Hotel Le Mas Trilles

Le Mas Trilles is a carefully restored 14th-century Catalan stone farmhouse at the foot of the Pyrenees, where the Tech valley opens out towards Céret. The house stands at Pont de Reynès, in the village of Reynès, set in a garden that slopes down to the river, with the outline of Mount Canigou in the background.

Thirteen rooms, a main terrace overlooking the garden and a heated outdoor pool make for a small, family-scale hotel, rated three stars and listed by Tables & Auberges de France. The centre of Céret is 2 km away and the Spanish border about 18 km.

Le Mas Trilles is an owner-run hotel, open from April to the end of October. On request the staff can arrange massages and suggest walking and cycling routes: the hotel holds the Accueil Vélo label and has a lock-up bike store.

Private parking is free, Wi-Fi covers the whole property, and the garden has a pétanque court and loungers around the pool. Pets are welcome; the entire property is non-smoking.

Rooms fall into three categories: Comfort, overlooking the garden; Charm, with a private terrace; and Luxury, with panoramic mountain views. Triple and family rooms are also available, as well as one room adapted for guests with reduced mobility. Stone walls, light fabrics and simple furnishings keep the character of the old farmhouse.

All rooms have a private bathroom, air conditioning, heating, TV, a safe and free Wi-Fi; many have a private terrace or patio, some facing Mount Canigou.

The hotel has no à la carte restaurant. Breakfast is served every morning on the main terrace overlooking the garden and includes breads and pastries, gluten-free bread, yoghurt, cereals, dried fruit, charcuterie, cheese, eggs, fresh fruit salad and homemade preserves.

On several evenings a week the house serves tapas and charcuterie and cheese boards with a selection of wines, from a menu that changes with the seasons; days and dishes can be checked at reception. For a full dinner, the restaurants of Céret are a few minutes away. Special dietary requirements should be mentioned on arrival.

Céret, the main town of the Vallespir, is known for its cherries and for its ties with 20th-century painters: Picasso, Braque, Chagall and Soutine all stayed here, and the Musée d'art moderne holds their work. The old town, with its plane trees and Saturday market, and the Pont du Diable over the Tech are a few minutes from the hotel.

Nearby are the spa town of Amélie-les-Bains, a few kilometres away, the Canigou massif, Perpignan (about 30 km) and the Côte Vermeille with Collioure (about 40 minutes by car); the beaches of Argelès-sur-Mer are half an hour away. The Spanish border at Le Perthus is about 18 km away, and Figueres can be reached in around 45 minutes.