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Outstanding natural beauty
The phrase ‘outstanding natural beauty’ is frequently abused, but it can be accurately applied to the area around the little market town of Castelnau-Magnoac. Set close to the Pyrenean National Park, the area supports rare and beautiful flora and fauna, perhaps due to the lack of pollution.
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Typically Gascon
Castelnau-Magnoac itself is typically Gascon, with stone and colombage architecture, quaint winding streets and interesting corners hidden from view. The town, although small, offers a range of shops and can fulfil most everyday needs.
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A unique ambience
Set in the ancient region of Gascony, which lies between Basque and Catalan territories, the town has an ambience unique to this part of France. The Gascon heritage is strong, and the gastronomy is a particularly important feature of Gascon culture. Here, in the restaurants and shops, you will find many fine examples of this, including Foie Gras, duck confits and cassoulet. In Castelnau-Magnoac, there is even a Tapas bar, to remind you that you are not far away from the Spanish border!
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Places of interest
There are many places of interest close to Castelnau-Magnoac, and these include the pilgrim town of Lourdes, where the young Bernadette Soubirous had her famous visions of the Virgin which have raised the town to superstar status. Castelnau-Magnoac is also near to Tarbes, and the botanical gardens here are well worth a visit, as they not only care for rare varieties of plants, but also have some interesting modern art on display.
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Sports and activities
The town is a great base for many sporting activities, due to its situation close to the Pyrenean Mountains. The lovely and varied landscapes offer opportunities for fishing in the rivers and lakes, and the terrain is perfect for hiking, mountain biking and horse-riding. Castelnau-Magnoac is situated roughly half way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, so in just a couple of hours you can be surfing the breakers of the Atlantic, or sunning yourself by the calm blue waters of the Med! Meanwhile in Cauterets and Bareges La Mongie, you can ski in the winter, or try the unusual sport of snow scootering. If you prefer to watch sport rather than to take part, you could try going to Tarbes to watch a rugby match, as the town is passionate about the sport.
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How to get there
Getting to Castelnau-Magnoac from the UK is simple, thanks its proximity to several airports. You can fly to Pau, Carcassonne or Perpignan with Ryanair (bmibaby and flybe also fly to Perpignan), or to Toulouse with BA, bmi, bmibaby, flybe and easyJet. The TGV fast train will take you to Toulouse and if you enjoy travelling by boat you will be pleased to find that the ferry port of Santander is also within reach.
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Property prices and availability in and around Castelnau-Magnoac
Property prices in the Midi-Pyrénées have displayed considerable upward trends in recent years, as the region becomes more and more popular with foreign buyers. The Haute-Pyrénées, however, still offers some great opportunities to purchase reasonably priced property for renovation, and the area around Castelnau-Magnoac could prove an excellent place to begin a search for this type of property. Traditional colombage houses are common here, and worth snapping up when on the market as they remain very popular with both buyers and holiday makers.
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CASTELNAU-MAGNOAC AT A GLANCE |
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AGENTS WITH PROPERTY IN THIS AREA |
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