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!

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 …

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…

Following the civil war in Spain (1936-1939), Franco’s victory provoked the exile of the Basques and their government, presided over by José Antonio de AGUIRRE.

Father José Luis RODRIGUEZ followed them to Paris and became part of the PNV (Partido Nacionalista Vasco).  This priest was born in Bilbao on 16th October 1904.  He was in charge of catholic publications and was very attached to the Basque culture.  The Caudillo, who forbade the use of the Basque language, Euskara, and, in keeping with his practice of punishing people of the cloth who opposed his regime, banished him.

After the Second World War, his sister Higinia and he came more and more often to Bidart, where they rented a small house on the Corniche belonging to the Etchayde family.  Artists faithful to the Basque tradition, they created a ceramic workshop “Kaïoa” (the seagull), above the Erretegia cliffs that, being rich in clay and shale, provided them with the greater part of their raw materials.  In summer, their friend, Miss Leroux, would sell some of the articles they produced in her local souvenir shop “Fandango” that used to be where the bodega is now.

Pichet Kaioa (photo Martine Castel-Dargassies)

They were thus able to live from the sale of what they produced, supplying customers with a varied range of useful objects (jugs, plates, dishes, cups, etc.) or religious items, such as Madonna and child statues.  The brother and sister used varied colours but green and dark red are more often than not featured along with geometric patterns and decorations inspired by nature.

In 1958 Father José Luis Rodriguez designed the coat of arms that is displayed on the façade of Bidart town hall and which reminds us of the whale fishing history of the port, with the ship, harpoon and Koskenia lighthouse.
The older members of Bidart describe the Priest as being a highly original, intelligent and cultivated man with kind eyes that shone beneath his traditional Basque beret.  He said the daily mass in our church and went to La Roseraie on Sundays for the children of workers in the mining company, the Charbonnages de France, who had been sent on holiday to the Basque Coast.  He also opened his workshop to the children of Bidart where they were able to learn about the art of ceramics; one of these children is now currently working in the renowned porcelain factories in Sèvres.

The cross on his grave where he lies in the cemetery of the parish church is decorated with the head of Christ that he himself made and placed in front of this is a white marble plaque with an engraving “with gratitude from the children of La Roseraie”.

As an illustration of his humour and kindness, M. J. Garat, a Bidart resident, tells this anecdote: “a couple of holiday makers had been in raptures over a beautiful vase and couldn’t decide whether they could buy it or whether they should put it back on the shelf.  He asked “Do you like it?” and as they eagerly told him that they did indeed like the vase, he said “Well then you can take it!  You can send me a cheque when you can….” Flabbergasted, they couldn’t believe their ears, but the Priest insisted and the lucky couple left with their precious pottery…  “You should always trust people”, he said, “and anyway, if they don’t pay, it doesn’t matter….!”

From Martine Castell-Dargassies,   with the particular help of Christiane Sarrasola and Jacques Garat.
100 years of Bidart heritage.

La Crampote d’Erretegia has just opened and it is real happiness for Villa Kaioa.

Just a few meters from Erretegia beach, Jean and Nico welcome you at any time of the day, for a drink, a quick lunch or a good diner by the sea.

Fish or meat « a la plancha », fresh salads and homemade quiches or pies… to enjoy everyone, adults and children, in a wonderful place, with nothing around, just nature.

And these two know how to welcome you friendly, always smiling, always something nice to say. La Crampote has just opened and we already feel good and at ease.

Try it, whatever is the weather : the covered terrace protects from th sun, the rain and the wind!

La Crampotte d’Erretegia is just above the Villa Kaioa, with an easy walking access, by the coastal path.

Phone : +33 559 269 527

When the weather is good, it is easier to use up energy, to do some sports; it is easier to laugh, to eat, to relax and of course all that is very good for us.  However, too few of us really take time out to look after ourselves.
In winter, we feel less dynamic, less relaxed and little more stressed.

So why not take the opportunity of enjoying some spa treatments at the sea-water therapy centre?

Les Thermes Marins in Biarritz, just 3km from Villa Kaioa, has marine energy spa treatments, for women and men, that are designed to put back the punch in our tired bodies.  I must say that, personally speaking, I’m opting for the Beauty and Health treatment, which combines fitness and beauty care, or maybe the “Bulle de Détente” treatment that will enable me to maintain my ZEN state of mind.
Or even, the half-day packages and treatments that can be organised on a made-to-measure basis.

Let me tell you a little secret: the Thermes Marins de Biarritz provides an extra warm welcome for Villa Kaioa visitors.
A 10% discount is given on treatments and packages, 10% on à la carte treatments when the total amount is 60€ and over.
Villa Kaioa visitors may also enjoy half-day access to the sea-water pool with sauna, Turkish bath, aqua gym lessons at a reduced price.

Over a number of years, I led a very active and tiring professional life.  During that time, the only thing that kept me going were the holidays I managed to fit into my busy schedule.  They gave me the opportunity to recharge my batteries – and, Oh boy, did they need recharging!

The atmosphere that I have created for you at Kaioa is friendly, full of fun and laughter.  It has an atmosphere where you will feel especially welcomed.  Kaioa is a charming house, full of good vibrations.  It is a house with a history and it is especially a house where you, too, may recharge your batteries.

But don’t forget that Kaioa is situated in a site of outstanding beauty with a magnificent view.  And the view is important; it shakes off the notion of limits and takes you as far as the eye can see.  As soon as you open the shutters in the morning, you feel soothed; you feel the weight falling from your shoulders.
Kaioa is away from the madding crowd – your only neighbours are the sea and the vegetation, but just a short walk away is the beach or the village centre.

Kaioa, means « seagull » in the Basque language.  For me it is the symbol of liberty and protection (the nest).  It is the home from where you can explore all the possibilities since it will be there to welcome you when you return.

The welcome at Kaioa is like when you visit friends.  The house has been prepared for you.  You will find books, CDs and DVDs, basic kitchen cupboard items such as oil and vinegar, salt and pepper, mustard, sugar, a baguette…
Information about the region and broadband internet access – for those of you who really can’t leave their work behind!

You only have to ask for the help or services that you want.  Would you like the meal to be waiting for you when you arrive on the first evening?  How about some recommendations for sites to visit, excursions, restaurants, etc.  Or even have your reservations made in advance for you – golf, bull-fighting, theatre… just ask.

Winter, spring, summer or fall – all you have to do is call…!
The break you need to recharge your batteries – the villa Kaioa.