Chalets in Les Landes

Looking for a relaxing place to combine regeneration and training? 3bikes.fr has the solution for you. With its cozy cabins nestled under the Landes pines near Seignosse (40), Les Chalets Bakea offer you an ideal environment to focus on cycling, triathlon, and recovery. Welcoming and friendly, Richard Thiry, the owner, promises an intimate spot and perfect preparation conditions. Promise kept.

By Pierre-Maxime BRANCHE. Photos: C.B.

Paradise, serenity, and harmony. Nestled under the Landes pines, Les Chalets Bakea invite a certain sweetness of life. Built by the owner, Richard Thiry, they have been welcoming cyclists, triathletes, and athletes from all walks of life since summer 2016 who wish to treat themselves to a few days of training camp in a region rich in multiple terrains for expression. “Like many, I went to Spain and the Canary Islands where conditions are perfect for training. My goal is not to compete with these facilities, but to show that you don’t have to go that far. Here, between Landes and the Basque Country, the setting is more intimate and allows you to put in the km and prepare seriously. You can train “French style”,” says Richard Thiry, a triathlete for nearly 20 years.

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An electrician, restaurateur, then nurse in Lorraine, Richard bought a country house in Seignosse (44), in his native Landes. On his large plot of land, he buried two beautiful 25m lap pools. “Some people buy a Porsche; my wife and I dreamed of being able to swim at home like in a real pool,” he explains. Faced with a second bare plot, the idea of the chalets gradually germinated. “We initially wanted to sell. Then, optimizing this land by building wooden houses to accommodate athletes seemed to be the best solution.” A nature lover, a member of the Sea Shepherd organization, and an admirer of Pierre Rabhi, the choice fell on Jura fir chalets to remain in harmony with the Landes environment. Delivered by two semi-trailers and received as a self-assembly kit, fortunately well-aided by friends, family, and colleagues, the two chalets saw the light of day in spring 2016. Cozy, welcoming, warm, and heated in winter by a pellet stove, they offer all the necessary comfort (large beds and large walk-in showers), modern amenities (WiFi, fully equipped kitchens), and pleasant features (terrace, spa, sauna) to optimize your free time, all with a view of the pines and the Étang Noir Nature Reserve. The aura of Les Chalets Bakea is gradually built, by word of mouth, without aggressive canvassing. The desire to discover this place filled with serenity and its surroundings must be the keyword to join Richard Thiry.

Pool or open water swimming

In addition to the two 25m lap pools, it is possible to quickly reach Seignosse-Océan, 3 km away, or 5 min by car, to access the beach. Another option is Hossegor’s marine lake, 3,200m long and only 10 min away, also by car. This lake empties and fills with the tide every six hours. You can therefore swim with the tide and get that gliding sensation or, conversely, swim against the current.

Two 25m lanes, heated to 28°C, allow swimming all year round, day or night.

Which cycling routes?

Located at the end of the Landes and the beginning of the Basque Country, Les Chalets Bakea offer a wide variety of flat routes or routes with small passes, of all distances but especially with mild temperatures all year round. Richard Thiry generally suggests a day in the Basque Country, quickly accessible by car, to ride on French and Spanish soil. It is also possible to start from the chalets, but this makes for a long ride of about 160 km.

What about the Pyrenees?

A third chalet, used as a base camp, is located at the Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin. The idea is to start from Seignosse to reach the pass, a 110 km ride, then spend a day there in a majestic setting with the Aubisque, Soulor, or Marie-Blanque on the menu. It is obviously possible to rent this chalet for a mountain training camp.

On foot, varied and demanding routes

Les Chalets Bakea are positioned between land and ocean, on the edge of the Landes forest and the Étang Noir Nature Reserve. From the very first steps, you enter the typical Landes “tucs” of the region. These are vegetated dunes that are loose but compact enough to maintain rhythm. The gradients are varied, some require walking, but most allow for real cardiovascular and strengthening work, without any fear of injury, on marked routes up to 25 km or more for those who wish. For speed sessions, an asphalt bike path joins and then runs along the ocean.

After effort, comfort

The sauna and spa are included in the service, as is a small weight room. From April 2019, a 90 m2 yoga room, also made of wood, will be available. Optional services such as massage, physio, and osteo are available upon request and reservation with local professionals, as is a catering service if you want to put your feet under the table. What more could you ask for?

Sauna and jacuzzi ensure optimal recovery.

Les Chalets Bakea in brief

– Chalet Garo: for 10 to 15 people, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 186 m2 + 103 m2 terrace.
– Chalet Ocean: for 8 to 10 people, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 116 m2 + 103 m2 terrace.
– WiFi, equipped kitchen, terrace furniture, spa, plancha.
– 2 x 25m lap pools, heated to 28°C all year round.
– Open water swimming at Hossegor marine lake (10 min by car) or the ocean (5 min by car).
– Gym/core training room.
– 90 m2 yoga room (April 2019)
– Multiple walking routes of all distances on hard surfaces or in the vegetated dunes.
– Multiple cycling routes for all levels, from the Landes to the foothills of the Basque Country.
– Optional paid services: coaching, massages, osteopath, physiotherapist, nutritionist, and catering service.
– Nearby: surf schools, tennis, golf, Biarritz airport 25 min away, Dax train station 30 min away. Town centers of Hossegor (10 min) and Capbreton (15 min).
– A 3rd chalet is located at the Col de la Pierre Saint-Martin, near the cols of Aubisque, Soulor, Marie Blanque, Tourmalet, etc.
– Info and rates: http://chaletsbakea.fr