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| Château
de Sombrun
Languages: English, Spanish Cash or checks preferred, please. Département:
Hautes-Pyrénées (65)
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| Jeffrey Quirk has owned Château de Sombrun since 2001 when he discovered it in the tiny village of the same name in this lovely part of Aquitaine's Hautes-Pyrénées -- along the pilgrim route of St-Jacques de Compostelle and where the Béarn, Bigorre and Armagnac regions meet. He would soon learn that the château had a long history, beginning when it was one of many fiefdoms in the hands of the Count of Armagnac. His grandson, Henry IV, became King of France, but Henry's debts forced the sale of many of his holdings, including Sombrun, in 1604. It is assumed that the wealthy Joseph Monet had the château built around 1640 but in a different architectural style from that of today's château, and in 1816 Sombrun was renovated in the Directoire style. After a succession of owners over the centuries, the Ducru family bought Sombrun in the first half of the 20th century. But, the Ducrus lived primarily in Paris and the château faced neglect, and by the 1960s it fell into disrepair. In 1996 it was rescued by Gilles and Josette Brunet, Parisians who renovated the interior and created guest rooms. Today, three guest rooms and two suites are lovely and inviting. The en suite bathrooms have both tubs and showers and all the modern conveniences. There are also guest quarters in the annex. Guests can gather on the terrace or in the salon for relaxation, conversation or to plan their daily activities. Breakfast, included in the room rates, is served in a lovely old kitchen which is also the location of early evening apéritifs and hors d'oeuvres. Although a thoroughly charming chambres d'hôte where guests will feel pampered, enjoy fine meals (dinner is available by advance reservation) and find their accommodations quite to their liking, Château de Sombrun offers something more -- the owners' specialty is horses! Whether you are interested in dressage, show jumping or cross country riding, this is the place to come for great riding. Insight is also provided into fox hunting on horseback, and Mr Quirk is a member of three hunts in the South of Ireland if his guests wish to take their interest further. Guests can be beginners or proficient riders or at any level in between, and the château always has at least a dozen horses available from Spanish, Portuguese and French horses to their specialty horses -- Irish Hunters. Equestrians will delight in the variety of activities available to them as guests of the château. For all guests, regional attractions include visits to wineries, treks into the local towns and cities such as Pau or Tarbes, or pilgrimages to Lourdes. But those who stay at Château de Sombrun may find the temptation of the horses too much to resist, so riding lessons or recreational outings on horseback may occupy much of their time. |
| Rooms:
2 doubles, 1 twin, all with en suite bathrooms with baths and showers
Price: € 90 (2 people), € 107 (3 people in suite), € 126 (4 people in suite) from January 1 to June 30, and September 1 to December 31. € 114 (2 people), € 132 (3 people in suite), € 140 (4 people in suite) from July 1 to August 31. Extra bed: € 20; Baby crib/cot: € 15 Non-smoking rooms available. Breakfast is included in room rates. Taxe de Séjour: 1 euro per room/per night. Dinners: Offered with advance reservation for € 38 per person with wine included. € 19 for children. No animals, please. Horse riding (per hour) € 30; Bicycles (half day) € 18. Open
all
year with the exception of 24, 25 and 26 of December.
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Directions:
From Paris, take the A10 / N10 to Bordeaux, to the A62 direction Toulouse. Exit just east of Bordeaux at Langon where you will take the D932 (becomes the D934) to Aire-sur-l'Adour. At Aire-sur-l'Adour take the D935 direction Tarbes. At Maubourguet take the D943 direction Pau/Lembeye. Cross over railroad crossing and take first turn on the right to Sombrun. Airport: Pau Pyrénées Railway Station: Pau Car Rental at Pau Railway Station (click here) |
Cheerful Dining Room |
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Drag Hunt |
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Le Cheval |
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Blue Salon |
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Guest Room |
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- 2008 au Château - Cold Spring Press. All Rights Reserved.
