Villa Amelie

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Villa |4 bedrooms |Sleeps 10

Vernet les Bains in Languedoc-Roussillon

From £450 per week

1 night minimum stay

Changeover Saturday

4 out of 5

2 reviews | Write a review

Key info  Swimming pool, beach or lakeside relaxation, balcony/terrace, car advised, private garden, no pets allowed

About the home

Nestled at the foot of Mount Canigou, the spa and arboretum village of Vernet-les-Bains is a wonderful base to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings, or to explore the varied attractions and activities of the Pyrenees Orientales.
This lovely villa is peacefully situated at the end of a lane, only two minutes walk from the local swimming pool complex, tennis courts and playground, and a ten minute stroll from the charming village of Vernet, with its colourful market three times weekly, shops, restaurants, thermal spa and parks.
The spacious villa has a comfortable living/dining area with a woodburning stove in the fireplace. French windows lead onto the south-facing front terrace, pleasantly shaded by mature trees, and also into the back garden where the pool is situated. The kitchen also has doors to the front terrace, perfect for relaxed outdoor dining, while looking at the views of Vernet and Mount Canigou. The villa is well supplied with satellite T.V. , Broadband Internet and laptop, books, games, and DVDs , as well as table tennis, volleyball, badminton, boules, and children’s swings. There is a 10m x 5m private heated swimming pool in the rear garden, with views across the valley. It is fitted with a domed pool cover, which can be fully or partially retracted, kept in place for swimming under on cooler days, or closed for security when left unattended. There is also a solar shower for rinsing off before or after your swim.
There is a host of activities in the local area to suit all ages and tastes. Within a 10 minute drive you will find the Romanesque Fort Liberia, the abbey of St. Martin du Canigou, the fortified village of Villefranche, limestone caves, thermal spas, an animal park, and the Little Yellow Train. Climb Mount Canigou (or take a 4x4 jeep to nearer the summit!), or enjoy gentler walks in the area. There are opportunities for canyoning, white-water rafting, and climbing, as well as horse-riding, mountain-biking, and water-sports on the nearby lake. The area is ideal for bird-watching, painting, photography and fishing. There are also several local markets, a variety of restaurants, a host of festivals and summer entertainments in the village square.
With less than an hour’s drive to the ski slopes around Font Romeu, or towards the beaches, water-parks and golf-courses around Perpignan, you will be spoilt for choice.

Facilities

Further details indoors:
A high chair, cot and a children's table and chairs are available for use if required.
There are 3 double bedrooms on the ground floor and a fourth double bedroom upstairs, all newly furnished.
Two of the single beds are daybeds with low rails on three sides, which may be turned around to provide additional safety for younger children.
Four of the beds are single beds without foot-ends, ideal for taller adults, which can be made up as doubles if required. Two single futon beds can be placed in any bedroom as required.
There is a bathroom downstairs with a separate toilet, and an en suite bathroom with the upstairs bedroom.
A wide range of family DVDs and videos for young children is provided.
A variety of store cupboard essentials e.g. salt, pepper, sugar are kept in stock.
A computer is provided (for Internet access only).
Weighing scales are provided to help with packing cases prior to departure!

Further details outdoors:
There is a private and mature garden of over 1/2 an acre with a variety of trees, shrubs and roses.
Patio furniture for ten people, and sun loungers are provided.
The swing set includes a single swing, a 2 person swing-boat and a trapeze/ring set.
A double garage is available for use on request.
10m x 5m HEATED PRIVATE SWIMMING POOL IN REAR GARDEN- with domed cover which may be left in position, or partially or fully removed. Also a solar shower for use before and after swimming.

Further details

Key safe to allow arrival any time after 4pm.
English property manager available if needed.
Linen and bath towels are provided, but please bring extra towels for swimming.
Rental rates ALL INCLUSIVE of bed linen, towels, end of stay cleaning, pool heating (April to October) and central heating (in cooler months).
Reduced rates may be available for smaller groups out of peak season. Check with owner.
£200 breakage deposit required with final balance payment. Refunded after property checked for loss/damage/cleanliness.
Cleaning service E30-50, linen change E30-50.
We can accept payments by cheque or bank transfer in GBP or Euros.

