Stone Built Farmhouse and Gardens, Idyllic Location

Property Description

Early 19th century stone built farmhouse with outbuildings and extensive English style country gardens. Tranquil rural location whilst close to all amenities.

Ground floor

Entrance hall 3.09m x 2.94m
Tiled floor and understairs cupboard. Hooks for coats. Godin fuelled radiator. Ceiling light fixture. Stairs to first floor. Faces interior courtyard. Front door.

Salon/fifth bedroom 4.34m x 4.50m
Original coloured cement decorative tiles. New beamed oak ceiling. Six spot lights. Electric radiator and Godin fuelled radiator. Electric fuse box. Decorative wainscotting with dado rail over. Faces interior courtyard.

Office 3.09m x 2.94m
Electric radiator. Ceiling light fixture. New dark tiled floor tiles. Window faces lane.

Sitting room 4.73m x 4.39m
Beamed ceiling. Original tiled floor. Decorative wainscotting. Godin fuelled radiator. Wood burning stove in large brick fireplace with oak mantlepiece. Four wall mounted spot lights. Two windows, one facing courtyard and other the main terrace.

Dining kitchen 7.52m x 3.24m
Beamed ceiling. Old and new tiled floor. Shelving and cupboards for storage. Two sets of spot lights plus additional lighting. Godin woodburning stove for heating hot water and radiators and also contains oven and hot plate. Very economic to run. Separate oven, hotplate and extractor fan. Dishwasher. Window facing garden and one facing main terrace. Spacious pantry. Back door.

Rear hall 0.06m x 3.5m
New tiled floor. Ceiling light. Original oak doors in stone surround. Godin fuelled radiator. Window facing main terrace

WC 1.86m x 0.89m
Tiled floor. Ceiling light. Decorative wainscotting.

Family bathroom 2.41m x 2.49m
New sealed tile floor. Spot lights and very quiet extractor fan which works on the light switch. Spot blower heater. Window facing lane. Walk in Italian style shower. Cuboid bath tub. Sink unit with shelving above and below. Decorative wainscotting.

Laundry room 2.32m x 4.20m
Concrete floor. Shelving. Ceiling light. Window facing main terrace. Connections for washing machine and clothing dryer. Electric points and mini sink. Water tank heated by electric for summer months.

First floor

Reached via original oak staircase and handrail

Landing one 1.96m x 2.02m
Original oak floor. Window to courtyard. Electric radiator.

Bedroom one 3.50m x 4.66m
Original oak floor and ceiling. Two windows, one facing main terrace and other courtyard. Electric radiator. Chimney breast rising from living room. Cupboard. Ceiling light.

Bedroom two 4.19m x 4.49m
New oak flooring and original beamed oak ceiling. Wall lights. Electric radiator. Window facing courtyard. Large walk in wardrobe/storage space with shelving.

Landing two 1.96m x 2.02m
Pine flooring

Bedroom three 4.68m x 3.42m
New pine flooring. Double glazed velux. Electric radiator. Ceiling light.

Bedroom four 3.62m x 2.90m
New pine flooring. Double glazed velux. Electric radiator. Ceiling light. Cupboard housing Godin fuelled hot water tank for winter months. Second window facing courtyard. Godin fuelled radiator.

Shower room 1.95m x 1.82m
Velux window. Sink unit. Shower unit. Heated towel rail. Pine floor.

WC 1.98m x 0.91m
Pine floor. Ceiling light. Velux window

Loft 9m x 4m
Spacious loft currently used for storage. Allows visibility of roof structure and oak beams with traditional pin fixings. Picon tiles. Oak floor.

Workshop 10m x 5m
Concrete floor and beamed ceiling. Electricity and water installed. Currently used as tool storage and workshop. Contains water tank and pump from the well. This supplies water for the garden and has never run dry during our 15 years here. Separate locked storage area for sit and ride mower and petrol driven mower.

Barn 120m2 ground floor
Large two storey z shaped barn facing courtyard. Roof and walls in good condition. Has electricity installed

Grounds

Courtyard
Reached from the lane via an antique wrought iron gate and low wall with decorative wrought iron elements. Gravelled. Pavement in front of house. Two movement sensitive wall lights. Decorative planting troughs.

