What made us choose the house?
Well, I guess because it was just perfect (at least for us). We loved the view and the typical catalan style of the house, only 7 miles from the beaches ( large white sand beaches of Argeles Plage as well as the steep coast of the Côte Vermeille for instance at Collioure) .
It was also extremely well placed and built against the sun. Sun starts at the back terrasse in the morning, moves around the house and the side terrace and you have sunset on the balkony over mount Canigou (2800 m). The oak trees around the house and the choice of the different terrasses give you enough shadow during the heat in summer and thanks to the mountains it's never sticky as there is always a little breeze that makes it particularly pleasant.
And of cause the region!
We loved the mountains and our children loved the sea. Later our grandchildren learned swimming in the pool, had their first balls on the tennis court and happily disappeared in the surrounding woods.
We still are enrapt by the cultural richness of the region. It is full of roman relicts dating back far more than 1000 years! Cathedrals, castles, little chapels and monastries, the famous Abby of St. Genis, but also any on the little villages around have medieval centers. Laroque itself has a beautiful little castle, but also the villages along the sea are great. Matisse has lived here nearby in Collioure, Dali on the other side of the mountain in Fiqueras/Cadaques. The region is full of their artwork.