Chateau Mont Joly B&B: "Four Poster" (near Pau)

An elegant 19th century chateau, set in its own vineyards and beautifully restored by its English owners. Its breathtaking views over the Pyrenees, along with extensive 11 hectares of gardens, woodland and vineyards make for a perfect escape. Come and share our slice of heaven! We came to this part of the Pyrenees on holiday in July 2008, and never went back to London. There is a magical quality of relaxation, escape, nature and joy about Mont Joly that enchants and makes one never want to leave. After years of entertaining family and friends, we love sharing this experience with others. While providing total peace and privacy, Chateau Mont Joly is only 15 minutes from the historic city of Pau. We offer four double bedrooms, with unique features, top quality beds and stunning mountain views. Bright and airy, the "Four Poster" room has a kingsize bed with ViSpring mattress and the original free standing bath with overhead shower. For larger groups and additional rooms, please look for our other listings: "Les Vignes" for couples or families, "Les Oiseaux", and "La Tour" suite. There is ample room for everyone, both inside and out. There are numerous places in the grounds for sports (football, badminton, boules etc.) or to find a secluded spot by the pool, campfire or in the zen garden. Evenings are magical, enjoying an aperitif up on the tower, stargazing, or eating out with the fairylit chateau as your backdrop. Guests are welcome to use all outside space including the pool, covered terrace and all seating areas, campfire, gazebo and tree house. We observe a 'sieste' for the comfort of all, so ask that the pool is not used between 12 and 2 PM. The meditation/yoga room is available on request. We have an extensive array of toys, books (in English and French), pool toys and games for children and adults of all ages, which we request are enjoyed with care. Baby equipment is available on request. We kindly ask that these shared spaces are left in the condition you found them and any problems are reported to us at once. We serve you a healthy breakfast with homemade produce and eggs and are on hand to help plan your day if needed. There is a selection of local walk books and a 'to do' guide including restaurant recommendations. We enjoy sharing our home but respect guests' privacy and need for relaxation and request that they respect ours, too. Mont Joly is ideally situated in peaceful countryside yet only 15 minutes drive from Pau with its historic castle, parks, museums and many restaurants and shops. A car is essential for access and for taking advantage of all that surrounds us. Nearest airports are Lourdes (40 mins) and Biarritz (75 mins) with Ryanair. Bordeaux and Toulouse are 2 hours away. Stunning mountain walks are from an hour's drive and we have many guide books from which to choose. The Basque coast with Biarritz, St Jean de Luz and San Sebastian are from 90 minutes drive for surfing, family beaches and amazing tapas. The surrounding area is full of nature and adventure activities, including ziplining (10 mins away), white water rafting, wakeboarding, canyoning, via ferrata and more. For less adrenalin filled days, there is a choice of mountain spas, or a brand 50 m outdoor pool/spa in Pau. For smaller children, there are a number of animal parks to see eagles, marmots and Pyrenean bears. We provide a personal guidebook and literature to ensure you make the most of your stay. For epicurians, our road has numerous vineyards offering tastings of the delicious Jurancon white wine, just a bike ride away. Massages, meditation and yoga lessons and healing can be arranged at Mont Joly with prior notice, as available. As trained life coaches, we also run leadership retreats, workshops and one-on-one coaching. Please note that Mont Joly is strictly non-smoking. All linen and pool towels are provided. Use of the pool and our estate is at your own risk, please supervise non swimmers and young children at all times. Pets - due to our own animals we are sorry not to allow four footed guests. Our 2 cats live in outbuildings and our dogs mainly stay outside but have access to the hall. We aim to offer a unique and authentic experience and are proud not to be a hotel. For this reason, we like to have an email exchange with our guests prior to arrival and do not have instant booking.