Located in the heart of the Livradois Forez National Park. Fully restored house. Large garden, adjoining paddock/orchard and woodland leading down to the local tourist railway line and the river Dore. Haven for wildlife. Walks, bridle ways etc on the door step. Surrounded by farmland. Beautiful calm well sought after area. Views over the Forez mountains and all they have to offer from ski-ing, mountainbiking, rambling to hang gliding. A must to see, brings you in touch with nature. Seasons well defined. Wild mushrooms abound in the local woodland (Cepes and Girolles), Bilberries can be harvested in late August. Walnuts and Chestnuts can also be gathered. Blackberries are the biggest we have ever seen.

 The house is on 3 floors : 3 bedrooms, 2 ensuite shower-rooms with toilet and washbasin. Fully insulated, recent new roof, new floorboards and staircases, new septic tank with latest filtration system (spring 2007), doubleglazed oak windows with oak shutters, new electric central heating system, new electricity throughout conforming to french regulations, new plumbing. THIS HOUSE IS READY TO MOVE INTO.

Interested so far , why not give us a ring : 0033 4 73 82 99 02 or e.mail direct weatherly@wanadoo.fr . Not secluded enough for you, want to be completely on your own, surrounded by woods, phone us we may have the answer.

 Ground floor. 75 sq.metres. Oak front door leading into open plan, lounge, dining area and equipped kitchen separated from the living area by an L shaped bar topped with a huge polished slice of oak  (dishwasher, washing machine and gas cooker). Traditionally tiled with antiqued red floor tiles. Exposed oak beams, original granite fireplace fitted with woodburner and chimney liner, bread oven entrance (to be explored). New electric central heating and double glazed oak windows throughout. Door leading down to cellar. Stairs leading to first floor. Door leading into barn (covered for the moment). TV and telephone sockets. 2 electric radiators.

 Cellar 70. sq.metres. Ideal storage and wine cellar. Houses the electric water heater. (French water pressure obviates the need for a header tank).

 1^st floor :

 Master bedroom. 15.5 sq.metres. Window adorned  with vine leaves overlooking the front of the house, pine floorboards, white plastered walls, exposed beams. One door leading to ensuite shower-room another opening onto the hallway. Electric radiator. Phone socket.

Shower-room. 7 sq.metres. Corner powershower with massage jets, white toilet and washbasin vanity unit. Large window overlooking the rear garden and distant mountains. Outside light switch for nocturnal nature watching. (pine martins, deer, little owls, barn owls). Exposed beams, heated towel rail. Shaving/hair dryer powerpoint.

 Landing / Office Area / Hallway. 10 sq metres in total with a window at each end.

This light airy space with it’s wood clad and plastered walls makes a lovely office area or library. With a door leading off to the shower-room another to the master bedroom and a third leading to the upper floor staircase. Pine floors, exposed beams. Electric radiator, telephone point. ADSL (broadband conection).

2^nd floor : Converted loft area.

1^st Bedroom . 16 sq.metres. Lovely bright room thanks to the large Velux window and additional small attic window. Large pine floorboards, exposed beams. Can be used either as a bedroom or as a lounge. Walk in cupboard, with ample shelving and storage space(6 sq.metres). Door leading to 2^nd bedroom. Electric radiator.

2^nd Bedroom . 9 sq.metres. Cosy room with small window, exposed beams, large pine floorboards. Partition wall in pine. Door leading to ensuite shower-room. Electric radiator.

Shower-room. 7 sq.metres. Corner powershower with massage jets, white toilet and washbasin vanity unit. Velux window. Heated towel rail. Storage shelving.

Barn. 75 sq.metres, at present used purely as garage and storage area. Would easily convert into living accomodation on either one or two levels. Plumbing and electricity already connected as well as a toilet. Large barn doors (orignially designed for driving a horse and cart right through) could be replaced by french windows on the garden side giving direct access to the garden and the views over the nearby mountains.

