As you will soon discover if you visit Mas St. Joseph, we are animal lovers, and you will no doubt be greeted by our two very friendly small dogs, Monty and Juno (she is the boss!). Two tabby cats have adopted us in recent years, and we also inherited a horse who lives up the hill. We both enjoy cooking and Kate is a qualified vegetarian chef. Inspired by the landscape, Adrian took up trail running here and last year ran in the famous Canigou race, held in honour of the Catalan runners who used to run up the mountain and back down carrying back packs loaded with ice so English guests at Vernet Les Bains Rudyard Kipling) could keep their gin fizz suitably fresh. Adrian is happy to offer tips and accompany runners on trails from the doorstep of the B&B as well as advising on road bike and mountain bike routes. Both Adrian and Kate also enjoy hunting around the local brocante markets called "Vide Greniers" which usually take place on Sundays. We are happy to share information about these and other local markets which abound in the area.

We have decorated Mas St. Joseph in a shabby chic boutique hotel style and have created a relaxed ambiance which our guests really appreciate. We have plenty of cosy little nooks inside and outside the house where one can retreat to a comfortable chair or daybed and read a book or a magazine, and maybe listen to some relaxing music. The open front terrace where some guests like to have their breakfast, provides magnificent views towards the Canigou mountain, whereas the rear patio is more protected with a walled garden; here guests can retreat from the sun to our Moroccan corner next to the pool at the back of the house and have a snooze. Our comfy outside sofa has also proved a hit: one of our guests felt so relaxed there that he forgot to go up to his bedroom and fell asleep under the stars! We have also started up a supper club recently specialising in vegetarian cuisine and we are happy to offer table d'hôtes to groups of guests upon request.

Set amidst peach orchards and fields of artichokes, we offer a relaxing retreat in a stunning landscape, or for those seeking more active holidays we have Pyreneean mountains to the west, beautiful Mediterranean beaches to the east, Cathar castles to the north and the Spanish border just half an hour’s drive to the South. The area teems with history, from ancient dolmens to Romanesque abbeys. Artists who fell in love with the local landscape include Scottish architect Charles Renee MacIntosh who spent a couple of years painting the local villages. Even Picasso spent time in this area and some of his ceramics can be found at the Museum of Modern Art in nearby Ceret.