Yes there were a couple of cranes not too far away and some building rubble around, but this did not distract from the stunning view of the sea you see in the photographs.
We thought the villa was beautiful and the children made the most of the pool. The air conditioning at night made for an excellent night's sleep under warm duvets, as did the shutters.
The downside was that the villa is at the top of a very steep hill, after climbing which even the fittest in our party felt quite faint! It's a fair whack to the beach. Also we much preferred neighbouring Banyuls-sur-Mer to Cerbere, as it was slightly bigger and more atmospheric. We also got in a pickle trying to get a train to Barcelona, as the timetable just didn't fit in with our requirements and we ended up driving there. I wouldn't recommend that anyone unsteady on their feet stay at the villa; there are some steep, slippery winding stairs from the ground floor to the first floor, and all the floors are tiled. One of the bedrooms leads off a bathroom, which itself must be accesed via another bedroom and feels more like a closet and rather claustraphobic.
However, as long as you've got transport, the views presentation and facilities at the villa make up for these gripes.