Holiday cottage for nature lovers in Auvergne

A friendly & authentic

lodging

These two words sum up the Refuge des Vaures cottage; that is how it was designed and renovated. It is thus an ideal holiday cottage for nature lovers in Auvergne.

The house allows guests to enjoy both indoors and outdoors, without constraints and with every possible comfort. The clever layout of the rooms makes it a cosy vacation spot, ideal for groups and families.

Winter and summer alike, you will appreciate the peace and quiet of the house. Immerse yourself in this place surrounded by meadows, where relaxation, nature and moments shared with loved ones are the watchwords of your stay.

You will discover the new life of these robust, utilitarian stables, transformed in 2023 into an original and authentic home. Craftsmen, exclusively local and passionate about their trades, worked to bring life to my renovation choices; we favored existing materials or their reuse.

Renovation rhymes with safety in this cottage, designed to welcome the very young as well as their parents and grandparents. Special attention has been paid to travelers who want to enjoy their vacations with their four-legged companions. The outside spaces have been secured for everyone’s comfort: fences at the front and rear of the cottage, front terrace closed by a gate, no steps to access the gardens or terraces (ramps in the extension of the terraces).

A friendly, authentic gîte

These two words sum up the Refuge des Vaures gîte, because that’s how it was designed and renovated. The gîte allows guests to enjoy both indoors and outdoors, without constraints and with every possible comfort. The clever layout of the rooms makes it a cosy vacation spot, ideal for groups and families. Winter and summer alike, you’ll appreciate the peace and quiet of the house. Immerse yourself in this place surrounded by meadows, where relaxation, nature and moments shared with loved ones are the watchwords of your stay.

You’ll discover the new life of these robust, utilitarian stables, transformed in 2023 into an original, authentic home. Exclusively local craftsmen, passionate about their trades, worked to bring life to the renovation choices favoring existing materials or their reuse.

Renovation rhymes with safety in this gîte, designed to welcome the very young as well as their parents and grandparents. Special attention has been paid to travelers who want to enjoy their vacations with their four-legged companions. The outside spaces have been secured for everyone’s comfort: fences at the front and rear of the gîte, front terrace closed by a gate, no steps to access the gardens or terraces (ramps in the extension of the terraces).

Equipment details

Click on the icons to discover all the gîte’s facilities.

Entrance

Under-stair cupboard (vacuum cleaner, ironing board and iron, clotheshorse, raclette machine) - bench and armchair - library with children's reading corner (many books for babies, children, teenagers, games and board games) - key box - coat hooks

Living room

Living room opening onto the kitchen and entrance - 3 sofas and armchair - tv and TVbox - table and carpet - floor lamp

Kitchen

Open kitchen with "coffee time" counter - fridge/freezer - dishwasher - microwave - 2 coffe machines (Tassimo + filter machine) - oven and hood - vitroceramic hob - assorted crockery and glasses - baby crockery - kitchen and cooking utensils - small grocery store - retractable steps - living room table (4-6 places)

Green Bedroom

Step-free accessible bedroom on the ground floor - bed 140x200 - coat hooks - with chair - private bathroom with towel dryer - toilet - hairdryer

Yellow Bedroom

Upstairs 'west' side - adjustable twin beds (2 beds 90x200 if separated or 1 bed 180x200 if combined) - bedside tables and lamps - dressing room - desk and chair - small table and rug - books and games - miror - table-top fan

Pink Bedroom

Upstairs 'east' side - adjustable twin beds (2 beds 90x200 if separated or 1 bed 180x200 if combined) - two wardrobes - work console - chair - carpet - games - telescopic Velux rod - table-top fan

Bathroom

First floor - walk-in shower - washing machine - double basins and mirrors - towel dryer - wooden steps for children - Velux rod

Kids area

Set up on the landing upstairs - chair and desk - toys - drawing materials & slate

Lean-to

On the left of the cottage - closed and locked - sunshade - deck chairs - children tricycle - electric socket - tap in front of the lean-to

Outdoors

Wooden terraces, front and rear of the cottage - wooden table and chairs - Weber barbecue - garden lounge (front and rear) - compost bin

Outdoor spaces

for everyone

You’re bound to get a change of scenery when you stay in this cottage, surrounded by greenery in every direction!

The cottage’s outdoors gave us a hard time, having remained untended for several years. This forced us to temporarily reduce the size of the garden at the rear of the cottage. Our 4-legged friends are now enjoying the garden to their heart’s content!

Work is in progress in order to bring the garden up to its full potential.

At the front of the cottage, a covered and enclosed lean-to has been set up. You can store and clean your sports equipment, baby carriages, etc. You will also find everything you need for the little ones to enjoy the garden in complete freedom, including rocking toys, bicycles and outdoor games.

And for the grown-ups, what could be better than a very large wooden terrace to enjoy a lovely evening with friends, reading in the shade of the birch tree or watching chickadees and robins flit between the trees ?

Our services

The Refuge des Vaures welcomes you to an exceptional natural environment and offers a full range of bookable services to enhance your stay. Whether you are looking for activity kits, leisure activities, welcome packs for your baby or your pets, you will find everything you need to make your experience unforgettable.

