Isis

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Townhouse |2 bedrooms |Sleeps 6

Ceret in Languedoc-Roussillon

From £250 per week

7 nights minimum stay

Changeover Saturday

4 out of 5

1 review | Write a review

Key info  Air conditioning, balcony/terrace, car not necessary, no pets allowed

About the home

Nestled in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, Ceret is the perfect location for a relaxing, cultured stay. Within its winding streets and squares lies "Isis", 16bis Rue de Vieux Ceret. Once two townhouses, this 16th Century maison de ville has been classically refurbished while retaining the French traditional features like stone coving, wooden ceiling beams and the original terracotta floor tiles. Built as part of the original walled city consisting of the Church and two curved cobblestone streets, "Isis" is a perfect location to explore this delightfully shady, yet bustling town.

Begin with the bakery that opens at 7am and is 30 seconds away from "Isis". From the Easter Procession to the Cherry Festival in June, there is always plenty to see and do in Ceret itself. You will certainly enjoy the fountains, cafe terraces, the Museum of Modern Art, public swimming pool, bullring, sports grounds and the busy Saturday markets.

Facilities

Further details indoors:
Spacious is the word that best describes this large three-storey house with 650 sq.ft. of comfortable living space on each of the two floors above the ground floor entrance and rez-de-chaussee. The first floor consists of a modern kitchen, dining room and living room with air conditioning, satellite TV and fans for warm weather . In the cooler weather there is a warm air "heat pump", cast iron stove and portable electric radiators for cosy winter nights.

The top floor has sleeping accommodation for 5 or 6 people in two double bedrooms, each with a balcony and ceiling fan. There is also a spacious mezzanine area with air conditioning/heat pump unit, suitable for sleeping or just a relaxing read. A large bathroom with bath and shower is also on this floor. The house's two air conditioning/heat pump units are brand-new in 2010 as well as a new shower/toilet/whb on the entrance floor.

You can just imagine having breakfast on the large rooftop terrace with panoramic views of the surrounding town and hills. Ceret is a quiet town and Rue de Vieux Ceret is too narrow for cars so "Isis" is very peaceful.

Further details outdoors:
You will especially enjoy the tranquil delights of strolling the winding cobblestone streets of Ceret , dining al fresco in the many nearby restaurants, attending classical concerts in the nearby Church and music college, and hiking in the hills overlooking the town. Visitors do not need a car to access Ceret because there is plenty of public transport from nearby airports and cities and there are 2 supermarkets, an Internet cafe and the outdoor market in Ceret. However free parking is available at Les Tins public carpark 3 minutes walk from "Isis". The public swimming pool in Ceret is open during July and August. There is a water adventure playground at St. Jean Lakes, 10 minutes from Ceret.
If you have a car you will certainly enjoy a visit to the Salvadore Dali Museum in Figueres, Spain, an hour south, or to Barcelona two hours away. Closer to Ceret you can enjoy a trip on the unique Yellow Train which is one of the famous Train Journeys of the World.

Further details

To allow visitors to enjoy greater flexibility regarding arrival and departure times, we have installed a lockbox at the door where the keys are kept. You will be told the code when you confirm a booking. There is a local house manager who will ensure the house is clean and tidy before you arrive and answer any questions that may arise. Linen is supplied and there is a small laundry fee. The many stairs may be difficult for elderly or infirm visitors and the stairs and balconies make the house unsuitable for small children. There is a folding fabric cot/playpen for a baby and ample room for it in the large bedroom. Strollers or bicycles can be stored in the entrance hallway.

Conditions

Long term lets in wintertime. Reductions for lets of 2 weeks or more. 25% deposit secures booking with remaining 75% due 6 weeks before letting. Any questions willingly answered via e-mail or telephone. Owner also speaks basic French and Spanish. Tourist brochures sent upon request after booking.

