Sunny Arcachon living room with antiques, oriental rugs, and balcony
Location: Arcachon, Aquitaine, France, Europe (45 min from Bordeaux Arprt, Paris TGV train direct in 4 hrs) View Map
Accommodations: Condominium, 2 Bedrooms + Convertible bed(s), 2 Baths (Sleeps 4-6)
You will love this sunny condo apartment and Arcachon, France!
A destination resort with beautiful beaches and boardwalks, Arcachon is the largest town on the Bay of Arcachon, which empties into the Atlantic just 45 minutes west of Bordeaux. The bay is Europe's oyster capital, and is a commercial and sport fishing center as well. Beautiful beaches (both on the bay and the ocean!) and all kinds of water sports and shopping await you in town, or you can use it as a base to explore the Bordeaux wine country or the Basque region (Pyrenees Mountains) and Spain.
Your toddlers will love the calm waters at the beach on the bay, and your teenagers will safely find lots to do within walking or biking distance; it's a great spot for families of all ages!
The condo is the ENTIRE very private top floor of a 4-story modern building, with elevator. It's a two block walk to the beach, and three blocks to the shopping district. It has two bedrooms; one with a queen bed, and one with two twin beds. There are three balconies, a large double living/dining room with two sofabeds, lovely antiques and oriental rugs; a full bath with tub and in-tub shower, a tiled shower/sink room off the twin bed room, plus a "WC" powder room off the kitchen. With three sinks in the various bathrooms it never feels too crowded! Large by French standards, the condo is 863 square feet decorated in French blues and yellows, plus 295 square feet of balconies.
NEW for 2006: AIR CONDITIONING!! (la CLIME!)
and for 2007: Laptop in condo for your use with WIFI and free long distance calling!
The condo is on a very quiet residential street, but in five minutes you can walk into "centre ville", the wonderful large French daily market, the casino, the park, all the cute shops, and many restaurants. There are walking and tourist train tours of the area's unique "arcachonnais" architecture, which is sort of a cutesy Victorian. (Belle Epoque)(Click on link below to the tourist bureau's website to see photos of the bay and the town.) Many tourist boat excursions and ferries leave from the pier, a five-minute walk away from the condo. If the bay is too tame you can ride the ferry across to the ocean side at Cap Ferret and take surfing lessons, or learn to hang glide off the Dune de Pilat, the largest sand dune in Europe! Kite surfers have an ocean beach too.
The condo is equipped with all linens, and ample cookware for the gourmet chef. An oyster purveyor (a personal friend of the owner)has a stand just around the corner, and you will enjoy trying the croissants and the pain au chocolat each morning from the many bakeries within walking distance. The town market is open daily, too. The area restaurants have varied cuisines: Basque, Morrocan, Indian, Thai, Chinese, Italian and many, many seafood choices along with traditional French.
There is NO TV but there are plenty of books to borrow and read, plus games to play with the family, and toys for the beach. There are DVDs to watch on the laptop, and CDs to play on the stereo. Even a guitar for the musician in your party!
Great day trips: St. Emilion for wine tasting and visit of the beautiful medieval town; Bordeaux for it's bistros, churches, designer shopping, museums, and antique dealers; Biarritz for lunch at the gorgeous Hotel du Palais; St. Jean de Luz for 15th century church, quaint port, and great Basque shopping; San Sebastian, Spain for the Paris-like city and great 3-star dining; Paulliac for lunch and tours of Mouton Rothschild and Chateaux Margaux; the amazing Chateau La Roquetaillande belonging to Montaigne's descendants, and Chateau La Brede, Montesquieu's former residence; the very chic Caudalie spa for massages and lunch. Or just spend your time relaxing in Arcachon on the beautiful beach!
Arcachon is easy to get to: you can fly to Bordeaux from European hub airports and rent a car, or take the "TGV" fast train from either Charles de Gaulle airport or from the Gare Montparnasse in downtown Paris. (Good option if you want to spend a few days in Paris!) At least one train daily from Montparnasse station is direct all the way to Arcachon, and from Charles de Gaulle airport you can change trains easily at the Bordeaux train station. From the train station in Arcachon it's a seven minute walk to the condo, so a car is not necessary unless you want to explore!
The condo is owned by Ann Sanford, a veteran (31 years!) Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch in Toledo, Ohio, USA, and avid francophile. Ann can help you plan your trip to Arcachon and give you lots of tips if you want to spend time in Paris or other regions of France as part of your vacation.
Make sure and check the link below to the rental calendar, which is religiously updated for all available weeks, before you email or call. You can also view the Guestbook for comments from past visitors. Thanks for viewing this! Bon voyage!
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Air Conditioning
- Washer: washer-dryer all-in-one unit
- Linens Provided: lots of towels including beach towels!
