This is a spacious and pretty villa which is located in a tranquil location surrounded by pine-clad Pyrénéean mountains, vineyards and cherry orchards. There is a lovely, large, Mediterranean-style, secluded garden with a private, heated, safety-fenced pool surrounded by its own pretty, landscaped tiled area. The living accommodation leads out to a sweeping sunny terrace at the back where you can sunbathe all day if you like and eat and drink under a fairy-lit gazebo in the evenings.
The living area is open plan covering a large area providing airy and spacious accommodation and is divided into three sections. The living room is comfortably and stylishly furnished with ample seating and has a large, flat-screen television with internet connection to all major channels, both British and other major language programmes including Sky and BT Sports, plus a DVD/CD player and radio. There are patio doors from the living room leading out onto the wide garden terrace which is shaded by sun parasols for sunbathing in both summer and a warm winter's day (happens!). There is a large fitted and airy modern kitchen with a modern eating area which is well stocked with every appliance you will need for cooking if you want to that is... French doors lead out from this area on to a sheltered, fairy- lit gazebo for outdoor eating and drinking at lunchtime and in the long balmy summer evenings.
There is a modern 5 Gas Ring BBQ and a 2 burner Plancha directly opposite this terrace eating area, with a marble table, sink and tiled flooring for easy outdoor cooking and serving and there's an outside fridge for keeping the wine and beers ice cold.. Off the kitchen is a utility area housing the large American fridge/freezer with ice machine, washing machine and tumble drier and a shower room with rain-forest shower head (wonderful!), basin and toilet.
The terrace runs all along the full length of the back of the house right up to the safety-fenced off pool terrace which sits along the side of the house in its own area. Both the garden and pool terrace are blessed with sun all day long until well into the evening when you can enjoy a welcome aperitif catching the last of the warm rays beside the pool. The pool is large and heated, 10 metres x 5 Metres and has a stepped end leading to a depth of 1.5 Mtrs and.furnished with sunbeds and parasols, At one end is a round dining table and chairs under a shady parasol, and at the other is a marble table, bench and chairs so you can sit and eat and enjoy your morning coffee or your evening apéro. There are mountain views all around and it is wonderful to watch the changing light of the wide, Mediterranean sky. The pool is kept in perfect order by Franck, the guardian of the house who passes by to clean it often during the week though he will always respect your privacy. The large garden encircles the whole house and is filled with flowering bushes and fruit trees - an ideal place for maximum peace and relaxation where you can watch the swallows swoop down to drink in the pool and sit and listen to the lovely birdsong. It is truly magical.
The bedroom area is reached by a middle passage-way to the other side of the house tucked well away from the living area. There are three double bedrooms, two with double beds and one with twin beds, all pleasantly and comfortably furnished with fitted wardrobes and drawers. In the twin-bedded room there are also two folding beds. The main bedroom has French doors leading out on to the garden terrace so you can get up in the morning and jump straight into the pool for a wake-up swim. The other two bedrooms have large, double windows looking out over the pool at the side and the garden at the front. We have recently (Winter 2016) installed a splendid brand new bathroom with double sink and double shower. There is a separate toilet room immediately next to the bathroom which has also been re-tiled. The whole of the house is beautifully tiled throughout with colourful rugs and pictures in every room.
The whole house is adorned with pictures, wall-lights and soft lighting, silk flowers and ornaments to provide a homely feel. There are fans in every room of the house but the house stays cool in summer as it is incredibly well insulated being only 13 years old, so it is cool in the summer and lovely and warm in the winter as well due to the thick walls and insulation. The house is centrally heated and very snug in the winter when the nights can get very cold, although the days can be pleasantly warm, even allowing some outdoor eating at lunchtime.
Sheets and towels are provided, as well as beach towels. We can assure you that you will have a wonderfully comfortable stay as we have tried to cater for your every need as we have for ours! The house has a lovely, welcoming feel as we have made it our home and we would like to feel that you will feel also 'at home' there.
The Region
The region of the Languedoc Roussillon has so much variety to offer. Our house is right down nearly on the Spanish border and is situated within the old country of 'Catalunya' of which the locals are fiercely proud - so it has a Catalan flavour in its culture,customs and food. We love the spicy food though, of course, you can always get traditional French fare. That's the essence of this area, the best of both worlds. You can drive north and be 'lost in France' amongst the beautiful vineyards of Cahors and Corbières, visit the nearby Cathar castles perched on mountain tops, the gorges and the grottos, have a typical French meal in a brasserie in Narbonne or Pézenas (birth place of Molière) just up the motorway or a fish meal in Sète. . Or you can enjoy the Catalan flavour of the region and take advantage of the various fiestas and watch the locals dance the traditional Sardane. And then real Spain is on your doorstep with all its wonders.