Main terrace
Paved in light pavers and gravel. Working Well with heavy reinforced concrete security top. Water pump and tank in the workshop. Table seating six to eight. BBQ. Flower borders and low walls.

Potager
Contains two long vegetable borders, with excellent soil, raspberry canes for early middle and late fruit and pear tree. Steps down to

First fruit orchard
Apple, cherry, quince, plum trees. Nature pond containing resident frogs, newts and salamanders. Large ornamental fish pond.

Second fruit orchard
Apples and wood store

Main lawn and two long flower borders providing year round interest and planted with a selection of roses, grasses, perennials and self seeded annuals and biennials. Large top field currently looked after by our French neighbour, who takes the hay for his animals. Voluntary arrangement. Beautiful wild Spring flowers including wood anemones, snakes head fritilleries, primroses, cowslips.

Stream and Tenko henhouse.
Tiny trout stream, ruisseau Laborde, flows along edge of the property. Has never flooded into property. Henhouse made of bamboo and is hiding in the bamboo thicket.

Services
The property benefits from mains water and electricity supply and has a Linky meter which is read remotely by EDF. The Well supplies water for the garden and has working pump and new reserve tank. When we bought the property in 2004 we organised local artisans to redo the electricity, plumbing, heating, drainage, terrace, extension, insulation, decoration and various other items. We have maintained the property in good condition and have always undertaken timely repairs. We have separate telephone and internet connections (via a modem) and satellite dishes for both UK and French television. Taxe fonciere 2018 was 1200 euros. Taxe habitation depends on your income. Drainage is by septic tank which was installed in 2004 and I have the current report available for your perusal. I also have full diagnostics including reports on lead, asbestos, termites, electricity, thermal efficiency, technological and other risks etc.

Other information

The property sits at the end of a tiny lane which leads into hectares of mature woodland so peace and tranquility is assured. Woodland paths ideal for dog walkers and horse riders. Full of wild flowers and amazing butterflies. You are just a five minute drive from the vibrant thermal spa town of Salies-de-Béarn (6000 inhabitants) with thermal baths and spa, 5 excellent restaurants including one Michelin star, golf club, tennis club, bike club, arts and music interest groups, music school, twice weekly market and many cultural events during the year, including festivals of French culture, food, arts and music. There are bilingual junior schools in Orthez and Navarrenx. Water skiing and bird watching are close by in Orthez at a 15 minute drive

Skiing is available at the stations of La Pierre St Martin, Gourette and La Mongie. All of these are within one to one and a half drive. The Pyrenees themselves provide year round interest with walking and hiking in the Summer and skiing and cross country skiing in the winter. The Basque and Landaise coast, with the resorts of Biarritz, St Jean de Luz, Hossegor and Capreton are 45 minutes drive. All of these offer excellent swimming and or surfing opportunities. The capital city of the Bearn, Pau, is a university town and a cultural centre with over 100 000 inhabitants.

If you are a keen fisherman, as is my husband, you will be delighted to learn that for under 200 euros, you can obtain an annual license to fish both coarse and fly within the basins of the Gaves of Oloron and Pau. These are class I salmon and trout rivers. They also offer canoe and kayak and white water rafting. Or just the opportunity to laze by the river and watch the weed go by.

Within easy driving distance, of around two to two and a half hours, you can get to Bordeaux, Toulouse, Pamplona and Bilbao. St Sebastian, with its world class tapas and beaches is just an hour.

Airports:Pau and Biarritz (45 mins)
Toulouse, Tarbes Lourdes, Bordeaux
(2.5 hrs)

TGV/LGV: Orthez to Pau direct via Bordeaux

Autoroute: 10 mins A64 runs east to west. New autoroute west of Pau gives you access to the north and carries very little traffic. Existing north south autoroute at Bayonne A63

Google Maps link: copy and paste this into your browser top search bar

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Andrieu,+64270+Salies-de-B%C3%A9arn/@43.4561093,-0.8905706,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0xd56eae41c655355:0x8121cc56bcdf5d58!8m2!3d43.45608!4d-0.873061