Canigou, The Tower

Gite du Mas d’en Llinas is a fabulous, rural retreat, set in the foothills of the Pyrenees with unrivalled views down to the coast, surrounding mountains and the beautiful Canigou mountain which is snow capped from November to May. In the heart of the ‘Garrigue’, you will be at one with nature in absolute peace and seclusion while only ten minutes by car from the charming village of Castelnou, one of the ‘Plus Beaux Villages de France’. This 2 bedroom apartment ''Canigou'', in the Tower, has a master bedroom at the top with windows all round, giving 360 degree views of Mount Canigou, across the Alberes mountain range and down to the sea, it is truly breathtaking. A freestanding bath is the ultimate luxury from which to take all of this in! The room below which is separated by external stairs and the private terrace, features a kitchen, sitting room with sofa bed (150cm) and further bathroom. The large terrace has some of the best views from the house. The 16 x 8 m swimming pool has breathtaking views of the valley and the mountains that surround this beautiful site. This is shared with 2 other apartments in the property. There is a shaded seating area overlooking the pool and a covered external dining area. Overlooking the pool there is a large terrace which is accessible for all apartments via steps from the garden level. There is a large lawn fit for sporting activities and weddings with enough space for a large marquee. The swimming pool is open from beginning of May until the end of September. I am Saskia and I live in Shaftesbury, UK with my husband Dan and four kids. We moved to the magical Shaftesbury from London in 2008 when we embarked on the project of building our own home. Daniel is a builder and I am an interior and garden designer so building and renovating properties is our passion. I started in the holiday let business with our own house in Shaftesbury. We both love to travel and of all the places I've visited on the Earth including Rio, the Lost City, Santa Marta in Colombia, the pyramids at Tikal in Guatemala, La Paz in Bolivia; Shaftesbury is up there with them. I guess as life progresses one starts to realise the beauty of what you have on your own doorstep. Our travels have taken in many skiing and camping holidays in France and throughout Europe and these have always prompted a desire to take our skills abroad. In 2018 our family life evolved as we set off on a new adventure to the foothills of the Pyrenees. We bought this beautiful Catalan Mas near Castelnou and moved here for 2 years, the children went to French school and myself and my husband, Dan embarked on the task of renovating this incredible house which is now ready holiday letting. Mas d’en Llinas is 10 minutes from Castelnou, classed as one of the ‘Plus Beaux Villages de France’. Thuir is 20 minutes away, Perpignan and the Mediterranean Sea are within 45 minutes. There are large sandy family beaches at Canet en Roussillon, St Cyprien and Argeles-sur-mer and a number of other little coves along the coastline. Collioure is a beautiful coastal town 45 minutes away. The house is 40 minutes from the Spanish border and 1h45 minutes from the nearest Pyrenean ski resorts. Getting there: From April to October one can easily fly into Perpignan (30 mins away), Béziers, Carcassonne, Girona (all 1hr 20), Montpellier (1hr50) or Toulouse or Barcelona El Prat (2hrs30). International flights are generally limited to Carcassonne, Montpellier, Toulouse and Barcelona in the winter months. Trains come into Perpignan from Paris, Montpellier, Béziers, Toulouse, Girona and Barcelona. Buses go directly from Girona Airport to Perpignan. Please contact me for a taxi company if required. You will need cars amongst the group as this house is well away from the hustle and bustle. It is 15 minutes by car from the nearest shops at Thuir, 10 minutes drive to Castelnou and an hour on foot. Please note that the last part of the journey to the house is along a fairly rough gravel road of some 3km so it is worth noting that low cars are not suitable for access to the house.