Looking for a peaceful place for a vacation and printmaking? I am renting a small cottage with an engraving workshop in Auvergne, on the border of Haute-Loire and Ardèche. Located at St Front in the heart of a small traditional village, at 1200 meters above sea level – it is ideal for walking and getting some fresh air
30 minutes by car from Puy en Velay and the first train station (optional option to pick you up at the station). 1h45 by car from Lyon.
You will have an apartment located on the ground floor of the house where I live, and opposite my tool-making workshop. The apartment consists of:
- a bedroom with a double bed (additional bedrooms possible, contact me),
- a room for engraving with desk, architect’s table, all your favorite tools provided (possibility of adding a single bed in this room),
- a living room with sofa bed and desk,
- a fully equipped kitchen/dining room,
- a bathroom with shower
- and an outdoor courtyard overlooking a small street in the village.
You also have full access to the engraving workshop: intaglio press (52cm wide), heating table, inking table, drying rack, etc. For the moment, the workshop is not equipped for etching (only direct engraving and relief printing). Access to the workshop is reserved for experienced adult engravers (no engraving course). Instructions for use are available to get started with in the workshop.
In the village 2 minutes walk away there is a grocery shop / bakery, bar, restaurant, post office. Several short hiking trails departing from the village. Possibility to loan a bike (including an electric one), bag and hiking sticks, etc.
I recommended to stay at least one week (from €245 for the apartment and the workshop) while you take charge of the workshop and visit the region. Minimum reservation of 4 days. In summer, rentals from Saturday to Saturday preferably. No smoking, no pets Do not hesitate to contact me if you encounter any difficulties with the agenda.
The workshop has two rooms, the first is for drawing and engraving. The second to printing, preparation of plates, etc. TheEngraving tools available (dry points, rollers, chisels, gouges, etc). Varnishes and inks provided for your tests (if you want to make a complete edition please contact me before). Engraving plates and sheets of papers for sale at a reasonable price (current market prices).
Room for drawing / engraving
This piece has a tilting architect’s table (with dim screen and led lamp), a normal table and a storage unit for all the engraving tools (supplied). It has a window overlooking a small village street and the fields beyond.
The piece is intended for drawing and creating engraving plates. It is in front of the room. To avoid fumes and odors, the application of varnish or other odorous process must preferably be done in the “impression” room.
You can also add a single bed if needed.
Print room
This room is intended for the printing and the preparation of the plates (application of varnish, etc). It consist
- the intaglio press, model Gary Thibault raisin paper size (52cm wide)
- a large desk serving as an inking table (the desk is completely covered with a glass plate) and work plan, with a large hot table
- a space to prepare the paper (tray for soaking it, etc.)
- storage furniture
- the water tank for cleaning tools and plates is in the boiler room just behind, as well as a drying rack
- initially no ething process (neither acid tank nor grain box)
Bedroom
- Queen-size bed 160x180cm
- Sheets/duvets/blankets/pillows provided
- Storage cabinet
- 2 bedside tables / lamps
- Possibility of additional beds: double sofa bed in the living room, and single bed in the “drawing” room
Living room
- Sofa
- Writing desk
- Chest of drawers
- Coffee table
Kitchen
Basic ingredients for cooking provided, please keep these items up to date: salt, pepper, paper towel, tea, coffee, honey, jam, etc.
- Refrigerator with freezer
- Combined microwave/convection/grill oven
- cooker with 3 gas burners and an electric hob
- plates, cutlery, etc.
- coffee maker, kettle, teapot, toaster
- blender, raclette machine, waffle maker
- tea towels
Bathroom
- shower / sink / WC
- hair dryer
- towels / gloves
Laundry
- Washing machine
- Clothes drying rack
Outdoor courtyard
- Dinner table
- DIY table
- Chairs
- Lounge chairs (x2)
- Sunshade
- Possibility to loan snowshoes, bikes, hiking bag, etc.
- Additional skis and snowshoes for hire in the village
In the village 2 minutes walk
Au Petit Baz’Ar Grocery/Bar (open Tuesday to Sunday)
- breads, pastries
- local meats, eggs, charcuterie and cheeses
- fruits and vegetables (small quantities)
- basic food and non-food products
Small market on Friday morning
- fruits and vegetables
- cheeses
Restaurants
- La Saint Frontaine Restaurant “dish of the day” every midday from Sunday to Friday. Friday evening and Sunday evening: homemade burgers and other homemade dishes.
