Le Coeur du Ferret

An Architectural Gem among the Pines of Cap Ferret

On the wooded tip of Cap Ferret, Le Cœur du Ferret is a seven-bedroom villa conceived in the vernacular of the Ferretcapian timber cabin and elevated by a Franco-Mexican design dialogue. Local architect Frédéric Thet (Tdesign Architecture, Bordeaux) shaped the structure around its pine-tree setting. AD100 interior designers Jaune Architecture brought warmth, color, and an art program inspired by Diego Rivera's 1918 stay on this very coast. A dedicated house manager, private chef (high season), and the included Iconic Kate electric car make the whole thing feel less like a rental and more like someone else's very good life.

The brief that Thibaud Elzière and Robin Michel—the brothers behind Iconic House—brought to Frédéric Thet began with timber and ended in Mexico. The discovery that Diego Rivera spent the summer of 1918 on this Atlantic coast, where the light reminded him of home, gave designers Jaune Architecture the thread they needed: a house that is legibly French in structure and quietly tropical in soul, with colored enamelled lava floors and a palette drawn from both Provençal warmth and Mexican vibrancy.

Inside, the living and dining areas occupy a generous open-plan arrangement anchored by a fireplace. A semi-professional kitchen is stocked with a wine cellar and full bar. The color-coded bedroom programme—each of the seven rooms assigned its own hue—runs from pool-facing king suites with baths to garden-view rooms with walk-in showers. Treca bedding and La Serviette linens ensure the tactile experience matches the visual one. A Sonos sound system operates throughout, and high-speed internet has a backup connection.

A heated yellow pool sits at the center of the plot, secured and surrounded by large timber terraces. An cinema under the pines seats 14, and a kitchen with plancha and bar extends evenings naturally outdoors. A wellness corner with outdoor sauna and sports equipment completes the picture. The garden was planted with native species, preserving the filtered-light quality of the surrounding Landes pine forest.

What we love

Le Cœur du Ferret is the kind of place that makes you understand why people become Cap Ferret obsessives. Frédéric Thet's timber cabin and Jaune Architecture's Franco-Mexican interiors give it real character. This isn't a rental that's been styled into submission. The yellow pool arranged hacienda-style under the pines is the detail that stays with you, and with a dedicated house manager, a private chef through July and August, and the Iconic Kate electric car in the drive, a 15-person stay somehow feels effortless rather than logistically terrifying.

Layout

This vacation home for rent in Cap Ferret, Gironde, France sleeps up to 15 guests. The 350m² main house holds six en-suite bedrooms:

One king with bath and pool view

One king with walk-in shower and pool view

One king with walk-in shower and garden view

One Family Suite with king bed, walk-in shower, dedicated children's space and a built-in giant Connect 4

One king with walk-in shower and pool view

One king with bath and pool view

At the foot of the garden, an independent cottage called Le Cabanon offers a king bed, walk-in shower, and private terrace. All seven bedrooms are en suite.

Experiences

On-site and local experiences include guided oyster-farm tours, cycling routes through the forest, surf lessons at Atlantic breaks including Grand Crohot and Truc Vert, in-home massage treatments, ceramics classes (workshop or at home), and aperitif by pinasse (traditional flat-bottomed boat) at a tchanquée cabin on the bay.

Good to know

The included Iconic Kate electric car is at guests' disposal throughout the stay, and private transfers from Bordeaux Saint-Jean TGV station and Bordeaux Mérignac Airport can be arranged on request through the house manager. Cap Ferret's peninsula road is the only access by car, and the property is not currently accessible without one. Babies and young children are well catered for, with dedicated baby equipment on site.

Amenities & services

Heated pool, outdoor cinema (14 seats), outdoor kitchen with plancha and bar, outdoor sauna, outdoor sports equipment, yoga equipment, semi-professional kitchen, wine cellar, honesty bar (Ruinart champagne and spirits), fireplace, library, air conditioning, Sonos sound system throughout, high-speed internet with backup connection, streaming services (Netflix, Disney+), Treca bedding, la serviette bed linen, dedicated workspace, ping pong, table football, pétanque, barbecue, golf cart, dedicated kids' room and baby equipment, board games, house manager (included), daily housekeeping (included), breakfast (included), concierge service (included), private chef (high season: July and August), electric car (Iconic Kate, included), private transfers on request, full art program curated by Joséphine Fossey office, terraces

Around

Cap Ferret is a sand-spit peninsula in the Gironde, separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Arcachon Basin, a bay famous for its oyster farms and tchanquée cabins on stilts. The Pointe neighborhood, where the property sits, clusters the peninsula's most-discussed restaurants: Chez Hortense is a matter of meters away and remains the standard reference for grilled fish. The surf breaks of Grand Crohot and Truc Vert are within easy cycling distance. Arcachon, with its Belle Époque villa district and ferry connection, lies across the bay. The Dune du Pilat, the tallest sand dune in Europe, is accessible by car from the south side. A car is essential for exploring beyond the peninsula.