Large and airy open-plan lounge, kitchen /dining room with French satellite TV, radio/cdplayer and a large assortment of games, books and videos. Seating comprises a sofa and 2 easy chairs. A fan is provided, as are electric heaters for the cooler months.

Fully-fitted modern kitchen with gas hob, combination microwave/fan oven, dishwasher and washing machine. There is a toaster, electric kettle, coffee machine... in fact all you should need. An ironing board and iron are also provided.

One double and one twin bedroom both with en-suite shower rooms with own w.c. There are ceiling fans in the bedrooms for when it's hot, and electric heaters in the bedrooms and shower rooms for when it's not.

The Pyrenées-Orientales can be said to have everything - sun, sea, mountains... and Spain within easy reach (Gerona Airport is only 100 km away and can be the cheapest access to the area). The villa is just outside Montauriol, a quiet village in the foothills of the Pyrenees. It is 30 minutes south-west of Perpignan, 30 minutes from the Spanish border, 40 minutes from the coast (sandy beaches at Canet, St Cyprien, Argelès, Collioure...) and 1 hour 30 minutes from the nearest ski resort.

As well as its unspoilt natural beauty and picturesque villages and harbours, the area is known for its history (abbeys, churches, castles, walled villages...) and culture (art galleries, music festivals...). Tourism is well developed so a full range of activities is available, e.g. water skiing, diving, horse-riding, canyoning, paragliding, ULM, animal and bird parks, etc. There are also excellent shops, markets, restaurants and clubs. So there's plenty for those who want more than R & R!

Montauriol is a small friendly village of about 200 inhabitants centred around its town hall. There are beautiful walks in the hills, where chapels and a castle can be discovered. One of the chapels, for example, has doors which date from around the 10th century. Bird watchers have seen golden oriols, bee eaters, buzzards, red kites and, occasionally, short-toed eagles. Eagles use thermals from the hil opposite to ascend. Plant watchers will also find plenty to interest them.

Bed linen, towels (one set per bed/person per stay) and tea towels are provided. Cleaning at end of stay is included.
Booking conditions: 25% deposit to accompany booking with balance payable 6 weeks before start of stay, accompanied by a separate cheque for £200 as a refundable damage deposit. This will be returned on inspection of the villa and if nothing is missing or damaged.

Here is an extract from an email sent to us by Sue and David, who stayed in the villa in May 2007. We were their first stop in house-hunting "tour de France:
(...) We stayed in a number of different kinds of gite and apartments and without doubt yours has been the best of all.....by quite a considerable margin. We have stayed (suffered?) in some horribly dirty, dark and damp places that look wonderful on websites and the reality is incredibly different (the photos on some websites are completely misleading). Your villa, in direct contrast, is very light, spotlessly clean, dry, very well equipped and welcoming with the real advantage of the great views and we would be quite happy for you to quote it to any other visitors. We would have been quite content in the villa even if the weather had been wet, unlike many other places where we were only too glad to be out in the car all day simply to get dry and warm!