Cottage with garden for 6 people in the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Natural Park - La Maison des Petits Bonheurs

If you are looking for an authentic and natural destination, you will appreciate Mousses. This small mid-mountain village, at an altitude of 810 meters, has fewer than 300 inhabitants. It has a rich heritage and is an ideal starting point for beautiful hikes in the valleys and Monts du Cantal.

“La Maison des Petits Bonheurs” is located 15 km from Mauriac and 22 km from Salers. You are in the heart of the Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Natural Park, a land of wide open spaces, well-being and gastronomy. Your stay at the “La maison des Petits Bonheurs” gîte will not disappoint you!

A detached house with 3 bedrooms in the village of Moussages in the of the Cantal Mountains

The “La Maison des Petits Bonheurs” gîte is located in the town center of Moussages, close to the multi-service store. It borders a quiet street where only local residents can circulate. You will benefit from a calm environment which is all the more appreciated for enjoying the garden.

The cottage is an 85 m2 house perfectly equipped to accommodate 6 people. The living room is spacious (30 m2) and bathed in natural light. It stretches in length which made it possible to install a dining area, pleasant and practical with its large table, and a living room with sofa, television and library. On cool evenings, you will appreciate the gentle warmth provided by the stove.

The kitchen is independent and has all the equipment to prepare your meals (fridge, stove, microwave, dishwasher, small appliances). The bathroom, with shower cabin, is functional and bright. The toilets are separate.

Three bedrooms are located upstairs. They benefit from plenty of sunshine and a beautiful view of the Suc de Rond, one of the region's top hiking spots (1,580 meters above sea level). Two bedrooms have a double bed (140 cm), the third has 2 single beds (90 cm).

If you come with a young child, a baby kit (travel cot, high chair, changing mat) will be made available to you. A door closes access to the upper floor, a guarantee of safety for the little ones.

The gîte has a basement where you can park your vehicles (cars, motorbikes, bicycles). A laundry room, with washing machine, has found space there as well as an additional fridge-freezer, very useful during the summer period.

Functional and pleasant to live in, “La Maison des Petits Bonheurs” is surrounded by a wooded and enclosed garden. Garden furniture, barbecue and deckchairs await you to share good moments of relaxation and conviviality with family or friends. N Isn't that what vacations are all about?

Good to know
/ pets are not allowed
/ the cottage is non-smoking
/ disposable mattress pads are fitted to all beds and pillows
/ possibility of renting bed linen, bathroom linen, end of stay cleaning
/ a welcome booklet is made available to you

Nature, heritage, well-being and gastronomy

Cantal is renowned for the authenticity of its landscapes, for the richness of its heritage and the quality of its local products. A brief overview of some activities to enjoy during your holidays in Moussages.

The Saint-Barthélémy church in Moussages houses one of the marvels of Romanesque art in Haute-Auvergne: Notre-Dame de Claviers, a polychrome wooden virgin dating from the 12th century. You will be amazed by the tympanum of the old castle of Valens which now adorns the church square. Formerly, the village had six castles!

As you stroll through the village and its surroundings, you will appreciate the small country heritage, ovens, wash houses, crosses, as well as the magnificent views of the Monts du Cantal.

A beautiful hike, departing from the town center, will take you to the Jailhac chapel. Installed on a rocky outcrop, overlooking the Mars valley, this 12th century chapel originally housed the statue of Notre-Dame de Claviers. Allow around 3 hours to complete this 10 km loop.

Salers and Tournemire are among the places that you will enjoy exploring. Respectively, at 22 km and 50 km, these two villages are classified among the “Most Beautiful Villages in France”.

In the middle of the Cantal mountains, Salers is renowned for its medieval and Renaissance heritage, but not only that. A raw milk cheese, a breed of cattle, a gentian-based aperitif and a shortbread biscuit come from its region. A tasty stop not to be missed.

Anjony Castle is one of the jewels of Tournemire. Impossible to miss, it dominates the Doire valley and has an impressive square keep flanked by 4 large corner towers. Climb up to the walkway, almost 40 meters high, and enjoy the magnificent panorama.

If you are a castle lover, you will be served! Within a radius of 25 kilometers around your gîte, there are:

• the ChâTeau d’Auzers to Auzers (8 km)
• the Château de la Trémolière in Anglards-de-Salers (12 km)
• Château de la Vigne in Ally (25 km)
• the Château de Val in Bort-les-Orgues (25 km)

Opening hours vary depending on the season, check in advance.

In Mauriac, 15 km from your vacation rental, make a stop to visit the Notre-Dame-des-Miracles basilica and the Saint-Pierre monastery. On Saturday mornings, the church square hosts a market where local producers and market gardeners come together.

Just outside the town, the Clément Besombes museum-conservatory of rural traditions presents a beautiful collection of tools and equipment used in agricultural work and relating to old trades.

The Salins waterfall and its 30 meter high water jet, 6 km from Mauriac, can be discovered along a path. Passing behind the waterfall, you will find the Druids' fountain, continue then cross a wood, a rope bridge and arrive at the town of Salins. Then, go back to the parking lot where the hike started. This 3 km loop is completed in 1h30, there is a picnic area on site.

Riom-ès-Montagne, a town located about twenty kilometers from your gîte, offers an activity accessible to everyone: the “Gentiane Express” tourist train. A great way to discover, all the way to Lugarde, magnificent panoramas of the Monts du Cantal, the Sancy massif and the Cézallier plateau.

A visit, reserved for adults, to the Espace Avèze will allow you to learn everything about the yellow gentian. A plant that grows in the wild between 900 and 1,700 meters above sea level and flowers from its 10th year! Its root is used to make aperitifs and brandies, which you will certainly have the opportunity to consume (in moderation) during your stay.

Another local specialty is cheese. Of course, there is Cantal, Salers AOP, Saint-Nectaire but in Riom-es-Montagne, it is the Auvergne blue that we celebrate every August during a weekend.

Whether you walk on one of the 200 marked hiking trails, on the ridges of the puys or in the villages of character: hiking adapts to all your desires in Cantal.

Adapt the routes to your level, accessible paths, without major changes in altitude, will allow you to enjoy nature in complete peace of mind. Volcanic landscape, valleys, forests and rivers, preserved fauna and flora, you will be amazed.

Around Puy Mary, labeled Grand Site de France, Plomb du Cantal, the highest point (1855 meters) of the department, Puy Griou, Puy Violent, etc. The largest volcano in Europe offers wonderful hikes.

There are numerous mountain bike or bicycle circuits, with or without electric assistance. To cycle in the middle of exceptional nature, still with beautiful elevation changes, there is no shortage of choice. Furthermore, you will easily find bike rental companies.

People also come to Cantal to fish, the lakes, bodies of water and rivers are renowned for their fish-filled waters. Whether you are sporty, contemplative, epicurean or all of that at the same time, you will find great and small pleasures in Cantal!

The house is not suitable for people with disabilities