See the Milky Way from our peaceful stone farmhouse in a little hamlet in the Millevaches natural park. Large private fenced gardens, BBQ and an outside dining area. Beautiful swimming lake with beach in nearby Sussac (5 mins/4 kms). Lac de Vassivière 25 kms. Good walks from the door. Cyclists will love the quiet country lanes and rolling hills. The beds are comfortable, there's a big sofa, a fireplace, and a large kitchen with dining area. Bike shed, and garage (motorbikes only). Dogs welcome. Our dog-friendly 18th century farmhouse lies in a hamlet surrounded by rolling countryside and trees, less than 15 minutes drive from Eymoutiers and Chateauneuf-La-Foret. Located in the Millevaches natural park, an International Dark Sky Reserve famous for its spectacular night skies and beautiful forest scenery, it’s the perfect spot for relaxation and outdoor activities. Thanks to its distance from cities, sitting out in the garden at night you can look up and see the Milky Way in all its starry glory. The old farmhouse has thick stone walls providing excellent insulation from the heat in summer, and a log fire for cosy warmth in the winter (plus radiators!). You have sole use of the house and its two private fenced gardens – one directly opposite, and one at the back. There are lots of lovely walks on quiet lanes and footpaths straight from the door, and the cycling is excellent too. We have a fabulous tiny stone house opposite that you can use for bike storage (it’s actually an old bread oven), and a garage next to the house suitable for motorbikes only. SWIMMING AND LAKES If you fancy a dip, go to the swimming lake in nearby Sussac. It’s a lovely spot to spend the afternoon. It has a beach, and lawned areas with shady trees, and is surrounded by countryside. It’s just 5 mins drive (4km), or you can walk there along country lanes and a riverside path. If you like nautical activities, the Lac de Vassiviere is 25 kms away (about 30 minutes drive). There you can walk by the lake; go for a swim; take a cruise; or hire a pedalo, kayak or paddle (SUP). It’s a protected natural landscape with a Canadian wilderness feel, where you can also sail, mountain bike and horse ride. THE ACCOMMODATION The house sits on a dead-end cul de sac just off a quiet country road. The courtyard is shared, so you may see our two neighbours passing through either to their vegetable garden or the driveway to their house. Basic but comfortable, the house has everything you need for your holiday. You enter via a short flight of stone steps, and the accommodation is then all on one level. The entrance lobby area has storage space for shoes, dog leads and coats. In summer all the exterior windows and doors have fly screens, and there are two fans in case of need. Thanks to the thick stone walls, it usually stays cool inside even in extreme heat. BEDROOM To the left of the lobby area is the door into the bedroom. As it’s so big, the bedroom also serves as the living area, with the beds at one end and the seating space at the other. There's a window seat, a large 3-seater sofa, coffee table, desk and chair, vintage dresser, wardrobe and a brick fireplace. There's a TV for watching films only (some DVDs are on the shelves), and for connecting your laptop for your streaming account. No ariel or satellite connection. The WIFI is pocket wifi. There's good 4G mobile reception in most of the house. KITCHEN-DINER To the right of the lobby is the large kitchen with dining area and seating for four. It has a tall fridge-freezer, microwave, double sink, a 4 ring gas hob (the oven part doesn't work), and a vintage 1960’s dresser that's got bags of room for all your food. Off the kitchen is the utility room with dishwasher; a separate toilet; and the shower room with a small shower and sink. We provide a starter pack of soap, dishwasher tablets, washing up liquid, and toilet paper. If you run out, you’ll need to replenish items yourself. SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS The bedroom has a large double bed (180x200cm) that can be separated to make two single beds (90 x 200cm). The fold up single bed is 90*190cm. If you want to use it, you will need to set it up yourself when you arrive. The sofa is not a bed, so please do not use it as one. We provide bed linen, unironed, and towels (one per person). You may need to make the beds yourselves, it depends if the cleaner has had time. OUTSIDE There are two private gardens next to the house, reached via the courtyard. Both are fenced. One has lovely views of the hills, and the other has a dining area with a BBQ, and shady spots under the trees. They are wildlife gardens, so we keep the grass long, and just mow pathways and seating areas. There are lots of bees and butterflies as a result, and the birds and bats have plenty of bugs to eat. The courtyard is very quiet and a lovely spot to sit – we have a space by the trough set up with chairs in summer. As the courtyard is shared with our neighbours, you cannot park there or leave the garden furniture in the way. Small cars can park next to the house, or you can park on the verge just outside the hamlet (see photo). If you have dogs or children, unfortunately you cannot leave them in the shared courtyard unattended as they may wander up on to the road. Although the road is quiet and runs past houses, cars do go by sometimes. We have a piece of wire fencing that we unroll and attach to the entrance steps when we sit out in the courtyard and have the dogs with us. It's easily knocked over, and should be rolled back up when you're not outside. GARAGE AND BIKE STORE The garage next to the house can be used to store motorbikes at your own risk. It has a soil floor. Part of it is an old barn and it has a raised wooden platform on one side. No children are allowed inside the garage as it’s not safe for them to play there. It is not suitable for other vehicles. The bike store is in the bread oven opposite the house. You can store bikes there at your own risk. It has a concrete floor. The upper floor is private and not for guest use. Children are not allowed inside.