Local amenities:
Ceret our nearest town has great charm & character. It was a favourite location for artists such as Picasso, Braque & Matisse the evidence of which can be seen in the small Modern Art Museum in the main square. There is also an Archaeological Museum. There is a large variety of shops & not to be missed is the excellent Saturday morning street market selling local produce, rafts, clothes, occasionally antiques. There are cafes for people-watching Pablo's & the Grand Cafe are popular & a range of excellent restaurants some of which serve traditional Catalan dishes. Tennis & bicycle-hire are also available in town.
Perpignan:
The nearest large town is a 30 minute drive away. Here one will find an abundance of sophisticated shops, restaurants & bars, cinemas & concert venues. It seems that rarely a week goes by without there being an arts festival of some description, be it music, drama or merely to celebrate the cherry or grape harvest!
The Coast, Spain & Mountains.:
The coastal resorts of Argeles, St.Cyprien are also about 30minutes drive & each have long sandy beaches & in parts a very busy seaside atmosphere. There is a large Aqua Park & Go-Karting in St Cyprien. Further south, close to the Spanish border there are the picturesque harbours of Collioure, Banjuls & Port Vendres.
Spain(20minutes drive) has some excellent duty-free shopping & it is little more than 1 hour to Figueras, & the Costa Brava, with Barcelona 1.5hours.
The Pyrenees are very close by & for the keen walker the trekking is limitless. For the less-energetic 4-wheel-drive excursions can be arranged. Skiing in winter is easily accessible at les Angles & Andorra.
