The villa Kaioa has still some availabilities in june and july 2012. Do not be surprise not to find the prices : they aren’t on the website because they change depending on the season. Please ask for them!

The villa Kaioa is already booked at the dates you wanted?  Ask for another villa in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, for 9 people.

Different from the villa Kaioa by its size, it is well located too.

In the heart of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, in the residential area « Aïce Errota », 500m from the beach and the main street. Most of the places are at walking distance (beach, shops, market, restaurants, the harbour, the railway station …). Golfers will appreciate the 2 golfs of the town : La Nivelle and Chantaco.

The villa, which has been owned by the same family for 3 generations, was designed by the architect, André Pavlovski, renowned for his large villas with spacious accommodation.

The villa (250m²) has a large living room (60m²) that opens out onto the terrace and garden, a fully equipped kitchen, and a bedroom for one person and bathroom on the ground floor. Upstairs, there are 4 bedrooms for 2 people each, 2 of which have access to the upper floor terrace, and 3 bathrooms.

The website is still under construction. Ask for any information…

In the market place, in front of the Market Hall, by the Nive riverside, the Bayonne Ham fair is the rendez-vous of the authentic regional produce.

A festival for the gourmets with the best of Bayonne Ham, of course and the best of  foies gras, ducks, honeys, basque cakes, Espelette pepper, taloak…

The fair is a serious affair : more than a hundred of hams are competing the title of the best Bayonne Ham!

A serious affair too because the 2nd edition of the « plancha » cooking championships will take place the 6th and the 7th, by 11 am.

Aside these serious affairs, the fair is a time for conviniality and exchanges, a time to have fun, with music, songs, dances and … gastronomy!

I am often asked what happens at Villa Kaioa in winter… insinuating that life must be somewhat boring. Ha ha! (peals of laughter!), well let’s see….

If you have come to relax, you will be able to take long walks along the beach. At low tide it is possible to walk from Bidart to Biarritz, to Ilbarritz beach and even Milady beach, or head south to Guéthary. The colours of winter, the deep blue of the sea and the transparent blue of the sky are there to be contemplated. Walkers are lullabied by the incessant and soothing back-and-forth whoosh of the waves.

Or you can go hiking in the mountains and be enchanted by the beauty of the winter landscapes. If it’s a rainy day, you can relax at the swimming pool or in the bubbling baths at the thalasso, sea-water spa. You can try out some yoga positions or have lunch while contemplating the sea through the window or in the garden, depending on the weather. When night falls, you can catch the latest films at cinemas in Biarritz or Saint-Jean-de-Luz, drink tea or hot chocolate or simply curl up with a good book by the fireplace at Villa Kaioa.

Sports lovers will have a whale of a time! The beach is there for your daily jogging session. You may possibly be tempted to surf the waves alongside local surfers. Golfers will be able to choose from the 12 courses in the near vicinity and easily find a tee-off time to suit them. Beginners to the game will have a wealth of golf lesson courses to choose from at Ilbarritz golf course. Why not have a day on the slopes skiing – the nearest ski resorts are just an hour’s drive away; they’re not crowded and access by car is a piece of cake. If your timing is right, you will be able to go to a rugby match and cheer the Biarritz Olympique or Aviron Bayonnais teams. In the evening, famished by all that fresh air and physical exercise, you will be able to finish the day with a delicious meal at one of the many excellent restaurants in the area.

If you are more interested in discovering the Basque Country, winter is a good time to visit as there are fewer tourists. Touring the countryside by car is easy and typical Basque Country villages are waiting to welcome you: Ascain, Sare, Ainoa, or why not head further south into Spain and visit the village of Urdax. Take the coast road and you will be able to visit Guéthary, Saint-Jean de Luz, and see the church where Louis 14^th married the Spanish Infanta before crossing the border at Hendaye and heading off to Fontarrabia and San Sébastien. One thing is sure – you will adore the marvellous land and seascapes.Timelapse Pays Basque par David Othondo sur youtube

Take a visit to Bayonne and learn about the Basque people at the Musée Basque, or see the works of art at the Musée Bonnat. You can meditate for a while in the cloisters of the Cathedral before wandering around the quaint narrow streets of old Bayonne. Winter is a busy time for local fairs: spend a day at the Pottok horse fair in Hélette or Espelette, go to the sledge-dog meeting in Iraty, participate in the activities organised on the Cave Day, or join the festivities that surround the annual fairs that celebrate the local produce: cider, Bayonne hams or Espelette pimento peppers. Or else, you might choose to see how the local craftsmen and women make Makilas, Gateau Basque and chocolate… Or even try your hand at cooking some local specialities such as Axoa, Garbure or any recipe that includes duck!Foie gras renversé d\’Alain Darroze

My advice for a marvellous week’s holiday is to try a little of everything and enjoy all that a stay at Villa Kaioa in winter has to offer!

Since last october, the villa Kaioa is on Tripadvisor.

