This has been the home of Penny and Frank Parkinson since 2000.
Caze d'en Roque Jalaire
1500 route du Mas Llardeu
66300 CAIXAS
France
Tel: (0033)(0)448 07 23 78
Email: parkinson@med-and-mountain.com
Latitude 42°35'0.38"N Longitude 2°41'42.57"E
The house can be considered as split into two halves, each with its own staircase leading to two bedrooms and a shower room with toilet. Guests usually stay in the end of the house nearest the swimming pool, where one bedroom has a double bed and the second bedroom has two single beds.
These rooms are approached up a fairly tight spiral staircase, probably unsuitable for very small children and the very infirm. Very large suitcases have also proved tricky to get upstairs!
This guest part of the house has its own entrance and a kitchen with a cooker, fridge, etc. Penny's study lies between the guest kitchen and the air-conditioned self-contained studio (with a walk-in shower and wc), which opens onto the swimming pool.
The studio has a television (Free to view channels only) and a DVD/BluRay player (so you can bring your favourites) and a record/cassette/CD player.
The guest half of the house is available for friends and relations as long as we are here to welcome you! We very much look forward to spending time with guests, but we want you to enjoy your visit and have a proper holiday in this beautiful area.
The main part of the house has two double bedrooms, a salon, dining room, bathroom, office, downstairs 'loo', kitchen and a "dog room".
Scattered around the house you will find lots of books.
Outside, there are several terraces and sitting areas with chairs and tables and a gas barbecue.
The grounds consist of 2 hectares of mainly wooded "garrigue". There are quite steep climbs down from the house to the land on the north and south - but the terraces are generally flat with only a few steps.
The dwarf goats, who have a full-time and very important job - keeping the undergrowth down to reduce the ever-present risk of forest fire - also provide entertainment.
The Area
Caixas is a country "commune", and does not really have a defined centre. The signs to Caixas direct you to the Mairie, which is in a cul-de-sac just off the D2 road and about 2 miles from our house. There are no facilities in Caixas itself - the centre consists of the Mairie, the church, and a Chambre d'hôte. The nearest baker, butcher, etc is 11 kilometres away at Fourques (about 20 minutes drive).
About 13 kilometres away is the mediaeval village of Castelnou - this has an 11th Century chateau open to the public. There are also a number of restaurants and bars, lots of arty-crafty workshops, and a weekly market during the 'tourist season'. Castelnou consists of a few cobbled streets, and is one of the "Most Beautiful Villages of France".
Thuir (about 20 kilometres and 30 minutes drive away) is a small town with a central hotel (the Cortie) and several good restaurants.
As the eagle flies, the Mediterranean is 28 kilometres away, while the Spanish border and Perpignan are both 20 kilometres away. Perpignan is a lively small city with a long history.
There is plenty of walking in the immediate vicinity of the house as we are in the foothills of the Pyrenees, about 20 miles from Mont Canigou (nearly 3000 metres high).
Skiing etc is at Font Romeu and Pyrenees 2000, about 2 hours away by car.
The nearest beach, Le Racou, is at Argeles sur Mer (about 45 minutes by car). Fresh water swimming is quite close at Villeneuve de la Raho and St Jean Pla de Corts. There is also an Aquacity for children near Canet and another near Argeles.
The nearest largish Spanish town is Figueras (an hour's drive on the autoroute), which has the Salvador Dali museum. Dali's house is at Port Lligat, about an hour's drive from Figueras, near the lovely Spanish port of Cadaques .
Collioure is a very attractive French port about an hour from Caixas - it is very busy in the summer, mainly with French visitors. Port-Vendres is a lively fishing port, with pleasure boats, cruise liners, freighters, trawlers, and lots of restaurants and cafes. Unlike Collioure, Port-Vendres is alive all year.
Other places to see nearby are Villefranche de Conflent (a walled town) with many restaurants and quirky shops. Villefranche is also the starting point for the Little Yellow Train, on which you can enjoy a wonderful trip through the mountains up to Mont Louis and beyond). In addition there is Ceret (a nice townCarcassonne with connections with Picasso); Vernet le Bains (a spa town close to Canigou ) amongst others. Carcassonne is a lovely (but over touristy) walled city restored to mediaeval splendour and is about 2 hours drive, as is the very lively city of Barcelona.
Click to see our live Weather
We expect very warm and dry summers, but winter can be cold. We are 300 metres up and spring and autumn evenings in particular can be cold. At any time, winter or summer, we can have torrential rain that can last for days. There is also a fairly regular, and very strong wind , the Tramontane (similar to the Mistral), that can make it impossible to sit outside. Be prepared by bringing some suitable clothes.
In this area people never dress up (at least men don't!). Jeans and shirt are acceptable anywhere, anytime.
To see the current weather (and a complete history of weather) at our house, click here.