Conditions

Deposit of 20% required to secure booking
Balance and a refundable breakages deposit of £200 due 8 weeks before holiday starts.
Breakages deposit to be refunded within two weeks of your departure (subject to satisfactory property inspection).
Strictly no smoking.
No pets, sorry.

Photos

 

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4 bedroom villa with French windows onto front terrace

 

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views of Vernet-les-Bains at foot of Mt. Canigou

 

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private heated 10x5m pool in rear garden

 

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enjoy the view while dining on the front terrace

The Languedoc-Roussillon / Pyrenees-Orientales region

This area of France is famous for its average of 300 days of sunshine a year, an ideal climate for exploring the surrounding villages, valleys and mountains, or taking part in some of the many activities on offer.
5 minutes drive from Vernet-les-Bains is the fortified village of Villefranche de Conflent, with many restaurants serving traditional Catalan cuisine and a variety of craft and gift shops in its narrow streets. Above the town is Fort Liberia, which can be reached by a long, underground staircase going up inside the hill. There are also the limestone caves of Les Grottes de Canalettes, with sound and light shows in the summer months. Villefranche is the starting point for the Little Yellow Train, which takes you on a spectacular journey up the Tet valley to the mountains and ski resorts near the Spanish border.

For art and music lovers, the Pyrenees Orientales has much to offer. Picasso, Dali, Matisse and Chagal all spent time here, and there are modern art museums in Céret, Collioure and Perpignan which have exhibitions throughout the year. The Pablo Casals music festival is held in and around Prades during the summer, which attracts top-class international musicians, and a jazz festival in Perpignan, as well as many smaller music and dance events in local villages.

You can visit the Romanesque abbeys of St. Martin du Canigou and St. Michel de Cuxa, the Perfume Tower in Mosset, or travel a little further to see the Cathar castles of Perypeteuse, Queribus and Carcassonne.
Around an hour's drive away are the wide sandy beaches of St-Cyprien, Argeles, and Canet, where you can swim, wind-surf and scuba-dive, or enjoy water-parks, golf, go-carting and other attractions.
If you wish to avoid the hustle and bustle of the coast , bathing may be enjoyed at the lake in Vinca, local natural rock pools or the thermal spas of St. Thomas-les-Bains. The area has many nature reserves for bird-watching, painting, photography and hiking.

For the more energetic, there is an adventure park 15 minutes drive away in Marquixanes, which has forest aerial rope courses to suit all ages, and which organises canyoning,canoeing and white-water rafting. There are also opportunities for para-gliding, mountain-biking and climbing.

The Vernet les Bains area

Vernet-les-Bains is an ideal centre for holiday-makers as it has so much to offer that you may not feel the need to leave the local area at all! The village enjoys a wonderful climate, as it is set in a sheltered valley, surrounded by mountains which trap warmer air, yet not over-shadowed by them so it is in the sun all day. Its altitude of 650m means the air stays a pleasant temperature, without the high heat and humidity that may be experienced in the coastal regions.

Vernet has its own thermal spa and fitness centre, offering aquagym, jacuzzis, sauna, steam room, massage and fitness room. Next door there is an imposing casino and its tranquil park. Vernet is also a Village-Arboretum, with over 1,500 trees in the village, of which some 200 species have been identified and listed. There is also a geological museum, with a fine collection of over 10,000 specimens, including crystals and fossils The village is dominated by the restored castle and the church of St. Saturnin, reached through the winding streets of the old village. Guided visits are available in the summer months.

Not only are there boulangeries for your morning croissants, but a wide range of shops and amenities to be found around the squares or tucked away in the narrow, climbing streets of the old village. These include 12 restaurants, 3 cafe-bars, a news-agent, butchers, grocers, delicatessen, chemists, Post Office, gift shops, 2 banks with ATM and a hairdressers. Markets are held three times a week, selling local cheeses, wine, olives, sausages, as well as fruit and vegetables, fish and seafood, clothes and jewellery. Anything else may be bought from the supermarket on the edge of the village. In addition, Prades is a 10 minute drive away with 2 further supermarkets and a popular Tuesday market.

