Domaine L'Ermitage

A Former Farm Turned Country Estate in Southwest France

A seven-hectare wooded estate for up to 14 guests, this stony country house offers seven bedrooms and six bathrooms, plus such a wealth of indoor and outdoor living amenities that it feels like a private resort.

The expansive grounds hold a saltwater pool, badminton and boules courts, jacuzzi, barbecue, outdoor kitchen, brazier, organic garden, and even a river. There is also a large space which can be used for yoga.

The home’s interior is equally well-serviced, the revamped stone barn’s transformation revealing original beams and stone, and repurposed architectural elements as furnishings. The polished concrete floors give the place a spare, modern feeling, with local antique market finds and a central fireplace in the living room. The bedroom suites, named for the owners’ horses, are double occupancy with en-suite bathrooms and desks.

The oversized terrace ensures that outdoor living is at the heart of any stay. Overlooking the forested, seven-hectare lot, it offers views of meadows and hills, and the bucolic riverside, with its dining and lounging zone. There are no neighbors in sight, and the home’s former riding quarry has been reconfigured as a family play space, with table tennis, and badminton, boules and soccer, plus a yoga studio with country views. The terrace’s outdoor kitchen space is outfitted with a plancha and brasero, with dining under the shade of the trees, and the vast deck stands adjacent to the saltwater pool and jacuzzi terrace.

Layout

Ground floor/split level: Open-plan living-kitchen-dining space, lounge-library with fireplace, Best Sholo bedroom with bathroom (shower), Paladine bedroom with bathroom (tub), split-level Alary bedroom with bathroom (tub), Princesse d'Anjou with bathroom and private terrace

Garden level: Enjoy de Keroué bedroom with bathroom (shower) and direct garden access

Upper level: Neptune de Sartene bedroom, Vent du Large bedroom, shared bathroom with tub

Experiences

The property also offers curated activities, from massages and wellness treatments to ceramic ateliers, basket weaving or cooking classes. Horseback riding tours are available on site, and seminars, events and photo shoots are also possible. Hikers can take to the woods on property, and the river offers fishing, wading and splashing opportunities.

A shop on the estate offers local products (food, prepared items, wine) for purchase, and rental bikes are available as well.

This setup is perfectly suited for seminars, wellness stays, and yoga retreats. Please inquire for details.

Around

Situated at the crossroads of three French regions, where the Landes, Béarn and Basque Country meet, this country estate is set on seven hectares that includes woodlands, a river and meadows. For those seeking sand and surf, the famed Atlantic surf town of Biarritz is about 55 kilometers (or 40 minutes) away.

The owner, Agathe, was born in the region, and offers a list of recommended regional activities, sights, and restaurants. The town of Hastingues is about five kilometers from the estate, a cobbled-street village of ancient homes and a small square. Bidache’s medieval architecture is a regional draw, and the sturdy Chateau de Bidache ruin, also known as Gramont Castle for the lords who built in the 14th and 15th centuries, is a registered historic monument that offers big Bidouze Valley panoramas, with the Pyrenees visible in the distance.

The stylish small city of Biarritz offers plenty of activity, from surfing and swimming to restaurants, bars and nightlife, to upscale boutique shopping and elegant oceanfront architecture. The thermal spa town of Dax is a bit closer at 30 kilometers and is known for its Belle Epoque architecture.