CATALAN COUNTRY HOUSE

Le Mas (Country House) is in the heart of the town of Caixas. The church and the town hall form the center, with the only house in the village - the Mas. All that surrounds it is the natural countryside of the region with a view to the east of the sea and to the west of Mont Hélène which shelters the old chapel of Caixas on the hillside and which hides the Mas du 3000 meter rock called "le Canigou". Le Canigou gives its name to numerous restaurants, bars, cafes and stands proudly all over Roussillon; in winter with a large white cap that allows you to ski and in summer the opportunity to get up with the sun, travel and conquer its peak.

Le Mas was formerly listed in the charm guide as "Charming guest house in France", also in "Special places to stay in France" by Alastair Sawday and I think in a dozen other guides before d be reformatted as a family vacation home.

Parts of the old house date back several hundred years if one imagines that a group of stones would once have formed someone's house. The old bread oven is still partly there and would have once provided bread for the village. As is the case now, there is no village because all the old buildings have long since collapsed in the old memories of the people who lived here.

Now there is no village as such, as all the old buildings have long since collapsed in the old memories of the people who once lived here.
All that remains is a small church, a little unused, a bell tower, even more unused, the Town Hall, with in front of the village square, which in summer can boast of certain festivities in the heat of the evening; and the Mas.
History, as it exists, tells that once it was a small building belonging to two brothers who each had a room upstairs and with a common kitchen downstairs and the animals in a small `` lean-to '' on the side, providing rabbits and pigeons and village bread. Then it became the village bar run, some say, by a "generous woman"; I never said what she was generous with.

The remodeled and refurbished Mas now has 225 m² of living space with its 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, a large living room upstairs which overlooks Mont Hélène, towards Spain around 40 minutes away and the Albères slopes which slide gently towards Collioure. Most of the rooms have a clear view of the sea or the hill and are bright and open.
Entering through the old door of the Mas leads to the open kitchen and the small dining room. The indoor dining room has a large table that can seat ten people. There is a small terrace at the front and a large gravelled area for eating outside with the barbecue.

The nearest village shops are 10 minutes away (bakery, butcher and general store plus a small "Spar"). Otherwise, several large supermarkets are in Thuir - 20 minutes - think about shopping before arrival or allow time although shopping at the supermarket can be done on Sunday mornings.


More details: Entertainment: TV, TNT
Outside: Barbecue with possibility of eating outside.
Suitable: children welcome, non-smoking only, pets allowed, wheelchair inaccessible on the lower floor.
Local activities: playground for children aged 3 to 16 a few meters from the house,


The heated swimming pool of 12.5 x 4 m is securely walled and insulated. Outdoor dining area with barbecue.

 
ELECTRICITY CHARGES AS FOLLOWS
(OFF PEAK - 01 30 to 07 30 + 12 30 to 14 30) € 0.20 PER UNIT.
(otherwise € 0.25 PER UNIT).

Outside: barbecue with outdoor dining area.
Relevance: children welcome, non-smoking only, pets considered, wheelchair accessible on the lower floor.
Local activities: playground for children aged 3 to 16 a few meters from the house, cycling, golf, horse riding, mountain biking, swimming, tennis, walking.

NOTES: PLEASE NOTE THAT CHILDREN ARE COUNTED AS EXTRA PEOPLE EXCEPT UNDER AN AGE THAT DEFINES THEM AS BABIES!EXCEPT BELOW AN AGE THAT DEFINES THEM AS BABIES!