see and do
laroque des albères
Seemingly in the middle of nowhere and yet in the centre of so much, the medieval village of Laroque des Albères with its narrow streets, its church and it’s ancient fort dating from the 11th century is a 1 kilometre or 15 minute walk away from the property and offers all the amenities of a French village including bars such as "Le Comptoir Rocatin" or the “Le Café des Artistes” with its friendly English Speaking owners, restaurants such as “Côté Saison”, a BIB MICHELIN restaurant or “Les Enfants Terribles” with its pleasant terrace or "Le Catalan" on the Place de la Republique - “La Crêperie Saint Félix” and a few pizzerias offers more casual dining. You will also find an assortment of small shops – mini market, bakers, butcher, chemist, tabac, post office, an open air market every Wednesday mornings and a Tourist Office!
beaches
The nearest beach is 10 km away at Argelès sur Mer, a lively resort with beachside cafes and restaurants, also offers you a choice of long sandy beaches and palm tree lined promenade which is one of many in the region fronting the Mediterranean beyond – St Cyprien, Canet en Roussillon, Port Barcarès and Toreilles to name a few..
cote vermeille
The perfect picture postcard town of Collioure with its cobbled streets, its bustling restaurants, bars, shops, museums, studios and art galleries is a twenty minute drive away, whilst the Spanish border is a similar distance.
Banyuls Sur Mer, once a sleepy fishing town that attracted artists like Matisse and Picasso and, since their discovery and subsequent portrayal of the sun-drenched Mediterranean seaside in their paintings, Banyuls Sur Mer would never be quite so sleepy again and is now famous for its wine: Banyuls is only one of the fortified wines made in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, which is home to some of the most ancient vineyards of the world. Centuries-old evidence of Greek and Roman influence can be seen today in the elaborate terracing crisscrossing the hills.
france
Forty minutes to the north sits the historic city of Perpignan, while further up the coast are the renowned cities of Narbonne, Bezier and Montpellier. Just ninety minutes away is the UNESCO world heritage at Carcasonne.
For those interested in walking the Puig Neulos (Pic du Néoulous) sits above the village with several walking trails to the summit, some of which starting a few meters away. For those with greater mountain wanderlust the town of Villefranche de Conflent is 50 miles away along with the Eastern terminus of the Little Yellow Train that meanders through the mountains to the highest railway station in France at Bolquere Eyne at 1592 meters above sea level.
To the west of the property – and viewed from the garden, sits the majestic Canigou Mountain (Pic du Canigou). Snow-capped through to early summer, its profile dominates the region’s landscape.
spain
Further south is the town of Cadaquès, the beaches of the Costa Brava. The town of Figuères along with the Dali museum and the Dali Jewels are forty minutes away; while the historically significant Catalan city of Girona is an hour away. The Catalan capital, Barcelona, is two hours by car (or 55 minutes by train from Figuères).