Apartment in Pyrénées-Orientales, France

La Petite Maison details

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Mas Grandiflora the Heated Pool - Piscine chauffée

The Heated Pool at night- Piscine chauffée le soir

Mas Grandiflora Heated Pool - Piscine chauffée

The pool shower/douche pour la piscine

Mas Grandiflora Exterior/extérieur

Terrace La Bougainvillea/Brugmansia & L'Hibiscus

Terrace La Bougainvillea/Brugmansia & L'Hibiscus

December on the terrace/Decembre sur la terrace

Towards the pool/Direction la piscine

Night scene - Scène de nuit

The fish pond - bac à poissons

The fish pond at night - bac à poissons de nuit

Entrance to the Pool - Accueil de la piscine

By the Well - Par le puits

The well - le puits

By the Well - Par le puits

Plants near Pool/Plantes sur le côté de la piscine

Plants near Pool/Plantes sur le côté de la piscine

Plants near Pool/Plantes sur le côté de la piscine

Plants near Pool/Plantes sur le côté de la piscine

Plants near Pool/Plantes sur le côté de la piscine

Plants near Pool/Plantes sur le côté de la piscine

Plants around the Pool

Plants near Pool/Plantes sur le côté de la piscine

Plants near Pool/Plantes sur le côté de la piscine

Plants near Pool/Plantes sur le côté de la piscine

Plants in the garden/Les plantes dans le jardin

Plantes dans le jardin/Olivier vieux de 300 ans

Les plantes dans le jardin

Plants by the well - Plantes sur le puits

View to the fish pond/vue sur le bac à poisson

Inside the entry/L'intérieur de la porte d'entrée

plantes à l'intérieur de la porte d'entrée

Home description

Mas Grandiflorais a renovated, ivy clad, stone property (both heated and air conditioned according to the season) near the center of Espira, a small village. It once formed part of a large convent / monastery, which is now a college. The house was where the nuns lived, reared hens and rabbits and grew vegetables and fruit. It was then surrounded by vineyards and was on the edge of the village.

It is now surrounded by attractive stone and glass walls. It has several areas of garden and terraces containing lemon, orange, grape vines, Bougainvillea, a large flowering Magnolia Grandiflora and numerous pots as well as an enclosed and productive fruit and vegetable garden. It has a real sense of privacy, although the property is within a few hundred yards of the center square of the village with church, tobacco, bakery, bar (serving snacks), post office, pharmacy, doctor, dentist and small mini-market and bank. Le Jaumet restaurant is within a 5 minute walk. A pizza van also visits 5 times a week and there is a small market every Thursday morning.

The owners Alvin and Elaine live on the premises and Provide personal attention, information, help and advice to all guests. They can provide accommodation for 2 to 17 people by booking one, two or all three of their lodgings.

The owners regret that all cottages are unsuitable for people with severe walking difficulties as all three first floor apartments have facilities and the terraces and pool area are all on different levels.

The Heated Pool Area

The pool area is fully enclosed with a safety barrier Which conforms to French safety laws, has non-slip paving and is shared with other guests and the owners. There are numerous lounges, tables and chairs with an outside shower for your use. Note that the pool has a salt water chlorination system and is much kinder to your eyes and skin. The pool is heated from May to October, useage is dependent on the weather conditions.

Accommodation detail

La Petite Maison

La Petite Maison sitting area - salon

Sitting/dining/kitchen area-salon/cuisine

La Petite Maison - la mezzanine/bedroom/chambre

La Petite Maison terrace & garden/jardin

La Petite Maison terrace & garden/jardin

La Petite Maison - in the garden/jardin

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La Petite Maison – (20 sq. metres plus mezzanine) - is situated at the far side of the main house and pool area with its own garden gate off the main terrace of the house, leading down a slope to the fruit/vegetable garden. There is a pretty patio for your sole use with table, chairs and sun parasol. The front door leads straight into:

• Small sitting/eating area with a table and chairs, a small settee which can be used as a child's bed and a
• Fitted kitchen with fridge/freezer, microwave and gas hob, toaster, coffee maker and kettle. A cd/radio/cassette player is provided. Off the kitchen area is the
• Shower room with shower closet, toilet and washbasin.

A flight of open tread stairs lead to a:

• Mezzanine floor which contains a double bed (189 x 138 cm) and wardrobe.

The 'Petite Maison' is suitable for a couple with baby and small child maximum. A cot can be supplied if required. There is no washing machine but arrangements can be made with the owners for their laundry room to be made available if required. A fixed barbecue is supplied on the private terrace. Air conditioning/heating is installed.

About the location

The large stone college and 12th century St. Mary's church dominate the village with 11 wine domains - wine being the major industry. 12km from Perpignan and 10 minutes from Perpignan Airport, and the nearest motorway access point 14km from the nearest Mediterranean beaches.

Within easy access (30 mins) of the Spanish border with Barcelona (Gaudi sites) Figueres (Dali Museum) and Catalonia beaches all within easy driving distance for a good day out. The medieval city of Carcassonne and the red brick city of Toulouse as well as many other fascinating towns and village are within 1-2 hours drive. You can even visit Andorra in 2 + hours. The village also has a bus service to Perpignan and the surrounding areas over there is also a tourist train nearby. There is a train station at Rivesaltes (5 mins).

