Arena

As the name suggests, you are right on the beach. From the sitting room and main bedroom you see your lawn, the sand, and the sea. And at the end of the garden, you walk down some simple steps cut into the dunes and you are on the beach. This is first and foremost a beachfront property, and you will get your first glimpse of the sea on both sides of the house as soon as you drive in or walk in.

Arena is one of a dozen one-storey houses built around 20 years ago at the northern end of Roche’s beachfront. The house has a small garden,, which is separated from the neighbours on both sides by hedges, and at the end of the garden there is a protected juniper tree that provides a lovely semi-shaded spot for contemplating the 8km of beach, which is pretty much empty for large periods of the year.

The house is built on a single floor, as a rectangle running back from the beach. The rooms with the sea views are the sitting/dining room and the main bedroom, both of which open onto the covered terrace and garden beyond. The recently reformed kitchen sits behind the main bedroom and opposite the front door and has a back door onto a separate dining terrace that is positioned on the southern side of the house. This is the main outdoor eating area, and it has views of the sea and an awning that can be adjusted for sun and shade. The other three bedrooms are positioned to the rear end of the house along with their two bathrooms.

So, Arena is pure beach house; if what you want is to see the sea from the moment you wake to the moment you go to bed (and you will hear it all night too!) then it will be your kind of house. This is the only house we have without a pool; but who needs a pool when the high tide is literally a stone’s throw from the end of the garden!