Photos

 

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Ceret town walls

 

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sittingroom with A/C

 

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large double bedroom

 

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lunch on the rooftop terrace

The Languedoc-Roussillon / Pyrenees-Orientales region

Pyrenees-Orientales is the area of Languedoc-Roussillon that borders Spain so short trips across the border for lunch, shopping or sightseeing are easy. The beauty of Ceret is that you can hike in the mountains in the morning, then cool off with a swim in the Mediterranean in the afternoon, then chill-out in Ceret the evening with dinner and a glass of wine while you are entertained by street musicians. Then stroll home!

Visitors who are flying to Gerona Airport in Spain can take the low cost Frogbus transfer between Gerona Airport and Perpignan. Go online at frogbus.com and arrange to be dropped off at Le Boulou, just past the French border, and to have a taxi waiting to take you to Ceret.

A car would enable visitors to you to visit the many villages of the area or to drive to Spain in half an hour. The famous Salvador Dali museum in Figueres is less than an hour away and Barcelona is two hours drive south of the border. Ceret's outdoor public swimming pool is open during July and August. Other sports facilities include a boules area, tennis courts, basketball courts, rugby and soccer grounds and a bull ring and lakeside beaches in nearby St. Jean Pla de Corts. Popular Argeles sur Mer and Coulliere are on the Mediterranean Sea 30 minutes' drive from Ceret.

The Ceret area

Like Collioure Ceret was a favourite spot with many great modern artists including Picasso and Braque. In the 1910's Ceret was regarded as the 'Capitol of Cubism'. There is a famous Museum of Modern Art with several cubist paintings, a Picasso collection and works by Chagall, Dali, Miro, Matisse and Juan Gris. Many of these artists came to visit the Catalan sculptor Manolo (1872-1945) and the composer Deodat de Severac (1873-1921) who lived here at the time when many famous artists came to Ceret. Aristide Maillol, the sculptor from Banyuls made a war memorial for the town. Many visitors take a daytrip to Figueres to tour the gallery designed by Salvador Dali to display his large paintings. etchings and other artwork.

Sport fans will delight in the many facilities in Ceret including grounds for soccer, rugby, tennis, swimming, basketball or watching bull fighting. There is also a large bicycle rental shop near the house. Enjoy a short drive to the lakes and beaches at St. Jean de Pla Courts or a half-hour drive to the seaside with beautiful beaches or a stroll through the picturesque seaside village of Collioure. There are regular buses to central Perpignan for a day of sightseeing. You can drive north 2 hours to the fabulous castle at Carcassone or 2 hours south to fabulous Barcelona. Drive further up the valley of the River Tech visit small towns, take a daytrip to Andorra or ride the famous Yellow Train into the Pyrenees Mountains. The Pyrenees are a paradise for serious hikers or casual hillwalkers. The Tourist Office in Ceret gives free details of all these activities and attractions and the owner of "Isis" will provide brochures on request when you book a stay.

Ceret is proudly Catalan with a Catalan Culture Centre in Place Pablo Picasso where there is regular open-air Sardana dancing. In early Spring there is the Mardi Gras Carnival and on Easter Sunday there is a colourful religious procession and open air Mass. The big Sardana Festival is usually in July. However the most exciting festival in Ceret is the week-long Cherry Festival (hence the name Ceret) in the first week of June. There is a parade, a lot of entertainment and the popular outdoor market with a wide variety of food, produce and wine, many with that essential ingredient, yes, cherries!

How to get there

What's nearby: Attractions Restaurants Click map icons for more information

Map showing the Ceret areaReset Map

This large maison de ville is in the heart of Ceret which is 25km from Perpignan Airport or Perpignan train (TGV) + bus station, with a regular daytime bus service to Ceret. The town is a 1.5 hour drive from Gerona Airport, Spain or take the Frogbus from Gerona Airport + taxi from Le Boulou (12kim), Carcassone or Barcelona Airports 2 hours from Ceret.

The house is in the heart of Ceret and there are enough nearby activities and regular public transport so a car is not required. If hiring a car from Gerona or Barcelona Hertz is recommended because they have a service in Perpignan and don't charge extra for cross-border service.

