A former sawmill, this property is situated in the SE corner of the Livradois-Forez National Park, between the towns of Ambert and Usson-en-Forez. It's been lovingly restored by the owners keeping many of the original features and giving a very different feel compared to many more standard holiday homes. The whole house is cool and airy - good in a hot climate - and there is a large verandah to the side which we really enjoyed. The furniture is a quirky mix of pieces from the Middle East and more easily recognisable stuff from a well known Swedish furniture manufacturer. There is a large and well equipped kitchen and a good sized lounge. Outside there's lots of meadows and woodlands for the kids to explore, though care should be exercised with the stream if you have young children. There are also loads of other fringe benefits such as use of two bikes that come with the house, hammocks and a barbecue, and a well stocked library of guide books and maps that we made good use of, and the owners kindly left us a welcome pack including some essentials such as a bottle of the local wine.
The Mill is a great place to bring a dog and the owners allow pets, even providing a basket on the verandah (which is also nice and cool even during the day). Your dog will need to be able to climb some quite steep steps though (as will you) so this house won't suit if any in your party have mobility problems. The house has plenty of parking and although it's just off the equivalent of a French B-road, there is little traffic noise.
There are two potential drawbacks with the Mill, both of which are most likely to be an issue if you are a large party. There is only one bathroom, which can lead to congestion especially in the morning. Also, the open plan - including the upstairs mezzanine containing some of the beds - means that you can hear a lot of what's going on elsewhere in the house. For us these problems were more than made up for by the charm of the place and we felt at home in no time.
Overall I would definitely recommend the Mill. It's a great place to get away from it all in an area that's a bit off the beaten track but still has plenty to do, see and taste. Even if you're not feeling energetic, it's a pleasant place to relax and soak in the mountain air. We were in a group of six aged between 5 and 70ish, and we all had a great time.