PYRENEES-ORIENTALES HOLIDAY RENTALS - LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON - FRANCE

Luxuriously appointed and very spacious apartment on quay, completely renovated 2006, with electric heating and air-conditioning. Located in the bustling heart of the lively fishing port of Port-Vendres, with restaurants, bars, cafés, shops immediately to hand. Watch fishing boats unload their catch and sell direct on the quay.

Sleeps: 6 - Bedrooms: 3 - Bathrooms: 3

The flat is the second floor of an old building on the quay of this lovely old deep-water port, with lots of restaurants, shops, etc, immediately to hand. The position and view are literally unique!

There are three double bedrooms - the master one with a dressing room and en-suite shower room, with a French (of course) window overlooking the quay.

The other two bedrooms are situated at the back of the flat; one has a double bed and is equipped with an en-suite shower room, including toilet. The other bedroom has twin beds and a shower and washbasin, but no toilet. There is a separate toilet off the entrance hall.

All the bedrooms have reversible air-conditioning (hot for winter; cold for summer).

The study is situated between the two rear bedrooms and has a "clic-clac" sofa - convertible into a double bed, for occasional adult use or for children. There is a door from the study to a walkway leading behind the flat to the terrace.

The large lounge/dining room has two French windows overlooking the quay, and incorporates a fully-equipped kitchen - oven, ceramic hob, dishwasher, fridge, microwave, etc. The dining table has seating for 8.

In the lounge is a television and DVD/CD/Radio system, two three-seater sofas, easy chairs, pouffes, a coffee table and bookcase.

The utility room contains a freezer, washing machine, drier and ironing equipment.

We have several French-English electric plug converters, so you do not need to bring any of these.


Port-Vendres has a long history - it was known to Greek sailors in the 8th century BC. It is the nearest French deep-water port to Africa and was the embarkation point for Algeria during the period of French rule.

Many fighters fled Nazi occupation from Port-Vendres to join the Free French and the RAF during the last World War. Nowadays it is a lively small fishing port with cruise liners, pleasure craft and some freight.

The town is surrounded by beautiful hills with vineyards producing AOC Collioure and Banyuls wines. The charming resort of Collioure is 3 kilometres away, while the lovely, winding coast road takes you the 21 kilometres to Spain. Also along the coast are the busy beach resorts of Argeles sur Mer, St Cyprien, Banyuls and others.

Roads through the Pyrenees take you to Andorra via Mont Louis and Font Romeu, or to Spain via Ceret. Perpignan, with its history, shops and nightlife is 33 kilometres away.

PATIO:

Unusually for a second-floor flat, because Port-Vendres rises steeply behind the quay we have a terrace of about 20 square metres at the back, reached by a short raised walkway! On the terrace are a table and chairs as well as a small barbecue.

KITCHEN:

The all-electric kitchen is fully equipped and has an oven, ceramic hob, microwave, fridge and dishwasher. A freezer is in the utility room.

UTILITY AREA:

The utility room contains a freezer, washing machine, drier and ironing equipment.

DINING AREA:

The dining area has table and chairs for eight people.

LIVING/LOUNGE AREA:

In the lounge is a television and DVD/CD/Radio system, two three-seater sofas, easy chairs, pouffes, a coffee table and bookcase.

BEDROOMS:

There are three double bedrooms - the master one with a dressing room and en-suite shower room, with a French (of course) window overlooking the quay.

The other two bedrooms are situated at the back of the flat; one has a double bed and is equipped with an en-suite shower room, including toilet. The other bedroom has twin beds and a shower and washbasin, but no toilet. There is a separate toilet off the entrance hall.

All the bedrooms have reversible air-conditioning (hot for winter; cold for summer).

The study is situated between the two rear bedrooms and has a "clic-clac" sofa - convertible into a double bed, for occasional adult use or for children. There is a door from the study to a walkway leading behind the flat to the terrace.

CHANGEOVER NOTES:

Changeover day is Saturday in the high season, but can be varied at other times. Tha apartment is available from 4pm and should be vacated by 11am.

LINEN NOTES:

All bed linen is included, as are towels and beach towels.

PET NOTES:

Well-behaved dogs are allowed.

BABY FACILITY:

The apartment has a travel cot suitable for a young baby. The study area has a 'clic-clac' fold down double sofa bed for occasional use or children.

LOCAL AMENITIES/ATTRACTIONS:

Port-Vendres is one of the few deep water ports in the French Mediterranean, and this has formed its history for thousands of years. It is also the closest French port to Algeria, which was part of France from the middle of the nineteenth century until it became independent in 1962. Nowadays there is a regular car ferry service to Tangiers from Port-Vendres.

Port-Vendres is a major fishing port for this coast, with all sizes of boats from one-man skiffs to large trawlers. As a result the restaurants around the harbour specialise in fresh fish. If you want to cook your own, some boats sell their catch direct from the quayside.

In the early 1920's, Port-Vendres was home to the famous Scottish architect and designer, Charles Rennie MacKintosh, who produced a series of watercolours of the town and the surrounding area. He returned to England to die, but requested that his wife scatter his ashes in the harbour here, thus commemorating some of the happiest years of his life.

The vineyards around Port-Vendres produce high quality Collioure or Banyuls AOC wines, as well as more modest Vins de pays.

There are small, cove beaches nearby, as well as great sandy beaches stretching around the Mediterranean from Argeles sur Mer, Canet Plage and St Cyprien which also has an Aquacity for children.

Collioure is a very attractive French port 3 kilometres north of Port-Vendres - it is very busy in the summer, mainly with French visitors, while just south is the first marine nature reserve in France, which extends for more than 6 kilometres and covers 650 hectares of sea between Banyuls-sur-Mer and Cerbere, just north of the Spanish border.

The Spanish town of Figueras is just over 60 kilometres away, and is home to the Salvador Dali museum. Dali's house is at Port Lligat , near Cadaques also about 60 kilometres away from Port-Vendres.

Also for art lovers, the nearby town of Ceret has a well respected modern art museum and connections with Picasso.

There is plenty of walking in the immediate vicinity, with a beautiful coastline and the Alberes mountains rising from the town to the Pyrenees. A good walker's map is the IGN "Carte de randonnée" map number 2549OT, "Banyuls". Port-Vendres is only about 50 kilometres away from the 2800 metre Mont Canigou.

Villefranche de Conflent an old walled town on the road to Andorra has a seventeenth century fort, Fort Liberia, looking down over the town. Villefranche is the starting point for the Little Yellow Train, which provides stunning views as it winds though the Pyrenees to Mont Louis and beyond.

Further north, but still within an hour's drive, are the craggy Corbières, with the seemingly impregnable fortresses of Peyrepertuse and Quéribus. These are both famous for their resistance to the Albigensian Crusaders who descended on the south of France to eradicate the Cathar heresy in the 13th century.

Carcassonne, the deservedly famous walled city restored in the nineteenth century to its original mediaeval splendour, is about 2 hours drive to the north, while about 2 hours drive to the south lies the very lively city of Barcelona.

As for winter sports, there are downhill and cross-country skiing pistes at Font Romeu and Pyrenees 2000 , also about 2 hours away by car, this time to the west, with Andorra a couple of hours further on.

BOOKING NOTES:

For further information and booking details, see our web site at www.med-and-mountain.com; or e-mail us at port-vendres@med-and-mountain.com