Directions: From the A9 motorway from Perpignan to Barcelona take the Le Boulou exit, the last before the border, and turn inland for 12 km. Ceret is well-signposted. Park for free in Les Tins public carpark and the house is 2 minutes from the Museum of Modern Art.

Activities near Ceret

Reviews

Review: 1 to 1 of 1

20 Dec 2011

“Wonderful location from which to discover a fascinating region.” We had a wonderful time in Céret. With the owner's detailed directions, including photos, in hand we had no problem finding the apartment. The description of facilities in the house and advice like finding croissants nearby were very helpful, as were the brochures the owner kindly sent us in advance. Although we were there in the last week in September, we had tremendous weather. The only somewhat rainy morning, we visited the nearby Museum of Modern Art. The farthest we ventured in the week was to Figueres. The Dali Museum was a bit of a zoo but we were glad to have seen it and the drive there and back was lovely (we took the coastal road down and the route nationale back). We made different day trips each day, discovering the Tech and Têt valleys, Carcassonne and the Mediterranean coast. We sampled the local wine, cuisine and produce by eating in various restaurants at noon and shopping at markets and other shops for something to prepare for our evening meal. The house was very comfortable, with lots of room for two couples. One of the best features was its location – it was great being able to walk out the door and be right at the shops, cafés, etc. We speak French and it was fun listening to conversations and also chatting with the local merchants. In one of our conversations, the traiteur, Guy Molas, told us about a new restaurant he had just opened new the Intermarché and suggested that we stop by even for a coffee. We did that and discovered the wonderful view it provided over Céret toward Mt. Canigou. We sampled croissants from three bakeries before deciding that we liked the ones from the small bakery on the main street, beside Guy Molas Traiteur, best. (What a treat to be able to conduct such a survey!). We didn't actually take in any of the concerts or other events but there certainly seems to be a lot going on in Ceret all the time. The owner made herself very available for questions prior to our trip and invited us to let her know about any deficiencies during our stay. We did tell her about a couple of minor issues and she acted on them very quickly. We are thrilled to have discovered such a lovely place!

Review: 1 to 1 of 1

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Guestbook for Isis

"16 Ibis rue e Vieux ("Isis") is a wonderful, welcoming, romantic house. It was everything we'd hoped for and more! We were overwhelmed by its history, its authenticity and overall charm. We felt entirely at home immediately. The house itself is spacious, cool, comfortably furnished and perfectly situated in the old town. Whatever the weather there was always somewhere in the house that was bright and tranquil.The house's proximity to the town centre and cybercafe made it a perfect location for our teenage family. We especially loved being able to play boules in the grounds next to Les Tins car park, if not in the official boules pitch five minutes away.
We loved the church bells, which we didn't find intrusive, and the instant access to the old town. Each day, as we locked the gorgeous old front door, we felt like we'd just stepped out of the Montagues' or Capulets' residence!"

Tim Clark, School-Teacher, Harlow, Essex
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We adored our time in Ceret and at the big house on Rue de Vieux Ceret. This trip was exactly what
we needed after a hectic autumn. For my friends and me, all graduate students, there was nothing
like a Mediterannean Christmas holiday season for some relaxation, fresh perspectives and
change of pace. Anyone who is fascinated by history like we are will feel privileged staying in a home that
dates back to medieval times in the oldest quarter of the town. Yet the maison de ville has completely modern amenities and is very comfortable. We found it to have the best of both worlds. The wood-burning stove was a real asset on the chilly evenings, as was the BBC on cable for those who were missing Christmas programmes in English.
It was great to have an excellent local 'houseminder' who helped with anything we needed. The Irish owner is very thoughtful and both prior to our trip and during our stay she was attentive by email or phone if we had any questions.