Activities in Vernet include the large swimming pool complex with one indoor pool (open in the winter) and three outdoor pools (paddling, children's pool and deep pool with diving board), three tennis courts, boulodrome and children's playground- which are all within a 2 minute walk of the villa. There are horse-riding stables at the bottom of the road, a small football stadium and a discotheque. There is also a mountain zoo 5km up the valley in Casteil , and the popular river pools in the Rotja river near Sahorre. You can walk from the villa to scenic spots such as the waterfalls of the Cascades des Anglais, or the viewpoint at the Tower of Goa, or climb Mount Canigou (4x4 trips can be arranged in the village).

The tourist information office in the village square can provide details of local walks and the busy programme of entertainments in the summer months, including free tuition of the traditional Catalan dance "le Sardane". Local festivals include the "Belle Epoque" festival in May, which recreates the period in the 1840's when Rudyard Kipling and the cream of English society flocked to the spa, casino and hotels of the village, the Festival of the Fires of the Night of St.John (June 23rd), the Canigou mountain race (August 5th), the Festival of Trees (October), and the Festival of St. Saturnin (November).

How to get there

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

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-Fly to Perpignan, Beziers, Girona (Spain), Carcassonne, Montpellier, Toulouse or Barcelona (in order of closeness) via the low-cost airlines - Ryanair, Easyjet, Flybe or with British Airways or Air France.
Vernet-les-Bains is about 45 minutes from Perpignan and 2 hours from Girona airport.
All major car rental agencies have a desk at all the airports.

-By train- TGV ( 8 1/2 hours) London to Perpignan, then local train to Villefranche de Conflent (5 minutes taxi ride to Vernet-les-Bains).
It is even possible to put your car on the train as far as Narbonne, then drive from there.

-By car- approximately 12 hours from Calais by autoroute.

Please ask for advice if needed.

Activities near Vernet les Bains

Reviews

Review: 1 to 2 of 2

03 Oct 2011

“A very comfortable villa in a wonderful location!” Whether you're into Romanesque architecture or whitewater rafting, Vernet les Bains, nestled at the foot of the Pyrennees, has it all. Some guide books describe the town as 'stuffy' but we found it anything but. Okay, so maybe it doesn't possess quite the photogenic qualities of Castelnou or Eus (both easily reached in 30 - 45 minutes) but the old quarter is still immensely attractive with twisting narrow streets winding up to the church on the hill and it's a 'proper' year round French village with thrice weekly market, pharmacy, post office, school etc.. and lots of bars and restaurants frequented by locals as well as tourists. The surrounding area provides loads of attractions from walks ranging from gentle strolls to major expeditions, ancient abbeys and other historical monuments in abundance, the little yellow train which runs up to the ski resorts at Mont Louis and fort Romeu and for those bored with the more usual pursuits, even a snail farm(!) and the world's largest solar furnace. Villa Amelie itself is ideally situated in a quiet cul de sac, behind its own electronic gates, yet just an easy ten minute stroll into the village. We enjoyed a blisteringly hot two weeks at the beginning of September, but for those not so fortunate with the weather, the villa is well equipped with a wide range of English board games, DVDs books etc. There is also a table tennis table and large swimming pool - and the kitchen is very well kitted out right down to a kettle and toaster! Theoretically the villa sleeps up to ten. Two of the bedrooms are however interconnecting so whilst it would be fine for a family it might not be ideal for all groups. The upstairs bedroom is lovely with a super view and its own en suite. Our only other minor gripe concerned the cover on the swimming pool (required by French law) which was a bit of a pain to move and resulted in us using the pool slightly less often than we might otherwise have done. Those two small observations apart we had a truly lovely holiday at Villa Amelie and would recommend both the villa and the area without hesitation.

08 Sep 2011

“Excellent location, great villa very well equipped aiding a very relaxing holiday” There were 8 of us staying at Villa Amelie and there was plenty of room for us all. We all thoroughly enjoyed the private pool and front garden. The rooms were all very comfortable and nicely furnished. Vernet le Bains is a lovely little town and Villa Amelie is a hidden gem!

