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A typical catalan country house, the "Mas de las Guilles" was the family home of an award-winning boulangere. The boulangerie is still next door, 50 metres away, and is open every day in the summer.
The house, which stands in 6000m2 of gardens surrounded by mature trees (including fig, almond, lemon, orange & clementines trees), now belongs to retired chef and restaurateur Kevin & Maggie, who have lovingly renovated 3 bedrooms in their house to let as bed & breakfast accommodation and a garden house and annexe for self-catering holidays.
Accommodation:
La petite maison du jardin (sleeps 2) is a little garden house and comprises one room which doubles up as a living room and bedroom. There is a comfortable convertible double bed (190cm x140cm), a separate shower-room with WC and basin and its own barbecue and outside seating area. The kitchenette has a 2-ringed gas hob, a sink, a refrigerator/freezer and a pine table and 2 chairs.
The 2-bedroomed apartment (sleeps up to 6) is an annexe within the owner’s residence and comprises a room with French doors which opens out onto a communal courtyard. This room has a comfortable sofa which converts into a double bed, a kitchen with a double gas hob, a large refrigerator with a separate 3-star freezer, a combined microwave/oven and a table with chairs for dining. It leads through to a small room with adult-sized bunk-beds. There is a 2nd bedroom with a double bed and a large built-in wardrobe. The bedrooms have a window in each which have views of a palm tree, bamboo, and citrus and conifer trees. There is a separate luxury shower-room with WC and basin. The apartment has its own outside seating area with table, chairs and a parasol and has shared use of a gas-fired barbecue. In summer ventilators are provided and there are radiators in each room.
There are swings in the garden around the back of the house and plenty of room for light ball games for those who feel energetic, and sun-loungers under the mulberry trees for those who have just come for a relaxing break or holiday, and for those who need to cool off after a long hot day there is a 10mx5m pool with shower which is shared with the owners. All linen and towels are supplied (including pool/beach towels).
Intensive weekly language, wine & gastronomy courses are available locally in February, April, May/June - please see owner’s website.
No pets.
LOCAL AREA
The Mas is 20 minutes walk from Espira de l’Agly with it’s wineries. Rivesaltes (5 minutes by car) has a very helpful tourist office and weekly market. From July – October there are fetes, festivals and live entertainment in Perpignan and the surrounding villages and towns.
Perpignan has a wide range of restaurants, Rivesaltes has 4, and Kevin and Maggie offer a 3/4-course dinner with wines (35 Euros per person, one night a week).
This is an ideal base for exploring the vineyards and the peaceful mountain villages. The coast is a mere 20 minutes drive and the picturesque port of Collioure a further 20 minutes. The Spanish border is 35 minutes and Carcassonne 1 hour.
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Independent Comment
The Mas (easily accessible from the main Perpignan to Quillan road and convenient for the village of Espira de l’Agly) enjoys extensive private grounds, enclosed with conifer trees and hedging with plenty of recreation space on the large grass areas. The pool is a good size and thoughtfully positioned away from the properties with screening. The main house (B&B) is an imposing Catalan country house with large courtyard area leading through French windows to the main living area – an impressive room with high-wooden ceiling and dramatic dark fabric walls, reminiscent of a banqueting hall in a chateau. The cavernous central woodburner fireplace divides the comfortably furnished lounge area and the spacious breakfast/ dining room. The 2 bedrooms leading off the main living area are a good size with pine ceilings and smart ensuite shower-rooms (one not viewed). Adjacent to the main house and courtyard is the 2-bedroomed self-catering courtyard apartment and separate from these is the self-catering chalet-style Petit Maison (not viewed).
© A Week or 2 in Languedoc |
Please quote 'A Week or 2 in France' when contacting the owners:
