Holiday cottage with pool & gardens in Garrotxa by Spanish Pyrenees

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Rustical´s review                                                 

We recommend this cottage for being both rustically enchanting and also very well situated in La Garrotxa. If you want to get to know this exceptional area of northern Catalonia near the Pyrenees, and like genuine country décor, this might well be the place for you.

It's an old house full of character, complete with the occasional creaky floorboard, presented in traditional local style.

You really feel secluded here by the forest. Surrounded by gardens that blend into profuse natural woods of beech and oak, the house is ideal for those who wish to enjoy the many-splendoured options of La Garrotxa from a home base of perfect  peace and quiet.

It also happens to be near excellent restaurants.

The cottage for four people is supplemented by an independent casita (see photos) for two, which has a furnished lawnside porch.

For us this is also another winning combination of a special place and charming hosts: the Spanish owners, who live in the same private estate (although well away from your rental property), are friendly, hospitable and helpful. We’ll assist you with any local information you require before you go, and Ana and Joaquin will point you in the right direction once you’re there.

Although visitors to this rich, once volcanic region of Girona will invariably want to get out and about and walk the hills, cycle the lanes, or immerse themselves in history, driving around to the medieval villages, heading to Dali’s castle museum in Figueres, or beautiful coastal Cadaqués and the first class beaches at Emporda, the cottage’s location represents a delightful opportunity to relax on lazy days off.

It’s reached down a slightly idyllic driveway to plenty of privacy within large gardens, over a stream’s wooden bridge by a mountain water pool (for natural swims) and deeply serene hillside all around.

The cottage is built on three floors with two entrances from the ground and lower ground levels. There are two spacious double bedrooms and all the facilities you need for rural comfort.

The main entrance leads directly into lovely rustic kitchen and living quarters: a stone-walled, wood-beamed living and dining room. It accommodates four people very comfortably and extra chairs can be provided to allow everyone to eat together if you have rented the casita as well.

The living area feels very cosy, the thick original wood floor, decorative prints and soft illumination all elements of the vintage character of the accommodation.

The lower ground floor can be accessed from an internal staircase or its own garden entrance. It comprises a double bedroom converted from a mill room and a state-of-the-art shower room: the stone and wood of one century juxtaposed with the chrome and electronics of another. The shower wall is one large window onto the forest (totally private, we assure you!). The bedroom floor is of smooth terracotta and there’s a two-seater sofa.

Up a steepish staircase from the living room is another double bedroom, also wood-floored and with its own en suite bathroom.

The casita – a detached annexe constructed from the same local stone – provides the option of an additional double bedroom and bathroom.

While the accommodation is very satisfactory, it’s the impressive natural surroundings that dominate here and time spent outdoors. Although it’s difficult to convey in the photographs, this is no leafy suburbia but a terrific area of forest and hills and streams, one of which feeds the alberca pool outside: this is popular with some, less so with others, who prefer to swim in the filtered, chlorinated swimming pool.

This pool, occasionally shared with the owners’ family, won an award for its design. It’s very large – 100 m² – slopes from shallow to deep and is tastefully integrated into the garden. Bear in mind that it’s situated by the owners’ house about 3 minutes’ walk away.

The owners will leave you to your own complete intimacy or can assist in directing you to La Garrotxa’s attractions. If you need to use internet at some point, they will normally let you make use of their own connection. They also invite you to help yourselves to vegetables from the garden for meals.

What's of interest here? For eating in, local shops including a top notch butcher’s and there is seasonal garden produce you can pick at the property; for meals out, restaurants ranging from the highest quality to very good set meal-style (with children’s meals also); the fabulous old villages of Santa Pau (hot air balloon rides available); Sant Joan de les Abadesses; Besalu (one of the most beautiful villages in all of Spain); Olot town (for museums and bicycle hire); a hike up to St Michael's Mount; touring the extinct volcanoes of La Garrotxa now furred with forest; the unique beech forest here of Fageda Jorda and signposted walks through it; waterfalls and opportunities for wild swimming; and the beautiful scenery of the high Pyrenees mountains.

La Garrotxa is an area which has achieved a successful and even prosperous balance of cattle rearing, tourism and complementary services. It’s one of those places where people look especially healthy and the local gastronomy and environment may have a lot to do with that.

Excursions further afield will take you to Salvador Dali’s home town of Figueres and the castle museum dedicated to him, or to the splendid beaches of Emporda.

Facilities
4-ring hob; oven; microwave; electric coffee maker; fridge-freezer; dishwasher; washing machine; TV, DVD; CD/radio; oil-fired central heating; open fire (firewood included); cot and highchair (on request); large shared, filtered swimming pool (10 m x 10 m, sloping from 0 to 1.40 m deep); plus huge private natural pool (not filtered and unfenced, very deep: 1 m to 4 m); barbecue; bench seating and outdoor table; sunloungers & garden furniture; tree shade; all linen provided.

Distribution
Cottage
On three floors
Ground floor: open plan kitchen / dining / lounge. Steep wooden steps to:
First floor: double-bedded room (bed is 1.60 m x 1.90 m) with en suite bathroom/WC (shower over bathtub).
Lower floor: double-bedded room (bed is 1.35 m x 1.90 m) with en suite bathroom/WC (walk-in shower, no tub); direct access to gardens.

Casita annexe
Independent accommodation with double-bed & bathroom/WC (shower over bathtub); furnished, covered porch.

Notes:
-As the natural alberca pool is deep and unprotected, and the upper staircase in the cottage is quite steep, we do not recommend this property to families with very young children.
-The flitered swimming pool is open from the beginning of May to the end of September, weather permitting.
-If the owners are in and you need internet access, this is often no trouble, but cannot always be guaranteed.
-During vegetable seasons, clients are invited to help themselves from the garden produce to make meals.

Location & Distances
In a forest setting by a stream in a private corner of a large estate.

L´Hostalnou de Bianya (supermarket and restaurant)	3 mins
Castellfollit de la Roca (village built on lava flow)	12 mins
Olot (all facilities)	15 mins
Volcanoes and Fageda d'en Jorda	20 mins
Besalu (medieval village)	25 mins
Santa Pau village	25 mins
Camprodón (Pyrenees)	25 mins
Roses and Emporda beaches (Costa Brava)	1 hr
Girona Airport	1 hr
Perpignan Airport (France)	1 hr 30 mins
Barcelona Airport	2 hrs

Booking information for this property
There is no extra charge for the casita annexe.
Changeover day: normally Saturday in summer High Season

Prices and dates