The town was absolutely charming. The weather was cool enough to know it
was the winter holiday season but not too cold. Vendors were selling roasted nuts and
children were ice-skating on the nearby town square, while carolers performed under
coloured lights.. Because we were there in the off-season, we quickly found many of the bars and
restaurants in Ceret and made repeated visits. I strongly recommend the tabac on the
main square, the pizza place on the small square, Cyberia internet cafe,
the Dali Bar, and of course the museum. The locals came to know
us and were very friendly. Even with our various levels of French conversation, we
ended up making friends. When we felt like a change of scene, we took the one euro bus trip
to Perpignan to shop, eat, or just stroll the beautiful streets. Friends who joined us had
rented a car at the Barcelona airport which facilitated our day trip to
Carcassonne. It's a medieval village laid out all over grounds of
the castle, and it is absolutely worth seeing.
Overall, 'Isis' is a beautiful house in a charming yet afforable town. I have already booked a summer holiday and I look forward to having a totally new view of Ceret in the summer.

Kerry from Chicago

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Hello Sheena,
We had a wonderful holiday in Ceret and at your Maison de Village 16bis . We were really pleased with the beds, bedrooms and all the facilities and especially the retreat to the roof top patio. Then there was the old town! Decorated by tall grand plane trees, the streets had a picturesque presentation, especially with the Cherry Festival decorations swinging across the boulevards . The lack of anything but basic French was not a hinderance because everybody tried as hard to speak English as I did French and there were always others ready to help. The Tourist Information Office was always ready to help in perfect English.

They supplied a rambling guide and we found ancient stone paths up the mountain behind Ceret . Water chattered down narrow viaducts beside the path and there were many places where views of Ceret were framed by the trees. We walked to Amelie-les- Bains one day and took the bus back. Walked both ways to Maureillas-les-Illas, a similar medieval town. The bus schedules were easy to understand and one could go anywhere as long as you went to Perpignan first. Perpignan is a terrific city and the palace there is the oldest in France. We ended up in Collioure for a salt water swim and a good day checking out the artists and the charming shops and restaurants.
We found that we were much better off without a car rental. It forced us to get moving and we saw more as we went. I notied that in July and August the bus goes to Collioure and the Mediterranean coastline direct from Ceret.

We ate in your recommended Catalan dining room a couple of times and were impressed with the really good food and the mom and pop owners who conducted cheery dinners. At the bottom corner of your street a new small dining room opened a couple of days before I arrived and we ate there many times. It also serves Catalan food and is very good and slightly less expensive. Most of the time we cooked our food and ate in our great town house. The market on Saturdays offered a vast choice of foods, all fresh, and good local wines to go with it. There were great hand-crafted gifts there as well. Daily, early morning, I would beetle down to the organic baker to get the day's bread, oven warm and delicious.

I would highly recommend the holiday in Ceret. The air inspires the exercise, the fresh offerings of fruit and veggies all make one healthier and, even after being immersed back in the grind of my office work, I still feel as though I have had a holiday and the smile will not leave my face.

Thanks for all the information you provided in advance, including the brochures and train and bus schedules.
John from Canada

Rental prices

Prices for group size 6
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
winter	30 Oct 11	25 Feb 12	250£ 250	0-	0-	1 Week
spring weeks	25 Feb 12	7 Apr 12	350£ 350	0-	0-	1 Week
early summer	7 Apr 12	23 Jun 12	430£ 430	0-	0-	1 Week
high summer	23 Jun 12	9 Sep 12	500£ 500	0-	0-	1 Week
autumn	9 Sep 12	27 Oct 12	400£ 400	0-	0-	1 Week

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the advertiser's discretion.

Wednesday to Wednesday or Saturday can be arranged; reduced rates for multiple weeks; refundable security deposit £150 with final payment; laundry fee for sheets and towels; contact owner in Ireland with any queries by e-mail; winter rate does not include electricity charges.

Availability

See below for next 9 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here

Contact the owner

* Required fields Please check the following errors: First name * Last name * Email *   Did you mean ""? Yes / No Phone number Arrival date Departure date   Ignore calendar - enquire anway No. of adults No. of children Message * Email me special offers and holiday ideas T&Cs

3 years listed You are contacting Sheena W. Mcmahon Landline +353 86 3634058 Mobile n/a Payment accepted Credit cards accepted PayPal accepted Languages spoken The owner is based in Ireland and has advertised with Holiday Lettings since 2008. This townhouse has received 1 review from previous guests.