- Pizza truck on thursday for dinner
Miscellaneous
- Snowshoe and nordic skiing rentals
- Post Office
- Goat festival (mid-July), white hike in winter, green hike in spring, vogue in August
Hiking / Cycling / Summits
Voir les circuits de randonnées sur Rando Haute Loire, Rando monts d’Ardèche, altitude rando, visorando, etc. Guides and maps available in the house. digital version available here
- many short hiking trails, including several starting from the village
- many small roads very pleasant by bike
- Mont Mézenc (15 km away): highest point of Haute-Loire and Ardèche, 1753m
- Pic du Lizieux (16km away)
- narces de Chaudeyrolles (13km away)
- gerbier de jonc (24km away) : source of the Loire
- roche de Borée (22km away)
- Corboeuf ravine (33 km away)
- Routes of St. Jacques de Compostelle (departure from Le Puy-en-Velay 28km away)
- Stevenson trail (starting at Monastier-sur-Gazeille 22km away)
- lake of st front (2 km away)
- Lavalette dam lake (30km away)
- St martial lake (30km)
- Issarles lake (33km)
- Les estables (15km) : nordic skiing, snowshoeing, some downhill skiing
- le meygal (13km away in summer, 20km in winter) : nordic skiing, snowshoeing
Cities and vilages
- Le Puy-en-Velay (28km) : Notre-Dame cathedral, Saint-Michel rock, statue of Notre-Dame de France, old town, Crozatier museum, Hôtel-Dieu. Many restaurants. Renaissance celebrations of the King of the Bird (early September)
- Polignac (28km) : fortress, village labeled “most beautiful village in France”
- Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille (21km) : Saint-Chaffre abbey church, Recoumène viaduct, Aponia (place of contemporary art). Brass Festival (early August).
- Retournac (39km) : lace museum, ruins of the castle of Artias, swimming pool on the banks of the Loire
- Bigorre (5km), Moudeyres (10km) : thatched cottages
- Arlempdes (40km) : very small village labeled “most beautiful village in France”, castle ruins on a volcanic peak above the Loire
- Saint Julien Chapteuil (18km) : beautiful church, ruin of the castle of Chapteuil
- Pradelles (51km) : village labeled “most beautiful village in France”
Internet links :
Shops
- In the village : grocery store, post office, Friday morning market
- Fay-sur-lignon (9km) : grocery store (local products, bulk, etc.), bakery, bank, restaurant, pizzeria, butcher and delicatessen. Trout producer. Wednesday morning market.
- Les Estables (14km) : bakery, convenience store, butcher/charcuterie, brewer, restaurants, bars. Market Thursday morning.
- St Julien Chapteuil (18km) : medium supermarket, all shops, restaurants. Monday morning market.
- Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille (22km) : ditto. Tuesday morning market
- Le Chambon sur Lignon (24km) : ditto, cinema. Saturday morning market.
- Tence (27km) : ditto, very good pizzeria. Wednesday morning market.
- Yssingeaux (26km) : large supermarkets, DIY supermarket, all shops, restaurants, swimming pool. Very big market on Thursday morning (especially in summer).
- Le Puy-en-Velay (28km) : ditto, shopping malls. Very big market on Saturday morning.
- St Etienne (75km)
- Lyon (133km)
Restaurants
- Tence : Pizz’inTence (pizzeria)
- Les estables : l’atelier, les fermiers du mezenc
- le monastier sur gazeilles : le ré bémol
- saint clément : la table d’éoles
- st julien chapteuil : Vidal
- le puy en velay : L’Adélaïde (creperie), Ô copains d’abord, le chamerlenc (1 starto the guide michelin)
- Yssingeaux : Yummy Sushi (japanese), Chez Lôrette (creperie), Le Taj Mahal (indian)
- Le Chambon sur Lignon : L’arbre Vagabond (library-restaurant)
- Saint Bonnet le Froid : Restaurant Marcon (3 stars at le guide michelin)
For the first year, the rental is only scheduled from the beginning of April to the end of October. Reservation 4 days minimum, decreasing prices from one week. In summer, increased rates and rentals from Saturday to Saturday preferably. No smoking, no pets
Base price for one week (excluding summer), apartment + free workshop included:
- One person 245€ (35€/night)
- Two people: 280€ (40€/night)
- Three people: €315 (€45/night)
- Four people: 350€ (50€/night)
- Five people: €385 (€55/night)
For an additional bedroom (upstairs in my apartment, contact me).
In summer add: supplement 10€/night5
By car: 30 minutes from Le Puy en Velay, 1 hour from St Etienne, 1 hour 45 minutes from Lyon, 6 hours from Paris
By train: Puy En Velay station (optional option to pick you up at the station)
Rental from Saturday to Saturday preferably Do not hesitate to contact me if you encounter any difficulties with the agenda.
Details
- Guests: 5
- Amenities: No smoking
- View: View of the village and the meadows
- Size: 80m²
- Bed Type: One Qeen-Size double bed (160x200), one convertible sofa, one single bed
Prices start at: €160 for 4 nights (+taxes and fees)
