Architectural journeys through the Southwest
From the southern Basque Country to the vast pine forests of the Landes, the architecture of the French Southwest tells the story of a land shaped by its climate, its people, and the sea. Every house, whether a simple farmhouse or an elegant seaside villa, carries traces of centuries past, from Roman foundations, to Gascon lines, Basque traditions, and 19th-century seaside influences. Between ocean breeze, forest shade, and deep-rooted heritage, discover the distinctive beauty of the region’s most remarkable homes.
Architectural journeys through the Southwest of France
Welcome to Villa Iratz Aldea, a Basque gem in Urrugne.
Basque houses, or etxe, are models of intention and resilience. Emerging in the 16th century as solid rural dwellings, they were built to shelter families and livestock beneath a single roof. Their white lime-coated façades capture the light, while the painted timber frames—red from local iron oxide or green as a nod to the surrounding hills—carry both aesthetic and symbolic weight. Today, they are celebrated in homes like Domino Un or Ferme Berdea, renovated with respect for this heritage. Maison Gamboia takes a more artistic approach, showing that this architecture can inspire contemporary interpretations. Meanwhile, Villa Iratz Aldea in Urrugne, designed by the talented Diane de Sedouy, perfectly exemplifies the blend of Basque authenticity and modern comfort.
With its vast forests and omnipresent sand, the Landes region shaped a rustic, climate-adapted architecture: Landes houses, often called airials, scattered across clearings with steeply pitched roofs designed to withstand Atlantic winds. Airial du Branasse in Seignosse is a magnificent example, organized around a central communal space with outbuildings spread around it. In the 19th century, the rise of seaside tourism brought the first reimagined Landes villas, such as Villa Aoube Claré or Les Bords du Lac in Hossegor, blending traditional picturesque charm with more contemporary lines.
Domino Un in Hossegor.
Between Landes and the Basque Country,
a mid-century architectural gem
At the meeting point of the Landes and the Basque Country, in the village of Magescq, stands a mid-century architectural gem: Villa René Gabriel. Built in 1972 and meticulously renovated in 2022, the house celebrates modernist design with its generous volumes and wide windows opening onto nature. Set on a wooded estate beside a private one-hectare pond, it feels suspended in a green sanctuary, perfectly at peace with its surroundings.
The living room of Villa René Gabriel. © Thomas Liaunet
Arcachon Bay:
The seaside in full splendor
On the shores of Arcachon Bay stands Villa La Tosca.
The 19th century marked a turning point for Arcachon Bay, when the arrival of the railway drew Bordeaux’s aristocracy in search of fresh sea air. The era gave rise to the region’s emblematic villas, easily recognized by their façades adorned with gingerbread trim, turrets, and delicate wooden balconies. Villa La Tosca captures this legacy with its bourgeois elegance turned toward the sea. Today, the Bay continues to inspire contemporary interpretations: Villa La Perla in Pyla plays with light and transparency, while Villa Julietta in Cap Ferret reimagines the spirit of the oyster-fishing huts that once defined the coastline’s identity.
Coastal Gironde:
Modernity facing the ocean
Villas along the Atlantic coast are instantly recognizable: asymmetrical silhouettes, blended influences—Moorish, Colonial, Neoclassical, or Neo-Gothic—wide overhanging roofs adorned with delicate gingerbread trim, welcoming verandas… A pioneer of the coastline, Villa Echnyops ranks among the very first seaside homes built in the early 20th century, at a time when Lacanau was emerging as a sought-after seaside resort for the bourgeoisie. It has stood the test of time without losing any of its charm or elegance.
Though modest in size, the rooms feel generous thanks to their high ceilings and balanced, cubic proportions. Bathed in light from the tall windows that punctuate the façade, they form bright, welcoming cocoons that invite rest and togetherness in every season.
In Lacanau, newer homes embrace a more streamlined, almost minimalist aesthetic, shaped by their closeness to the ocean and dunes. Le Grand Air reflects this spirit with its large openings, clean lines, and seamless connection between indoors and out.
The pretty ornaments of Villa Echynops.
Le Grand Air appears among the pine trees of Lacanau.
From the protective Basque etxe to the Landes airials rooted in their clearings, and the Arcachon villas with their Second Empire seaside flair, each home stands as a testament to history and culture. Some celebrate rustic authenticity, while others embrace a bolder modernity.
What unites them all is a single philosophy: to exist in harmony with the landscape, whether it’s the mountains, the forest, or the ocean. In the Southwest, architecture is never just scenery; it’s a living expression of place, shaped by the elements, rooted in tradition, and endlessly reimagined over time.
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