Garden : Patio area to the side of the house overlooking the adjoing field and distant mountains. Ideal area to sit in the evening, have a sundowner and watch the deer frolic. In front of the house is a small area of grass, flower beds and a gravel parking area. The beehive postbox is an added feature reflecting the history of the original owners. The area behind the house is mainly laid to grass for easy management. Sloping, bordered by a mixed hedgerow of predominantly Hazel, with Ash, Oak, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Lilac, Blackberry, Dog roses and a bush we havent identified yet. Honeysuckle clings to the branches. Wild flowers push their way through the lawn in spring so we avoid mowing until the last possible moment so that we can enjoy them. Large Oak tree in one corner, a nice wild Cherry , Lime and Ash trees protect the parking area. Scope to convert part of the garden into a vegetable patch. Apple trees with bird feeding platrform visited by Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, Green woodpeckers, all the tits including crested, all the usual british garden birds including Jays and the not so usual Bramblings, Siskins, Greenfinch, Hawfinch, Goldfinch as  well as the Buzzard. Nearby Kites, Merlin, Montagues Harrier, Herons, Dipper (water ousel), Kingfisher. The bank below the garden leads down to the railway track, (tourist line used 2 months of the year) is more steeply sloping with small stream from the water source that comes down the valley. Marsh Marigolds and wood Anemones thrive here. There are some large Poplar trees adorned with Mistletoe. Some large Beech trees, Pine, Wild Cherry, Pussy Willow, Silver Birch and lots of Hazel form the woodland. Very popular with the Red Squirrels. Access from the property direct to the river edge.  Large river (Dore) good for fishing trout, etc. Most parts of the river bank and tributary streams are accessible. Fishing permits  to include rivers and local lakes are very reasonable.

Small Paddock : In the form of a triangle on a slope, old apple trees, Broom, wild flowers, Cowslips etc. Unfenced. Hedge between paddock and garden

Nearest neighbour, holiday home used two or three times a year by the former proprietors of this house. Small road in front of the house used to reach the village of Flouvat  (5 houses including 2  holiday homes) which is a dead end, so very little traffic. The baker calls twice a week.

Water : Mains metered water supply, average bill for our family of 4 =  300  € pa.The water is very good to drink coming from a mountain source nearby. Filtered, untreated water, no chlorine. Soft, good for washing

This property could be adapted to many needs. Lovely family home (great place to bring up your children), excellent schools nearby, freedom. The house is large enough for a family but for added living space the barn could be converted easily.  Ideal for a retired couple, the house needs no work to be done, can be lived in straight away, easy maintenance. For the animal lovers, the paddock and barn could be used for horses. Dog lovers can take their dogs straight out for long walks from the house.  For those of you who would want to gain an income, the house could be used for B & B and further rooms could be made in the barn.

Heating : The woodburner which comes with the property with storage capacity for logs on both sides and beneath really gives the house that winter glow. Being used not only for heating but for slow cooking of casseroles. We get our wood delivered, which is usually a mix of several hard woods. Each having it’s own distinctive scent. We like to save a few apple and cherry logs for Christmas day. You could cut your own wood if you wish. There are no restrictions on cutting your own trees. For convenience and even heating we have installed electric central heating throughout. It is an up to date and economic system.

5 kms from the village of Bertignat. Bakers, restaurant, bar, post office, primary school (bus collects the children).

20 kms from the market town of Ambert. Supermarkets, schools, swimming pool, hospital, restaurants, bars etc. Market day is on Thursday morning, with local organic produce being sold beneath the round Mairie (Town Hall). Only locally produced wares can be sold in this part of the market including the very famous cheese Fourme d’Ambert. There are many local Boulangeries and Pattiseries, where you can get the most delightful cakes and tarts, brioches and croissants and each one having it’s own distinctive style of bread. 

80 kms from Clermont Ferrand. City. Airport.

Easy access to all main road links, with motorway link half an hour away at Thiers.

Lyon 2 hours away, Vichy 1 hour, St Etienne 1h30, Clermont Ferrand 1h30, Le Puy en Velay 1h30 (UN world heritage site). These very interesting cities are within easy reach of this ideal country home. Also to explore are many local Chateaux, medaeval fortified villages, spa towns (Vichy, Volvic, Badoit, St Yorre, Mont Dore) all to be found in this area. Not forgetting the magnificent Volcanoes, Puy de Dome (the name of the department 63) dominates the city of Clermont Ferrand.

We have given you just a morsel of what this area has to offer, come and discover it yourself.

If you are looking for total seclusion, wanting to be surrounded by your own woodlands on a completely natural site in harmony with nature, accessed only by an ungraded road, contact us for more information on the second property we offer for sale, Les Fayolles.