Review: 1 to 2 of 2

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Guestbook for Villa Amelie

We had 9 of us staying very comfortably for 2 weeks. Loved our times sitting on the terrace and relaxing in the garden. The kitchen was very well furnished, your game cupboard and videos were exceptional, and overall it was just what we wanted. We felt very at home here. We had a great time exploring the villages, the mountains and the beaches. It was great. Vernet was a lovely base & the market a real pleasure. -the Adlam-Hill family (July 08)

Thank you so much for a wonderfully relaxing stay in your very comfortable and well equipped home in Vernet! We had a fantastic week's skiing in Les Angles - the children at ski school morning and afternoon, and us trying out raquettes and enjoying the free time! -the Boultons (December 08)

What an amazing place! We found the villa surpassed our expectations in every way. The pool is glorious. The gardens lovely. We walked to the village every day. The locals are very friendly and helpful as we don't speak much French. We had all our meals on the veranda and spent many hours in the pool or playing table tennis. The villa caters for all ages with games for children. The weather was splendid all week. We will be sorry to leave here but we will definitely be back next year. - C. Clack (May 2011)

Had a lovely week- beautiful weather and we've made good use of the pool and garden. We've done some fabulous, spectacular walks- the scenery is stunning! Our 4 boys- aged between 9-17 years- have loved playing in the pool, table tennis tournaments, Monopoly (!) and sitting reading. All very relaxing! Many thanks- the Finch and Wilks families (August 2011)

Have had a really relaxing time here in Vernet. House has been brill! Highlight for the children was the tubing at Marquixanes. For me it was the drive and walk to the Tour de Goa- really felt like we were in the mountains- what fantastic views and the different butterflies were superb! Thank you so much for a wonderful stay- the Barrass family (August/September 2011)

Just thought I'd drop you a line to say what a fantastic holiday we had at Villa Amelie. We loved Vernet and the surrounding area and the weather was incredibly kind. Apart from torrential rain during the first night we enjoyed cloudless blue skies and temperatures in the high 20s for the entire fortnight. The villa was brilliantly equipped and whilst we ate out a fair bit (The Bistro Cortal and The Princess were particular favourites together with the huge pizzas at the place in the square) we also spent many a pleasant evening eating in and playing cards! What we particularly loved was the easy walking proximity into Vernet and the fact that Vernet is a 'proper' functioning French village not solely reliant on tourism. We felt that Vernet had a proper 'heart' with school, doctors, etc.. and was still hugely atmospheric whilst also being practical and friendly. That and the ease of getting there has made us seriously consider purchasing a property in that area ourselves.- the Head family (Sept 11)

Rental prices

Prices for group size 10
Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
	30 Oct 11	18 Dec 11	450£ 450	0-	0-	Flexible
	18 Dec 11	8 Jan 12	700£ 700	0-	0-	Flexible
	8 Jan 12	31 Mar 12	450£ 450	0-	0-	Flexible
	31 Mar 12	21 Apr 12	800£ 800	0-	0-	1 Week
	21 Apr 12	2 Jun 12	700£ 700	0-	0-	Flexible
	2 Jun 12	30 Jun 12	850£ 850	0-	0-	Flexible
	30 Jun 12	1 Sep 12	1400£ 1400	0-	0-	1 Week
	1 Sep 12	30 Sep 12	850£ 850	0-	0-	1 Week
	30 Sep 12	4 Nov 12	700£ 700	0-	0-	1 Week

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

Rental rates ALL INCLUSIVE of bed linen, towels, end of stay cleaning, pool heating (April-September) and central heating (in cooler months).

Reduced rates may be available for smaller groups out of peak season. Check with owner.

Refundable £200 breakage deposit required with final balance payment.

Mid-stay cleaning service E30-50, linen change E30-50.

We can accept payments by cheque or bank transfer in GBP or Euros.

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

4 years listed You are contacting Heather Hutber Landline +44 01684 569146 Mobile n/a Languages spoken The owner is based in the United Kingdom and has advertised with Holiday Lettings since 2008. This villa has received 2 reviews from previous guests.