with the deep benefits of the town’s age old thermal springs.
The Spa town of Dax was home to the first spa complex built in 1894. Clemenceau, Sarah Bernhardt, Sacha Guitry and celebrities from all walks of life contributed to giving a prestigious touch to thermalism in the town. Check out Splendid Hotel Spa and Sourceo.
Historic Towns & Architecture
Mont de Marsan, known as the ‘Ville aux Trois Rivieres’, is the prefecture town for the Landes department, and is located equidistant between the coast and the mountains. Founded in the Middle Ages, Mont de Marsan was a bustling and active harbour town from the 13th to the 19th century. Traces of its history as the principal fortified town of Les Landes can be found everywhere, and in particular in the impressive the 13th century tower, le Donjon Lacatave now housing the Musée Desplau-Wlérick dedicated to 20th century French sculpture, the museum hosts nearly 22,000 pieces.
South of Mont de Marsan lies one of the most important Medieval towns, Saint Sever situated on the Voie de Vézelay pilgrim route toward Saint Jacques de Compostelle. The town boasts six historic monuments, the most renowned being its 11C Benedictine Abbey listed as a historic monument by UNESCO in 1911.
Brocantes
Locally throughout the year many local villages and towns hold annual vide greniers, a chance to hunt out and buy a few bargains!
Pau bric à brac – every Saturday morning; Dax Antique market – first Thursday of the month; Mont de Marsan – first Wednesday of every month; Mont de Marsan – annual antique fair in May; Port de Lanne annual antique fair in August, where most of the village is packed with antique and brocante stalls and Bayonne – every Friday.
Cycling
This area of France, Les Landes, is fantastic for cycling, offering something for everyone—from casual riders to serious cyclists.
The tourist office in Saint-Sever provides a great resource: a collection of 50 different cycling routes varying in length and difficulty, covering the diverse landscapes of Les Landes. These include routes through the local countryside, to historic landmarks, through pine forests, and along the Atlantic coast.
A scenic ‘voie verte’ (greenway) follows an old railway line through Montaut. It connects to Saint-Sever in one direction and stretches about 40 km in the other direction to the spa town of Dax.
Another popular, mostly flat ride is the dedicated cycle path from Mont-de-Marsan to the beautiful medieval bastide town of Labastide-d’Armagnac.
For even more route options, apps like Bikemap are great for discovering quiet country roads and planning rides throughout the region.
Local information
Guide de Landes – Festive events
Getting around in Landes – includes transportation to and within, plus things to do
How to get to Landes – transportation options
The Atlantic Coast – tourist information
Live Webcams – Atlantic Coast
Centre Aquatique de la Cité Verte – Hagetmau