Ceret holiday apartment: Ceret

We have stayed at Mas Pallares on a number of different occasions over the last 7 years and can thoroughly recommend it. It is a very peaceful location yet only 5 minutes drive from the delightful town of Ceret, 30 minutes to the beach at Argeles-sur-mer, 40 minutes to Perpignan, 60 minutes to the nearest Pyrenean ski-ing resort and 2.5 hours from the centre of Barcelona.

The property is clean and well-maintained with a good standard of equipment and facilities; the description of the property is accurate. The owner lives on the premises and is a veritable mine of useful information with loads of suggestions regarding places to visit and to eat out.

Ceret, although not a large town, has a vibrant social and cultural life. It has a very Catalan feel with tree-lined squares and streets, a number of good restaurants, creperie's, flamenco dancer's, bull-chasing and a lively Saturday market. The modern art museum is well worth a visit.

You should remember that this is the Mediterranean with 300 days of sunshine each year and when it does rain it can be torrential. Fortunately, Mas Pallares is located sufficiently far from the coastal plain such that it does not suffer from excessive heat in July and August and is not troubled by the Tramontaine wind.

This is wonderful walking country. The GR10 is a well marked route running the length of the Pyrenees from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. For the slightly less ambitious the walks in the foothills are a delight, especially in May when the local cherry orchards are in full spate. There are many locals selling cherries at roadside stalls but watch the prices which can vary dramatically.