Bed & Breakfast Domaine Grand Guilhem - Perpignan

HOTEL OVERVIEW

b&b - exterior The Domaine Grand Guilhem is a wine producing property of 12 hectares with a large 19th century house and outbuildings which was the home of a wine producer and his family. It lies just above the minute wine producing village of Cascastel which is situated in the Fitou area of Southern France.

This is in the region known popularly as Cathar country.

Outside is a small, enclosed, courtyard garden with deck chairs, a teak table and a barbecue where you can relax and enjoy the company of friends or family.

The Jacuzzi, the benefits of which have been known since antiquity, is a place to relax, and enjoy the action of the water. Imagine an ocean of bubbles helping you to relax and the soothing waves gently massaging you and enabling you to rediscover your energies and joy of living. The rental charge is for one week from Saturday to Saturday. Outside the summer season the rental can be for a weekend.

LOCATION

surroundings map

GUEST ROOMS

double room At the side of the main house is a very attractive holiday home, awarded '3 epis' or wheat ears by 'Gites de France'.

The two bedrooms are very comfortable and each has its own bathroom or shower room and independent toilet. The house is well equipped with dishwasher, washing machine/drier, microwave oven, radio cassette and television. It can accommodate four people and in the sitting room there is a comfortable settee which converts to a bed for two additional people.

The stone walls, terracotta tiles and rush matting give a rustic atmosphere to the interior. The curtains are soft reds, yellows and orange, the bed covers are a clear sky blue and the mid- 19th century (Louis Philippe) furniture and modern pieces blend into this background. For those who want a rest and break from household tasks and choose to book the 'Gites du Soleil' preference the beds are made, the towels and other household linen are provided and cleaning of the house after your stay is included in the price.

Batisse:
The house of local stone built for a Master Vigneron in the 19th century has been renovated but the majority of the original details have been preserved: the ironwork balconies, which were part of the Ch~teau of Cascastel, the tiled floors and mosaics, friezes, arched windows and stained glass. The building is situated above the small wine producing village of Cascastel which has 200 inhabitants. As a guest you will not only be able to enjoy the atmosphere of a large wine grower's property in this region of the Corbieres but also you can relax and absorb the ambience of the region reflected in the decor and the furnishings. The entrance hall is decorated in colours to give a warm welcome. To the left is the large breakfast room where a Schimmel piano is available for any pianist. To the right is the almond green kitchen with olive ('Lustucru') green tiles where the copious breakfasts are prepared. There is nowa wine tasting room in what was formerly the smoking or withdrawing room which has deep comfortable settees covered in a fabric with a design of deep, rich, wine red squares where you can read, dream, taste wine, tatk or enjoy the silence. The hall has walls decorated with garlands of roses against a background of sunshine yellow and in this setting are placed original paintings and ornaments. The stairs take you up to the large guest rooms all dedicated to a variety of vine grown in the Languedoc. Each of the rooms has its own bathroom, some have a fireplace and all have the perfume of the garden.

Carignan:
On the first floor to the right is the Carignan Room, decorated in gold and green. It is equipped with a bed 180 x 200, but this can easily be converted to two single beds 90 x 200. The large bathroom has a small corner with two armchairs which allows a moment of repose looking out to one of the palms in the garden; the toilet is separate. The caramel coloured washbasins blend with the Indian screen which in turn harmonise with the Art deco armchair, and the floor tiles are a souvenir of the 1920's. The room has a view over the garden and swimming pool.

Grenache:
On the first floor to the left is the Grenache Room painted in shades of rose and fuschia, lightened by the mimosa coloured curtains printed with turquoise, cobalt and emerald medallions which have been designed by Tricia Guild. There are two single beds 90 x 200 but these can easily be joined to make a double bed 180 x 200. The blue of the bathroom is like the sea around the Cyclades and invites you to immerse yourself in the deep blue water and contemplate the lamp shade which is in the shape of a witch's hat! There is a view of the garden and the village.

Syrah:
On the right is the Syrah room from which the 1000 meter high 'Mont Tauch'can be seen. The room is a balanced mix of colour and texture -the walls are vanilla and the floor covered in rush matting and earthenware tiles. The porthole shaped window gives an impression of being at sea and through it can be seen the swimming pool glistening in the sun and the shady pines of the garden. The settee could easily be turned into a comfortable bed for one or two additional people.

Muscat:
The honey coloured muscat wine sets the tone for this room lit by lamps whose bases are decorated with flowers and vines The curtains are bordered with mauve, deep purple and yellow ochre -colours echoed in the bathroom. This is the largest and most spacious of the four rooms and is arranged as two spaces separated by a screen. It makes an excellent family room and four people can easily be accommodated on the two large double beds which can also become single beds. The window looks out on the Cascastel chateau and beyond that the Garrigue -uncultivated ground where plants typical of the region grow, namely holly oak, gorse, lavender, rosemary, thyme and throughout the year a profusion of flowers. In the bathroom there is a large angled bath which invites long, lazy soaks.

• Heating

HOTEL FACILITIES

• Groups welcome
• Park

• Outdoor swimming pool
• Free parking

• Baby sitter

MAP

It is 25 kilometres from the Mediterranean and the beaches, 30 kilometres south of Narbonne, 40 kilometres north of Perpignan and 40 kilometres south east of Carcassonne. The nearest town with facilities is Durban des Corbieres, 6 kilometres from Cascastel, on the D611.

TRANSPORT SERVICES

• Free parking