The south west of France.... Just thinking of it conjures up images of brilliant sunshine, clean air, sea, sand, wonderful food, even better wine, and friendly people who know a little more than most about quality of life.

Mimizan is in the heart of all of this, right in the middle of the Côte d'Argent, on the west coast about 50 miles south of Bordeaux. It's just over an hour's drive from Bordeaux airport and about the same from Spain. Here you have miles of pine forest, wide, golden sandy beaches and some of the best surfing and body boarding in the world.

Mimizan is in two parts; the town is called Mimizan Bourg and the beach area is called Mimizan Plage. The town is a traditional French market town with a lovely old church in the town square. Every Friday there's a market selling French cheeses, a variety of local breads, clothes, and the various sausages, patés and meats that the area is famous for, as well as many other good things to see and try. Make sure you bring a large bag to carry all your stuff! And if you get hungry then we recommend that you have a look at some of the food stalls cooking fresh Paella, barbecued chicken and other home-made delicacies. So much choice and so many wonderful smells it makes your mouth water.

After having checked out the market, it's always worth taking a stroll around the town to wear off that lunch. There is a good range of shops, bars and restaurants including supermarkets, clothes shops, bakers and patisseries where the cakes make you forget that you have just had lunch. If you get tired, then try one of the cafés and watch the world go by French style while sipping a chilled glass of rosé or the local Pastiche.

The Plage has just as much to see and do with more seasonal shops selling lamps, clothes, wood crafts, statues, and art works from the Ivory Coast and other exotic parts of the world. If you ever want to buy a good African drum then this is the place to go! Of course, there are the shops selling beach wear, surf and body boards, crepes with any topping that you can imagine, fish restaurants, the more traditional souvenirs.... The selection just goes on and on.

After an exhausting day, Les Arbres is the perfect place to come back to. It's in a quiet residential area of Mimizan Bourg directly opposite the forest where there are a number of other villas with large gardens. Take a rest, enjoy the pool or you can do the short walk to the main shopping centre, the lake, the adventure park, and other great places.

Les Arbres is roughly at the tip of the red arrow. The wiggly red line is a cycle track which starts about 100 metres from Les Arbres and winds its way about three and a half miles through the pine forest directly to Mimizan North beach. The track keeps you completely away from any trafic, with just one quiet road to cross at the far end. There are a few gradients, but the track was re-surfaced in 2008 to a high standard and is wide, safe, and easy to ride on.

The lake to the east of the villa is the Lac d'Aureilhan where there are more great activities. To the south is Mimizan Bourg, with its shops and restaurants, and the area near the sea is Mimizan Plage, with even more shops, restaurants, and activities. To the north you can see the Lac de Biscarrosse et Parentis, the Lac de Sanguinet, and the Bay of Arcachon.

Clicking here opens Google Maps centred roughly on the villa. Use the - zoom button to zoom out.

So come to Mimizan! Explore the area, and enjoy the hospitality!