House in Hilltop Village with Views

Maison Georges Lafont details

Home description

Maison Georges Lafont is a comfortable and roomy stone house in the peaceful, quiet hilltop village of Arboussols. Eighteen hundred feet above sea level, it is surrounded by vineyards, hills and woodland and is about half an hour's drive from Perpignan airport and 45 minutes from the coast.

Enjoy wonderful views of Mount Canigou from the west facing terrace. A great base for local walks, for exploring the region's heritage of Romanesque churches, abbeys and Cathar castles. For the kids, there are caves and grottos to explore, swimming in the lake at Vinca and discovering the sandy beaches at Canet Plage and St. Cyprien. Experience the Catalan town of Prades with its bustling Tuesday market and Pablo Casals Music Festival held in July and August.

External features on site

• Barbecue
• Scenic views

Accommodation detail

This spacious house is on several levels and comfortably sleeps 5 though an extra bed may be added to sleep 6.

The hub of these traditional, Pyrenean village houses is the convivial kitchen which you step straight into from the narrow street outside.

• Kitchen - has the charm of antique woodburning stove, sink and wall tiles whilst adding to modern conveniences. It is equipped with bottled gas cooker with extractor fan, fridge, electric kettle, table and chairs. A small flight of stairs up leads to the living room.
• Living room - there are two sofas. Also dining table with chairs, CD player, DVD player and TV. The balcony of this room faces west looking down the Prades valley and across to the Canigou. A few stairs up from this room leads to bedroom 1.
• Bedroom 1 - comprises a double bed, wardrobe, cupboard and balcony.
• Bedroom 2 - along the passage from Bedroom 1, has 2 single beds, wardrobe, chest of drawers and writing table with chair.
• Bedroom 3 - next door to bedroom 2, is a single bedroom but has enough space to add another bed if necessary. It also comprises a storage cupboard with hanging space.
• Bathroom - this includes a basin, mirror, cabinet and shower with great water pressure. The window of this room looks out on to the west facing terrace with views of Canigou so take your shower whilst admiring the view.
• Separate WC

Outside:

West facing terrace: This is equipped with table, chairs, umbrella and barbecue for al fresco dining. Also reclining chairs for sunbathing. This is also a great spot to watch the evening swifts and swallows. In spring, you can hear nightingales.

Under terrace garage houses washing machine and lines. The owners park their car in the main car park in Arboussols (turn right as you enter Arboussols) because of the narrow streets. However, it is possible to drive up to the house to deposit heavy items.

About the location

The village of Arboussols is 10 minutes drive up a twisty road from the main road between Perpignan and Prades where the view becomes more magnificent the higher you go. At the bottom of the hill is the small town of Marquixanes where there is a boulangerie and a shop which sells all organic, locally produced fruit, vegetables, freshly pressed fruit juices, bread and eggs.

The Catalan town of Prades is approximately 5 miles westwards and has a busy Tuesday morning market not to be missed. Prades is also the home of the Pablo Casals Music Festival established by Pablo Casals himself (1876-1973), a Spanish Catalan cellist who made Prades his home after fleeing Franco's Spain just after the Spanish Civil War. A festival of classical music, it now takes place mainly at the tenth century abbey of St. Michel de Cuxa as well as other locations around the Prades area from the middle of July through to the beginning of August. Prades also has an organic supermarket which sells a wide variety of organic wholefoods including fresh fruit and vegetables and organic locally produced wine.

Not far from Prades on the Rousillon Plain is the medieval, fortified town of Villefranch de Conflent, the starting point of the little yellow train (runs mainly in the summer months) which takes you high up into the mountains towards the Spanish border. Villefranche is also the entrance to caves and on the hill above the town is Fort Liberia which can be reached via a long, underground staircase going up the side of the hill.

Further afield though only an hour's drive are the Cathar castles of Peyrepetuse and Queribus. Forty minutes away is Perpignan, once the Catalan capital, and the Palace of the Kings of Mallorca.

Further down the coast from Perpignan, there is the picturesque Catalan fishing town of Collioure, a haven for artists inspiring Fauvists such as Matisse and Derain because of the clear light. Here there is a pebble beach where you can swim in crystal clear waters. Behind the waterfront, there is a delightful maze of narrow streets lined with artists' shops, restaurants and cafes.

At Ceret, not far from Collioure, there is the Musee d'Arte Moderne for art lovers everywhere. Picasso, Dahli, Matisse, Chagal, Juan Gris, Maillol all spent time in Ceret. In 1910, Ceret was known as the capital of cubism. Ceret itself is a pretty town which is renowned for producing the earliest cherries in France which is April. The market day here is Saturday.

The medieval city of Carcassonne is 2 hours drive away and with its high walls and soaring turrets is the mother of all great Cathar castles.

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

Activities near by

Adventure park, Canoeing, Canyoning, Cycling, Drawing and painting, Mountain biking, Riverside activities, Rock climbing, Shopping, Sightseeing, Swimming, Tennis, White water rafting, Wine tasting

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

How to get here

A map of the area and details of how to get there can be supplied by the owners on request.

• Airports - Perpignan: 40 minutes; Carcassonne: 2 hours approximately. Both of the above are served daily by Ryanair. Ryanair also fly to Gerona which is roughly 1 hour and 45 minutes away. Other airports include Barcelona served by Easyjet, Ryanair and other airlines.
• Public Transport - There is a TGV service from London to Paris and then Perpignan. From there, catch the train to Marquixanes on the line to Prades. From here, you would need to take a taxi up the hill to Arboussols.
• Driving from England - Whilst the owners have not ventured to do this themselves, it seems that this can take anything from 12 hours minimum to several days depending on how long you stop.

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