This area is Roussillion, noted for its wines - Muscat being the most well known. Although most of the wines are drunk and stay here - "too good for export ". There is good red wine in abundance and some good whites too. With 54 fields / wineries this is a very good area for wine lovers to visit. You can also stock up on cheap Spanish wine to go with the excellent French wines from our own or the surrounding villages (there are some cheap but very drinkable wine at the local co-operatives and quality gold medal winners).

Rivesaltes, The nearest town (5 minutes) and Perpignan (within 10 minutes drive) have the larger supermarkets, butchers, fish mongers and street markets. In fact, there are several street markets in Perpignan on most days of the week with a large antique / car boot market on Sundays. Perpignan is a fascinating city with its Catalan history and has many old buildings, bars and restaurants to search out in its winding, narrow streets.

During the summer months Perpignan and surrounding villages are alive with music and festivities and every village holds a Vide Grenier (street market for villagers' second hand goods and clothes) and during the autumn the vendages (wine) festivals abound in the area. All the towns and villages are wine producers and fruit (figs, peaches, apricots and cherries), together with walnuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts, snails and wild mushrooms to name but a few. You can spend endless days tasting these at various times. There is something worth visiting every week of the year.

The village of Espira, Population circa. 3000, hosts a Catalan feast on 1st May, a Bio Market in June, the feast of St John with fireworks on July 23rd, a local fete 14-16 August and the fig feast at the end of September.

The area is geologically very interesting. Nearby Tautavel is the Center of European pre-history and the museums there is well worth a visit (the wine is excellent too). Espira L'Agly is the location for the regional geologic society Mineralogique Catalan club who hold frequent exhibitions.

Apart from Perpignan, the numerous local morning markets and the wine villages of Roussillon and the Corbieres, this south west corner of France is not very far from some of the most beautiful and historic towns and castles in France and Spain -- Castlenou, Eus, Evol, Mosset and Villefranche de Conflent are 5 of 'The Most Beautiful Villages of France in the Pays Catalan'. Within a two-hour drive of Espira you can visit Carcassonne, Mirepoix Toulouse, Prades Ceret (for the first cherries in May) and all points in between just to name a few.

The nearest Mediterranean beaches are within 20 minutes drive. The resorts of St. Cyprian, Argeles, Collioure (paradise for artists and anchovy lovers!) and Banyuls (delicious wine) on the Cote Vermeille are all within 20 to 30 minutes drive. There are spa towns Amelie les Bains, Les Thermes du Boulou and Molitg-les-BainsRoman towns, medieval towns, prehistoric caves, gorges and Cathar castles for starters and that is just in France. Over the border in Spain you can visit The Jonquier (duty free prices) or its French equivalent the neighboring Perthus Figueres (Dali museum), Barcelona (Museums Gaudi and Barcelona Football Stadium) and the Mediterranean beaches of Catalonia, Which are all within 2 hours easy driving.

The climate here is one of the best in France, with an average of 300 + days of sun a year and an average rainfall lower than that of Provence. The summers are hot and sunny, the winters mild and dry and there is something for everyone to see and do. Much more to see than can be achieved in one visit or even one lifetime!

See Local guide and map for information on nearby towns and facilities.

Activities near by

Boating, Boules, Canoeing, Canyoning, Caving, Cycling, Diving, Fishing, French tuition, Go karting, Golf, Horse riding, Mountain biking, Rambling, Rock climbing, Sailing, Shopping, Sightseeing, Skiing, Snorkelling, Surfing, Swimming, Tennis, Tree adventure park, Walking, Water sports, White water rafting, Wind Surfing, Wine tasting, Wine touring

See Activities and attractions for more information on nearby activities and places of interest.

How to get here

Flights:

Cheap direct flights to Perpignan from Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow and Birmingham and other airports available. (Driving times and mileages indicated).

Ryanair from Stansted to Perpignan (PGF) 11 kms 10 minutes, Carcassonne (CCF) 117 km, 1hr 10 min. Montpellier (MPL) 153 km, 1hr 40 mins.

Flybe from Birmingham, Glasgow and Southampton to Perpignan (PGF) 11km 10 minutes, Southampton and Bristol to Toulouse (TLS) 212 km, 2hrs 10 mins and from Nottingham (EMA) East Midlands to Toulouse (BMI Baby). BA fly to Toulouse and Montpellier from Gatwick. They also do connecting flights from other airports into Gatwick.

Easyjet from Gatwick to Toulouse.

Air Lingus fly direct from Dublin to Toulouse. Of course there are connecting flights from Ireland to other airports Providing flights to France.

Nearby Spanish airports also within reach

Ryanair from Stansted, Liverpool, Nottingham East Midlands, Bournemouth Blackpool, Luton, Brussels, Glasgow and Shannon to Girona sometimes referred to as Gerona / Barcelona (GRO) 111 kms, 1 hr 12 mins.

Easyjet from Stansted, Gatwick, Luton, Liverpool, Bristol and Newcastle also fly to Barcelona itself (BCN) 220 km, 2 hrs 10 min.

Jet2 from Leeds / Bradford and Belfast Int. Aer Lingus fly from Dublin and Cork to Barcelona.
BA also fly to Barcelona from London Gatwick and Heathrow.

Please check for flights with operators as these are subject to change with more flights being added all the time.

See Local guide and map for information on nearby towns and airports.