Bridge Hideaway Ceret

The location of this property is perfect and within walking distance to everything CERET has to offer! This character property will charm you from the start! You enter into a large open plan kitchen, diner and living room, with access to the courtyard garden and summer kitchen. The first floor has 3 bedrooms and a large bathroom. There is an extra toilet downstairs. It comes complete with air conditioning and double glazing which makes this a wonderfully comfortable property to stay in. Bikes can be hired for an additional cost of £50 per bike per week. (4 available) This pretty town is set in the Tech Valley in the Pyrénées-Orientales department, the southernmost part of the Languedoc-Roussillon region. With its close proximity to the Spanish border there is a real Catalan influence, visible in both the architecture of the area and the culture and gastronomy of the region. The area attracts not only British visitors and buyers but also German, Dutch and Scandinavians. The town itself is quintessentially French with its cobbled streets meandering towards the central square, shaded by giant plane trees. There is a superb market on Saturday which showcases the wide variety of fresh local produce and, of course, a number of cafés and restaurants bordering the square. The town has a fantastic artistic heritage and has long been a haven for artist retreats. Noteworthy residents included Picasso and Dali, who both spent time here and a number of Picasso’s works are showcased in the Museum of Modern Art situated opposite the Romanesque church of Saint-Pierre. Ceret is known as a friendly town, and is typically Catalan in this respect as well as in its traditions, architecture, and gastronomy. It is also a most attractive place, with its narrow cobbled streets and pretty pastel coloured houses baked by the sun, which shines, it is claimed, for around 300 days a year in this corner of the Mediterranean! The town somehow manages to be both a tranquil escape from the stresses and strains of modern life, as well as a fascinating bustling centre. The shops, cafés and bars along with the weekly market make up the life of Ceret, and provide a delightful opportunity to sample the uniquely Catalan delicacies and cuisine on offer. Among the dishes which really must be tasted here are crème Catalane, which is a delicious crème brulée with the addition of aniseed and orange flower. Perfect for outdoor living and café culture. Ceret has an enviably warm and sunny climate, and as you would expect from a place so close to the Spanish Costa Brava, in the summer it can be extremely hot. The town, however, is the perfect place to shelter from the midday heat, as it is lined with plane trees which shelter the eating areas of the bars and restaurants, and which create a cool and pleasant atmosphere. A magical area to explore and enjoy. The countryside around the town is perhaps France's most dramatic and exciting. There are plunging gorges, towering mountains with darkly romantic Cathar castles atop, rushing rivers and, of course, the ever inviting Mediterranean Sea. There is no shortage of outdoor activities available here, and an ever changing landscape that cannot fail to intrigue and delight, no matter how many times you have viewed it! Within the town itself there is also plenty to see and do, particularly for fans of modern art. Ceret is known as the birthplace of Cubism, and the town has its own art gallery dedicated to modern art. Here you can see works by no less a personage than Pablo Picasso, and also experience the unusual installation pieces which are on the higher floor. A place to celebrate Ceret is also known for its festivals. The town is the centre of the cherry growing region, and has a reputation for producing the first cherries each year. There is a festival that celebrates this most delicious of fruits, with plenty of opportunities to sample the luscious dark red cherries! Ceret also celebrates its Catalan heritage with a festival of bullfighting and bull running.