SW France

Gastronomy 

In true Gascon style, the local people maintain a strong and respectful connection with the land and produce excellent quality food and wine. With a wealth of markets in the region, you have the opportunity to sample fresh local vegetables, fruits, cheeses and specialities, including duck and foie gras. A visit to the Saturday morning market at Mont-de-Marsan is a must for its amazing range of local produce, including seafood and oysters, hams, cheeses and breads as well as fruit and vegetable. Alternatively a visit to St Sever market on a Saturday morning or Amou market on a Sunday morning.

In the summer there are night markets / marchés de nuit with local specialities and restaurants open until late so you can enjoy the warm evenings in a great atmosphere.  You can also sample local dishes at restaurants in Saint Sever, Hagetmau and the local area. Several restaurants in the area are recommended by the Michelin Guide (from Michelin Plate through to three Michelin Stars, offering a variety of menus for different budgets).

Alternatively why not try either a local traiteur to deliver prepared dishes or book a private chef to come here and cook for your group. Dineindulge offers a range of menus from two courses to their luxury nine tasting menu with an easy online booking system. A professional chef will come here and prepare everything for you. Please see the website as you will need to book in advance.

San Sebastian, Spain & Pyrenees

You can tour the Corniche, an amazing stretch of coastline before Spain with walks and venture further into Spain to visit San Sebastian with its internationally recognised cuisine and Spanish culture (just under 2 hour's drive from Pyron).

You can further explore many amazing villages and towns dotted along the Pyrénées (St Jean-Pied-de-Port, Gourette and Gavarnie are all well worth visiting), all providing opportunities to experience Basque food, customs and architecture (1.5-2 hour's drive). Also recommended are trips to La Rhune Mountain either on foot or by train and Lac d'Artouste, where when you can still reach the snow line in May and June. You can either trek right up to the lake or take the easier route via cable car and train. We've always loved spotting marmots too on our trips. 

Antiques & Brocantes

Locally throughout the year many local villages and towns hold annual vide greniers, a chance to hunt out and buy a few bargains!

Pau bric à brac - every Saturday morning; Dax Antique market - first Thursday of the month; Mont de Marsan - first Wednesday of every month; Mont de Marsan - annual antique fair in May; Port de Lanne annual antique fair in August, where most of the village is packed with antique and brocante stalls and Bayonne - every Friday.

Wine & Armagnac Tours & Tasting

Lots of places to sample Armagnac in the Landes & neighbouring Gers department such as in Labastide d'Armagnac; also reasonably local is wine-tasting in Geaune ( Tursan Wines by the Cave des Vignerons de Tursan, who also give a tour on Tuesday afternoons in the summer); Tursan wines by Vignobles DuLucq; Saint Mont and Madiran wines by Plaimant (both in the neighbouring department of the Gers) and Jurançon wines in the Pyrénées Atlantiques.

Fêtes & Music Festivals 

Local towns hold their own annual summer fêtes/festivals and many have their own arena for the tradition of the course landaise, an ancient sport of cow-jumping, which involves no harm to the cows. Other events worth visiting are the night markets in Aire sur l'Adour and St Sever in August; Marciac Jazz Festival from late July to mid August and fête at Labastide d'Armagnac.

Atlantic Coast

The Côte d'Argent runs all along the coast from the estuary of the Gironde right down to the estuary of the Adour near Anglet. Within an hour to an hour and a half's drive is the Atlantic coast with various seaside resorts including cosmopolitan Biarritz, Bayonne and beaches such as Capbreton and St Jean de Luz, a beautiful resort with a fantastic beach, a good choice of restaurants and fishing port. Further north there is the largest Pine Forest in the Landes and the Dune de Pyla near Arcachon, reaching a height of 107 metres. There are safe beaches too for swimming at St Jean-de-Luz, Le port d'Albret and Hossegor.

Architecture & Chateaux

The main Pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela passes through Hagetmau and Saint-Sever and you can explore the Romanesque buildings in Saint-Sever, including the Abbey, Cloisters and the Convent of the Jacobins. Chateau d’Amou is well worth a visit, as is Le Chateau de Morlanne and Chateau Gaujacq, all within a 30-minute drive. The historic Chateau at Pau is also worth visiting as is Salies de Béarn and the bastide towns of Labastide d'Armagnac and Geaune with its 700 year history. 

Surfing

The Atlantic Coast provides a long stretch and great choice of beaches for surfing. Hossegor, Cap Breton, Anglet and Bidart are about 1 hour 15 minutes drive from Maison Pyron. There are also quieter beaches for surfing a little further north on the Atlantic coast such as Vieux Boucau, St Girons Plage and Contis Plage - all within 1 and a half hours drive from here.

Cycling & Voies Vertes

There are many cycle paths in the area for differing levels of ability, including the C23 route running through Sainte Colombe. The Voie Verte runs from nearby Saint Sever to Dax on an old railway line (34 kilometres long).

Tennis & Swimming

With superb sports facilities in La Cité Verte, Hagetmau boasts its own Olympic-sized pool with jacuzzi, water slide, outdoor terraces and golf course. There is a tennis court in Sainte Colombe.

Thermal Spas

Dax is the leading Spa resort in France with 'Hyperthermal Water' and 'Peloide Mud' treatments, about 50 minutes drive from Pyron. These are well-visited and respected by people from all over France. Eugenie les Bains also hosts a spa resort plus three restaurants belonging to Michel Guérard, inventor of cuisine minceur.

Kayaking, canoeing & Canyoning

Kayaking & Canoeing for differing levels of ability is available locally in Aire-sur-l'Adour,  Arboucave and Orthez and Canyoning in the Pyrenees as recommended by guests at Maison Pyron.

Walking

In 2020 a team of local volunteers worked hard to clear and create new local walks around the village of Sainte-Colombe and we are now fortunate to have 7 km, 10 km and 15 km walks that you can start from Pyron.  The photos below were taken on a lovely late November day.

Racing at Pau & Nogaro

Check out the Grand Prix de Pau & Grand Prix Historique held each May in Pau; also Nogaro.  The track at Pau has hosted many international races and has a thriving Grand Prix Historique, attracting racing cars from the '50s, '60s and 70's from the UK.

Fishing

Lots of fishing in local lakes near here.

Caves

Visit the caves at the impressive Grottes de Bétharram in St Pé-de-Bigorre, 1.5 hour's drive from Maison Pyron.

Pyrenees for Mountain Walks and Skiing

Iraty ski resort is only 65 km away and there are many more in the Pyrenees Atlantiques department well worth visiting (Arette, Hautacam, Gourette, Gavarnie, etc..). Why not visit le Pic du Midi with its observatory?

Bird-watching

Experience the migration of the 'grues' (cranes) stopping off at the reserve of Arjuzanx in the Landes de Gascogne before heading south in October. They return in early Spring. Other birds to be spotted on local lakes are cormorants, herons, ducks and coots. In the Pyrénées (around 1.5 - 2 hour’s drive to the south), bird watchers may be rewarded by the sight of vultures, eagles and ravens even in the foothills. Kites and buzzards are common and you may also see the colourful bee eater, hoopoes and green woodpeckers. Turtle doves can be heard – if rarely seen – in our garden, along with a host of other species. For nature lovers, you will find butterflies, roe deer, frogs and in the height of summer you will hear crickets, grass-hoppers and cicadas.