Sengresse

Just across the courtyard from the Domaine is the Petite Maison – not so ‘petite’ but extremely charming. Its white walls tumbled with vines, it has green shutters and outside stone stairs. This solid four-square building, once the estate laundry (‘buanderie’) and bakery (‘boulangerie), is now a superb rustic/deluxe two-storey apartment. Book ‘La Buanderie’ as a luxury apartment for 2, or if you need extra space, ‘La Boulangerie’ sleeps three downstairs, with its own wetroom and access. The baker’s oven and chimney still have pride of place. Throughout, old beams and terracotta tiles form a rustic backdrop to French and English antiques, rich textiles and elegant lighting. One bedroom has a rare Chinese carpet in soft aqua, the other a big bright kilim. The bathroom is stocked with fluffy towels, the kitchen is perfect for cooks. What to visit? Biarritz is a city of style and the Basque villages (Sare, Ascain, Ainhoa) are a delight. Return to three hectares of beautiful grounds for children to wander and a swimming pool shared with the main house.