A good thing for those who want to read some reviews…

http://www.tripadvisor.com/VacationRentalReview-g562702-d2117250-Villa_Kaioa-Bidart_Basque_Country_Pyrenees_Atlantiques_Aquitaine.html#reviews

Rendezvous at 8pm on Friday in front of the church in Urrugne. We arrived punctually, although rather surprised by the time scheduled for a dinner in Spain. Then, having organised who was going in which car, we hit the road!

Exit Donostia- Saint Sébastien, direction Guernica, and just 45 minutes later we were in Astigarraga. We drove past the nearest cider houses, up a steep road and there we were…

The ribs of beef were already grilling on the barbecues, filling the air with tantalising smells that instantly made out mouths water with impatience.

“Sortzi gira… there are eight of us.”

As soon as we stepped inside, the giant barrels started spouting their cider. The idea is to stand at a certain distance from the barrel with the glass at the ready and everyone takes it in turns to catch the fountain of cider. The whole process was great fun and there was much jollity among the many people who had arrived before us even though we were there quite early.

At our table we pushed the benches away and ate standing up – a tradition dating back to the time when the cider houses where just cider production mills.

We went to get our first glass of cider. The opening is sealed up with beef fat. The landlord removed it and the cider gushed out. Each in turn, we placed our glasses in just the right place away from the barrel so that the cider has the chance to be aerated before ending its flight in our glass. We served ourselves to just a little at a time so that we could drink the cider at a fresh temperature.

One barrel at a time; then P. closed it up again and went to open another one.

In the meantime, the salt cod omelette had arrived at our table. No plates, just a serving dish, cutlery and bread. We served ourselves directly from the dish – delicious! From time to time, we went to get another glass of cider. It was all very friendly and there was the opportunity to chat with people from other tables who came, like us, to refill their glass. There were a lot of people speaking Basque as well as Spanish. It was easy to chat as everyone was standing up.

After the omelette, came the salt cod – cooked to perfection and with just enough garlic. And then, the ribs of beef that we had seen cooking on the barbecue. We cut small slices so that it was easy to eat, the only problem being that the meat went cold quite quickly.

To finish, we had cheese with membrillo (quince jelly) and walnuts…

After such a wonderful evening, we couldn’t go home empty-handed! We bought some bottles of cider so that at least our drivers could taste and enjoy once we were safely home…

From the 1st to 18th june, one massage a day for one person offered during your time at Villa Kaioa’s.

For a week or a week-end…

A week in june : 2400€ with 6 massages
“Summer half term”  31 may-4 june or 1-5 june : 1600€ with 3 massages
“Pentecote” : 9-13 june or 10-14 june : 1600€ with 3 massages

To book, write “RELAX” in your message http://www.biarritz-villa-kaioa.com/uk/reserve-to-villa-kaioa.php

The villa Kaioa is for 6 persons.

Summer 2011, a week is still available form 16th to 23rd july : 3200€

… a morning in may …

The Chronoplus bus network has, since the beginning of 2011, been providing Bidart with 3 main bus routes, 2 of which pass close to the Villa Kaioa.

Line A1, at the end of the lane, Corniche de la Falaise at the corner of the main road; it leaves from Uhabia and passes by the railway station at La Négresse, Biarritz before going through the centres of Biarritz, Anglet and Bayonne, stopping at Bayonne railway station, before terminating its service in the Bayonne Navarre neighbourhood. Buses run every 20 minutes.

Line 12 starts in the centre of Bidart and goes through several of the different neighbourhoods of Bidart, just like the summer shuttle service did. The route then goes on to the railway station at La Négresse, Biarritz, passing through the Izarbel Science and Technology Business Park. Buses run every 40 minutes in winter.

Another line, line C, leaves the Izarbel Science and Technology Business Park and goes to the centre of Bayonne along the RN 10 main road.

Bus route map and timetable: www.chronoplus.eu

There are moments like this on the Basque Coast, where everything comes together at the right moment to make us happy. Whole weeks of sunny and mild weather when we can soak up the energy and recharge our batteries. The sky is the purest of blues. I have never seen this blue anywhere else – it is so luminous and translucent. The deep blue colour of the sea is a stark contrast to the white of the foaming waves that crash onto the rocks. Further along, running over the sandy beach, the sea takes on hues of green and turquoise as it calls to the surfers to come and play…

The magic of long strolls along the coast, walks in the Pyrenees… everyone is smiling and relaxed. Paths cross, greetings are exchanged and everyone agrees that we are lucky to be here.

At Villa Kaioa it is possible to have lunch outside. There’s no reason to deprive ourselves…

I tell myself that those who can go on holiday in winter are really lucky…

Walk along the ocean in winter… breath… cover the links of the Biarritz and Saint-Jean de Luz golfs, in spring… play … enjoy the villages fêtes…dance… have some yoga postures in front of the sea views … meditate … discover gastronomy and taste local food… feel good … swim in the waves in september… have fun… hike in the Pyrenees and climb up to the « Rhune », in automn… move… marvel at the landscape beauty… get back in touch with your inner self… have an evening in front of the cosy fire, in winter… get relaxed…

Whatever be the season, you’ll find peace at the villa Kaioa… best wishes for 2011…