- Garage: garage available during high season when street parking is difficult.
- Elevator
- Beds
- Queen Bed
- Twin/Single Bed
- Convertible Bed
- Entertainment
- CD Player
- Stereo System
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen
- Cooking Utensils Provided
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Outdoor Features
- Balcony
- Communications
- Telephone
- Free Long Distance: free calling to the U.S.
- Computer: laptop in condo for your use
- Broadband Internet
- WiFi (Wireless Internet)
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Activities (on site and nearby)
- Golf
- Tennis
- Zoo/Wildlife Park
- Shopping
- Sightseeing
- Restaurants
- Kayaking
- Sailing
- Boating
- Waterskiing
- Parasailing
- Jet Skiing
- Shelling
- Swimming
- Snorkeling/Diving
- Surfing
- Windsurfing
- Biking
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Fitness Center/Gym
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Antiquing
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Live Theatre
- Museums
- Horseback Riding
- Other Activities
- Wine Tasting, Aquarium, Hang-gliding, Canoeing, Petting Zoo, Water Park, Thallassotherapy Spa
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
High Season ...... (Jul-Aug) .... $1600/week.
Shoulder Season .. (Jun & Sep) .. $ 1200/week.
Low Season (all other months).... $ 900/week.
Rentals are Saturday to Saturday in high and shoulder seasons.
Discounts for multiple weeks: subtract 5% for each additional week
To reserve, a deposit of 10% will hold your week(s).
The remainder is due 30 days before your arrival.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Map & Owner's Profile
Penthouse Condo Close to Beach in Arcachon, France
Year Purchased: 2000
Why the Owner Chose Arcachon
Ann fell in love with Arcachon while visiting friends. It's architecture, weather, and culture make it the perfect place to spend a week or six months. The town is full of interesting shops, great restaurants, and the whole west coast of France is one long beach! Pop stars, ballets, and operas come to town frequently, and you can also take the train to Bordeaux for cultural events there. Did we mention the wine?
The Unique Benefits at this Condominium
Ann is obsessive about equiping her apartment with everything one needs to have a happy stay, from hair dryers and magnifying mirrors to crepe pans and oyster knives. With free calling and to the U.S. and free computer/wifi use you can enjoy your home away from home to the fullest. Ann is always available to answer questions and give tips on France travel, and truly enjoys meeting the families who visit Arcachon. Two renters have gone so far as to buy apartments in town themselves!
Yes, it's a real casino! Not huge but you can play slot machines and other games. In French, of course!
The station is about a 7 minute walk to the condo, and has trains to Bordeaux about every half an hour, plus one train a day direct to Paris.
The market is a must-see, full of fresh fish from the local fishermen, oysters from the bay, cheese, meat, bread, and several places to buy prepared dishes like Moroccan couscous. The roast chickens a
My friend Pascal Petit has an oyster stand here which is open daily, and he will shuck them for you if you ask. Bring the platter from the dining room and fill it up!
Owner's Map of Arcachon
Ann Sanford is a 31-year veteran Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch in Toledo, Ohio. She spent her junior year in Paris in 1973-74, and has been a Francophile ever since. She grew up in southeastern Ohio on a family farm which raises Angus beef cattle. Ann graduated magna cum laude from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1975 and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa there. She serves on countless non-profit boards and committees in Toledo, and was recently given the YWCA Milestones award for Volunteerism.
Property Photos
- Sunny Arcachon living room with antiques, oriental rugs, and balcony - Arcachon, Aquitaine, France - Explore the Bordeaux Wine Country!
- Double living room with antique baker's rack and sofa beds - Arcachon, Aquitaine, France - Explore the Bordeaux Wine Country!
- Queen size bed and antiques in main bedroom in Arcachon - Arcachon, Aquitaine, France - Explore the Bordeaux Wine Country!
- The perfect place for reading, cocktails, or lunch
- Main bath with deep tub and shower
- You'll enjoy the entire top floor of this building with 3 balconies
- Powder room
- Entrance with antique pier glass
Guest Comments (21)
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #25312
There have been 39422 visitors to this page since the counter was last reset in 2003.
This listing was first published here in 2003.
Date last modified - July 01, 2009

Positive Rating
Maggi , Detroit, MI
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Michelle Sheppard , New Canaan, Connecticut
Homeowner Response:
The not using water at night is just a courtesy to the neighbors below, common in France, which I ask people to try and observe...not an ultimatum----Ann
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Konni Bostleman , Toledo, Ohio
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Mary , St. Louis Park, MN
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Gill , Liverpool, England
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Konni Bostleman , Toledo, Ohio
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Jennifer Delamare , Los Altos, CA USA
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Diane , Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Kristi Crosby , Camp Verde, TX