South West France, Rustic Farmhouse, sleeps 9

A 4 bedroom farmhouse with large garden set in the hills overlooking the busy market town of St Cere. 10 x 5 swimming pool. This is a wonderfully peaceful, rural location - private without being too remote. Rental period Saturday to Saturday Depart:11.00am Arrive: 4.00pm A little rough and ready so offered at reduced rate. The house is one of four in a tiny hamlet (Mellac) set in the foothills above St Cere. Suitable for all ages, this is a wonderful holiday spot for anyone who loves nature. Children will be delighted by the free range chicks and ducklings and because the house is at the road's end, there is no traffic to worry about. This is a truly relaxing location set deep in the French countryside surrounded by farm animals and woodland. We are blessed with brilliant neighbours (Marc and Brigitte) who farm the area and are responsible for the hens, ducks, cows etc. They are incredibly helpful and those who wish to practise their French will be able to marvel at the impenetrability of the local accent. We have owned the house for 14 years and have been slowly renovating and holidaying there throughout that time. Whilst near completion and perfectly habitable, it lacks finishing touches (skirting, final decoration) and to reflect this we are offering it at a reduced rate compared with similar properties. Bedroom 1 (ground floor) with double bed. Bedroom 2 (ground floor) with bunk beds. Bedroom 3 (first floor) with double bed (ensuite). Bedroom 4 (first floor) with king-sized bed and single bed (ensuite). Ground floor bathroom with bath and separate shower cubicle. Separate toilet. Ensuite bathroom to bedroom 3 - shower cubicle, sink and wc. Ensuite bathroom to bedroom 4 - shower cubicle, bath, sink, bidet and wc. Gas cooker and hob, fridge, washing machine. Full range of crockery, cutlery and usual kitchen utensils - plenty of corkscrews. 2 basement rooms can be used for storage. One has bikes in. Large living room. Unfortunately no TV or fireplace yet. This property would be difficult for wheelchair access due to steps and narrow doors but not impossible. Private 10 x 5 swimming pool (not heated) with excellent views across the valley. Large garden (more trees than flowers!) allowing lots of places to sit and relax/read/sunbathe. For the more energetic, there is ample space to play - badminton net and racquets, football, boules set available for use. Balcony with excellent views over the valley - ideal place for eating in summer. months. There is a portable barbecue. There is a range of bicycles (various sizes and ages) which you are very welcome to borrow but it is your responsibility to check road-worthiness as this is not an official part of the deal. As is traditional in this part of France, the farmhouse comes with two sister buildings: a bread oven and a barn. Unfortunately, these are not currently accessible. The barn is fenced off as a safety precaution following a wall collapse. We are hoping to rebuild it in the near future. Guests will have sole access to the house, garden and swimming pool. As mentioned above, the bread oven building and the barn are not accessible for safety reasons. The house, garden and pool will be entirely yours for the duration of your stay. The neighbours will be pleased to help you with any minor issues. St Cere 4.5 miles River Dordogne at Puybrun 10 miles Bretenoux -canoe/kayak base 7 miles Autoire waterfall walk 6 miles Rocamador (France's 2nd most popular tourist site) 24 miles Goufre de Padirac (enormous show cave - actually a pothole but show-pothole doesn't sound right) 14 miles Carennac - beautiful riverside village (good start point for canoes) 13 miles Beaulieu sur Dordogne - another beautiful riverside village (safe swimming, canoes, tennis) 13 miles Brive Airport (Vallee de la Dordogne sometimes called Brive-Souillac) 45 mins - 1 hour drive. Ryanair fly from Stanstead. Limoges Airport (Bellegarde) 2 hours drive. Ryanair fly from Leeds, Liverpool, East Midlands and Stanstead. Rodez Airport (Marcillac) 1.5 - 2 hours depending how many tractors you encounter. Ryanair fly from Stanstead