THE GOOD LIFE
The villa offers total privacy, tranquiity and relaxation. It's truly magical to sit in the garden and see the beautiful surrounding Pyrénées and gaze at the magnificent towering 'Canigou' - the highest mountain in the Pyrenees which is supposed to have magical properties - or having breakfast on the terrace listening to the birdsong, or enjoying a lovely cooling swim in the pool or just dozing on the loungers in the sun are some of the joys of just 'being' there. And in the Winter, you can walk along the sea shore in the warmth of the sun, eat oysters outside in the cafes of Collioure one day and then have a romp in the snow in the mountains the next and then come back to a lovely cosy and comfortable house. The house is very well insulated and the central heating works a treat so however cold it can get outside, the house is always warm inside. The insulation works well in the summer also and keeps the house cool on the hot days of summer. Although the South of France is thought of mostly as a summer destination because of its wonderful long, hot summers, the off-season months are also a joy as the Mediterranean climate is so healthy - chilly and dry in the Winter though often and regularly interspersed with lovely days when you can eat outside in the surprisingly warm sunshine, mild and pleasant in the Spring and often very warm in the Autumn when the Med is at its highest temperature, the fierce heat is over leaving a pleasant temperature and the crowds have gone. The off-season times are the best for hiking and exploring. There's something about the rosy light which is so therapeutic and clear during all the seasons (ask the artists!) but especially noticeable and delightful on an escape from the long and dark northern Winters.
Quote from a guest having to cancel a Caribbean holiday and make a last minute booking to our villa 03.10.16:
'it's not Barbados but it is paradise. So glad we found you..'
Denise
Reviews:
David B. 16.08.2020
This was our second visit as we had thoroughly enjoyed our holiday the previous year. The property is well presented, clean and well maintained. The owner liaised closely with us this year bearing in mind the Covid scenario for which we were very grateful. There are so many places to visit around this area. We would definitely recommend this villa, so much so that we are booking again for next year.
Nicky G.: 29.09.19
We had a wonderful time at this lovely villa. The photos do not do the villa justice. Inside we had use of the ground floor, the upstairs is locked off for the owners use. The downstairs is roomy/bright, with shutters if needed. The bedrooms were spacious, with fans, plus wardrobe and drawer space. The beds were comfortable. The shower was powerful and easy to use. There was a second shower and toilet off the utility room, which was handy. The open plan kitchen/living area was great, full of equipment for cooking plus a huge American style fridge freezer, perfect for storing lots of food/drink and my children loved the automatic ice maker which meant their drinks were always cold. The outside fridge meant extra drinks were kept cold until needed. Outside was lovely. A beautiful heated pool, with sun loungers around it. Steps at one end, the other was deep for some fun bombing! Super decked area, covered end with the dining table, useful for shade or summer showers. It was lovely to pick the grapes around this area. There are lovely flowers around the garden. We loved sitting out in the evening watching the birds, then as dusk arrived watching the bats. Our favourite nature 'spot' was the hedgehog who popped out of the bushes. The villa is close to the village we walked for breakfast, baguettes and lovely meals. El Tap is a lovely pub/restaurant we were made to feel very welcome. 66 sur vins restaurant with amazing food. I highly recommend this villa.
‘Peanut’: 03.08.19
Two week stay with teenager kids. Loads of info prior to stay. House perfect for needs: great heated pool perfect for all day use, kitchen full of equipment to prepare easy meals and then sitting outside under fairy lit canopy. We took the train into Barcelona for a day trip, visiting Nou Camp stadium and the markets. Local beach Argeles Sur Mer is perfect, lake St Jean de Corts - loads of things to do, inflatables and nice to sit on grass rather than sand, we also visited other swimming lakes.
Dave and Sarah: 25.07.19
The property has every convenience you could want and was very clean and well cared for. Pool was excellent, good size, very clean and private. The owners provided lots of information before and during the holiday, Plenty of things to do and see in the area. We enjoyed it so much we have booked again for next year.
Jeffrey S.: 31.12.18
Very comfortable, clean, cosy, complete property surrounded by mountains, peace and tranquillity The property was in very good condition. The heating was very good and it made the place very comfortable to stay in winter. Lovely villages nearby and close also to Spain. House very well equipped. Host very nice and providing lots of information of the area.
Veronica E.: 20.09.18
What can we say? We have just spent two marvellous weeks in this delightful property. Vanessa and Keith ensured we had plenty of information prior to our visit and kept in contact via email during our stay to ensure everything was running smoothly - we could not have asked for more helpful owners. Having looked at the websites for this property many times before travelling we found everything to be exactly as it said/looked in their description/photographs. ........... Thank you Vanessa and Keith - you ensured we had a wonderful time in your beautiful house. We hope to return!
James V. 04.09.18
Missing it already! Left on Sep 4, 2018 for a stay in Aug 2018 Family of 4 - 2 girls aged 9 and 11. Best family holiday we have had. Villa was all that we required with all the mod cons that help to make your stay easy and relaxing. We had many plans to go sightseeing but ended up spending so much time relaxing around the pool instead. The sightseeing we did do was fantastic though - would recommend Gorge Le Fou, Collioure, La Racou (beach) and the Dali museum in Figures. Hope to return again soon.
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