A mountain village retreat,
just minutes from the coast
Casa de la Fuente is a 200 year old restored house in the small village of La Vall de Santa Creu, at the head of a wild and beautiful valley.
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Casa de la Fuente sits on the edge of the small village of La Vall de Santa Creu, at the head of a wild and beautiful valley, just off the Mediterranean coast, beneath the famous medieval monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes. The house looks out onto the village common, or La Fuente as it is known, meaning fountain, where until very recently the villagers came daily to collect their drinking water, and which is still the heart of the village. The house itself is spacious, with plenty of room for 10 people to find a private corner, both inside and out, with terraces and gardens, and views from all rooms.
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The house has two equally nice ensuite bedrooms making it perfect for two families. These two rooms are on the top floor, up two separate staircases, one with a private terrace, and both with lovely views of the garden and mountains beyond. The main floor has a bright sitting room with french windows and balcony, a mini kitchen, two twin bedrooms, a bunk room, a shower room and further separate loo.
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The whole of the lower ground floor is a wonderful vaulted open plan kitchen/dining/sitting room with french windows. There is a large refectory table that seats ten people, and a separate table if needed for smaller children. The kitchen is fully equipped with everything you might need to prepare a great dinner, including a dishwasher, and the two large sofas really make this room the perfect place for a get together at the end of the day. There is a log burning stove for the winter months. There is also a shower room and loo on this level, as well as a washing machine. Access to this floor is separate to the rest of house.
In the spring and early summer the valley is full of wonderful birds and wild flowers making it the perfect base for a walking or birdwatching holiday. Thirty minutes will get you up to the monastery for fantastic views of the coast and Cap de Creu. The nearest beach is five minutes away (25 on foot) but there are dozens more wonderful small pebbly beaches along the coast, perfect for snorkelling. From June to October there is a popular bar and restaurant in the village serving good food, and 3km away is the lively and attractive Port de la Selva with a long sandy beach, full of excellent restaurants and food shops, hire of windsurfers and sailing dinghies, a diving school, and a disco, but no high rise! The Friday market is well worth a visit. There are tennis courts and a swimming pool at Selva de Mar (3km).
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The main floor leads out to the pretty garden, with a wisteria shaded dining area, perfect for lunch on a hot summer’s day. There are several seating areas in the garden to enjoy the sun or the shade at different times of day, or to provide a bit of privacy for a quiet read. There is also a large rooftop terrace with tables, chairs, sun loungers and a barbecue. With virtually no light pollution this is a great spot for stargazing at night with a local brandy, and the floodlit monastery up on the hill.
This unspoilt corner of the Costa Brava has plenty of history and culture to offer. Visit Cadaqués, Spain's answer to St Tropez, and nearby Salvador Dalí's house in Port Lligat, or his museum in the local market town of Figueres. See Phoenician, Greek and Roman remains at Empuries followed by lunch in the medieval village of San Martí with its fabulous long sandy beach. Peratallada and Pals are two other medieval villages nearby. Girona has plenty to see and Collioure, just over the border into France, was home of the Fauve artists with a great weekly market. During the summer there are also several musical festivals locally, and a major international one at Perelada, as well as weekly concerts in the Sant Pere de Rodes monastery.
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