Laundry included
Lighten your suitcases! We supply all bed linen, towels and household linen. I chose professional hotel brand for quality linens.
Beds prepared for you
At Le Refuge des Vaures we like to pamper our travelers from the moment they contact us! And that continues as soon as you open the doors to your rooms, because the beds are made for your arrival. No more wasted time, just enjoy your loved ones!
Adjustable beds
Whether you are 4, 5 or 6, you will find the configuration you need in our cottage. The beds in the upstairs bedrooms can be twin or double, how convenient!
Hotel-quality bedding
Everything is done to ensure you have an excellent stay! I have chosen a renowned brand of bedding and hotel equipment, LAMY, which enables us to guarantee you a combination of comfort and undeniable sleep quality. I have also opted for safety, as all our beds, mattresses and pillows comply with the 'fireproof' hotel standard.
Cleaning included
I pamper you with an all-inclusive offer! Cleaning at the end of your stay is included in the price. Please read the departure instructions in the welcome booklet.
High-speed Internet
Unlimited high-speed WiFi, code available in the cottage. And for even greater convenience, ethernet sockets are available in every room.
Accessibility & safety
The entire first floor is easily accessible from the parking lot, with no steps to climb. A ground-floor bedroom has been fitted out for the comfort of people who have difficulty climbing stairs. In the bathroom, the shower has a sturdy bath stool (4 legs), a grab bar and a lowered shower head holder. The cottage has been designed for the comfort of the visually impaired (contrasting switches and sockets, no high elements without low ones, attentive and dedicated welcome). You can move around at night in complete safety, as the cottage is equipped with solar-powered spotlights on the route from the parking lot to the cottage entrance, as well as at the rear of the cottage.
No smoking
The cottage and wooden terraces are non-smoking (both cigarettes and electronic cigarettes); an outdoor ashtray is available on the front of the cottage.
Board games
There are plenty of board games for young and old alike. Explore the cottage to find them; they are scattered everywhere!
Locavor Allier
In partnership with the Locavor Bellerive manager, I can pick up your groceries from the locavor.fr website (distribution point "Bellerive-sur-Allier"). Distribution takes place on Friday evenings between 4:30pm and 6:30pm. Your groceries will be waiting for you at the cottage on Friday evening (or Saturday, depending on your arrival).

An eco-responsible approach
Aiming for re-use! The cottage was renovated in line with my desire to reduce unnecessary purchases; then my first step was always to think about what I had available ... if this requires more time, I've reaped the benefits, such as forcing ingenuity to adapt, adapt and adapt again! The second objective is to reduce consumption of electricity, water or packaging; e.g.: efficient insulation to reduce energy consumption in cold weather and maintain a pleasant temperature in summer. The third objective of the Refuge des Vaures is to preserve the surrounding environment; as such, the cottage, a "Refuge LPO" since 2019, has signed a reinforced partnership agreement with the LPO Auvergne Rhône-Alpes in 2023. We also offer "nature" activities to help you discover and appreciate our environment. To find out more, feel free to browse our blog!
Guides for your activities and outings
I have set up a digital welcome booklet that you can easily consult to prepare your stay. The booklet is smartphone-accessible, intuitive and comprehensive, with a wide range of outdoor activities, cultural and gastronomic outings and tourist attractions in our region. A binder of tourist tips by destination (more or less close to the cottage) is also available on site.
Childcare
Come to Refuge des Vaures with peace of mind, because I have thought of everything! And if I haven't, don't hesitate to suggest any other useful equipment. You will find all the equipment you need for an easy vacation with baby = 2 folding cots, an extra mattress if required, bed linen (undersheet and fitted sheet), multi-position high chair, bottle warmer, baby bath, solid steps (shower room-kitchen), bouncy chair, play mat, potty, children's crockery, babyphone, solar nightlight, books and games for infants, stroller, child-friendly tourist advice.
Grocery & drugstore
To facilitate your arrival and your first meals, a small grocery is at your disposal: salt-pepper, various spices, vinegar-oil (local), flour, sugar, tea-infusion, coffee filters. A drugstore pack also awaits you at the cottage: dishwasher tablets, black soap, dishwashing detergent - eco-friendly products.
Parking
A parking space for one car or several motorcycles is available (concrete surface); it is also possible to park a second car in the courtyard on the grass. For your safety, solar-powered spotlights are positioned from the parking lot to the entrance to the cottage.
Pets
Whether you have a dog, cat, rabbit, hamster (or anything else!) your pet will be with you on vacation, and I am delighted to welcome your companions. To keep them comfortable outdoors, I limit the number of pets to 3 for the time being; this may change when the garden at the back of the cottage is completely renovated. I provide a pet kit (lasso leash, lanyard, bowls and bowl holders for large dogs, waste bags, agility kit).

Book your trip

what Our guests say about their stay

Gîte fraîchement terminé, et très astucieusement arrangé dans une ancienne écurie qui logeait 2 chevaux, et qui accueille aujourd’hui jusqu’à 6 personnes, très confortablement, sur deux niveau. Aux abords de Bellerive, très au calme sans être totalement isolé, accueil agréable, discret, installation soignée, literie confortable, équipement complet, décoration sobre, du vintage et du moderne, en bref éminemment sympathique et reposant !

Top, gîte tout nouveau, lit géant. Petite Balade a pied du gîte ou Vichy a 5 min en voiture. Parfait

Nous avons passé un bon moment en famille.