Landes: in Onesse-Laharie, a successful family guesthouse

Maison Montaut has received the 2025 Coup de Coeur award from Gîtes de France. This prestigious accolade was obtained less than a year after its opening.

"This house is my little gem," confides Alice Laplace, her eyes shining with emotion as she contemplates the building she has been managing for a year. Nestled in the family hamlet of Onesse-Laharie, in the heart of the Landes forest, Maison Montaut has had a facelift.

After two years of intense renovations, the house (which once belonged to her husband's grandmother) reopened in July 2024. "We had to make quite a few changes to refurbish everything," says the manager. Everything, both inside and out, has been redesigned, but without compromising the spirit of the place. The house can now accommodate up to eight people, spread across four bedrooms, as well as business seminars.

"Some furniture, like the chairs and armchairs, was already here; we just refreshed it," says Alice Laplace, keen to preserve the authenticity of the family home. "We do everything we can to make people feel good here."

Despite its young age, Maison Montaut has already been recognized for the quality of its services. "I wasn't expecting it at all," enthuses Alice Laplace. "It was Christelle Harambillet, the director of Gîtes de France in the Landes region, who called to let me know."

The award distinguishes three categories: the most beautiful guest room, the most beautiful gîte, as well as a winner committed to sustainable development.

“Of course, it’s a source of pride for me. It’s a job that requires dedication and time. I spend a lot of it in this house,” confides the manager. And even if she doesn’t yet have enough perspective to measure the impact of this award on her customers, she recognizes that the distinction has given her a real boost in the spotlight. “There was even a filming of the Ultimate Guide with chef Julien Duboué,” she says with a smile. Proof that Maison Montaut is starting to make a name for itself beyond the Landes forest.