Open house in Bidart
A few lucky ones (like me) were able to benefit from an exceptional guided tour of this villa organized as part of the European Heritage Days in Bidart.
Located - as its name suggests - à side of the stream, Villa Uhaldia has a rich history, has known several owners and remains one of the few bidartar resort houses built from a farm that already existed.
It was Eric Cron, head of the heritage department at the Nouvelle Aquitaine region, who was in charge of showing us this property for our greatest pleasure. We must admit that the wet weather on Sunday, September 19 was not the most lenient to fully enjoy the experience ... but we still remember a lot of things ...
In 1913, Martin Duhalde sold his farm to Adèle Hayet, then domiciled in Paris. After her marriage in 1917, Adèle decided to sell it in turn to Paul Tiphaine, a trader in Paris, who chose to call on the architect Louis Gomez to accompany her in his project.
Neo-basque architecture
The latter modified the original access road and decided to build a neo-Basque-style concierge in 1918. There is a facade which takes up the codes of neo-Basque architecture of the Labourdin style (asymmetry of the roof, openings in the facade, etc.). Finally, for financial reasons, Paul Tiphaine gave up the idea of building a new house and thought of another project: redeveloping the old farm of the property. It was around 1920 that he entrusted this business to the architect Raymond Larrebat-Tudor. The latter reorganized the different rooms of the farm to make it a property equipped with the standards of the time (hall, large staircase, small and large living room, dining room, kitchen…).
A few years later, in 27, the American engineer Edgar Carolan bought the house to settle there with his family and it is Henri rateau, architect from Bidart who was chosen to design the new concierge at the entrance to the property and to refurbish and extend the main house.
The latter will work on its extension but also on the aesthetics of the house in order to give the neo-Basque character to the house as we know it today. We recognize the Rateau style with arcades, a beautiful terrace, pretty openings on the Pyrenees ...
To embellish the property, the Carolan couple called on the Gélos brothers to create a superb garden with terraces, paths, arches of rosebushes, “bedrooms” and confidential spaces. At that time, on the Basque Coast, a garden of the Gélos brothers was a real mark of good taste and refinement.
It is told in the local press that Mr. Carolan and his wife organized exceptional receptions and social evenings. The articles praised the beauty of the property, its decoration and its gardens.
For those who have read the article to the end, know that we were not able to get inside the villa but this walk in the superbly maintained gardens and this parenthesis in this time which fascinates us all was well worth the detour.
A big thank you to the current owners who opened their doors, to Maïté Elhinger and Eric Cron for visiting and collecting information, and to the bidartars who shared their knowledge to help expand the Heritage inventory.
Want to know more about Bidart's story ?
Find the book "Bidart, between land and sea" edited by Le Festin, on sale in the Bidart press houses and in local bookstores.
