4* located in small village in Auvergne in the middle of the country

We had a warm and friendly welcome, helped by our ability to speak French (Paul and Genevieve admit that they have very little English!). Be prepared with provisions and fuel when you arrive as the nearest shops are some distance away and likely to be closed at inconvenient times (for the English at least!). The only road into the village (3 houses!) is long and very narrow, testing the driver's manoeuvring skills in the unlikely event of on-coming traffic. We arrived at the start of Autumn with cold nights and occasionally hot days. The heating system could easily cope with this, but we needed several days to fathom the complexities of the underfloor heating for the downstairs; the electric radiators upstairs were efficient and easy to set. In general, the operation of systems and appliances really needed more explanation (and in proper English too!) This little hamlet is a great base for exploring the Auvergne, and there are three well signposted walking routes starting from the gite. Touring by car needs careful planning as filling stations tend to be well spaced out and restaurants and cafes are few and far between. We had a lovely Sunday lunch at the La Bougnat hotel/restaurant in Blesle, but book in advance as it rapidly filled up with locals. Be aware that the gite has no Wi-Fi (but our hosts were quite happy to allow access to theirs in their adjacent house). Nor was their any mobile phone coverage, and there was no landline to the gite. In this modern age (?) this may be a serious handicap for some, so we have taken away one star from this otherwise 5* gite. But for us it was all part of the charm and peace of this very comfortable gite, which we would definitely recommend.

Lavialle is a small hamlet at the head of of a gorgeous wooded valley just a few kilometres out of Blesle, one of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France". The cottage is delightful and suited my wife and I perfectly. Paul and Genevieve are lovely friendly hosts and they have organised delightful circular walks from the cottage from easy (3k for us) to hard and very hard. We so enjoyed BBQ's in the front courtyard in the evening's shade. The beds were comfortable and the kitchen well equipped. This is a perfect location for touring through the Auvergne's wonderful countryside. We particularly enjoyed the journey through the Monts du Cantal. Our favourite village, another 'Beaux Village' was Salers, truly beautiful. The local town of Massiac has a good supermarket and a wide selection of restaurants. Blesle has a small grocery store and we recommend the local hotel there for that evening out.

A peaceful setting away from it all. Gurgling stream and magical bedroom view. Home practical and set up with care and pride. Evening's sitting in the garden ever so relaxing. Hosts very friendly and helpful even though there was a language problem. In all a very special experience.

GITE TRES AGREABLE, DECO SYMPA,BIEN EQUIPE, IL NE MANQUE RIEN. AU CALME AVEC LES OISEAUX , LES ECUREUILS. IL FAUT AIMER LA NATURE ET LA TRANQUILLITE ; LES PROPRIETAIRES SONT CHARMANTS, DISPONIBLES ET ATTENTIFS TOUT EN RESTANT DISCRETS; ALLEZ Y SANS RESERVE.