Straw Angel Mill

Activities:

There’s plenty to do on the days when you don’t feel like relaxing by the stream in the garden. Our favourites include:

• Forest walks
• Mountain walks
• Swim or  canoe: Saint Antheme mountain lake (15 minutes up the mountain) 
• Pony Trek: Les Poneys De Baffie at Baffie  or LaBrideDesFougères equestrian farm, 
   Ussen-En-Forez (both 15 minutes away)
• Donkey trek
• Ski in winter or, in summer, take  the ski lifts to  the top  then ride down the mountain ski paths on mountain scooters or explore the mountains with a team of husky dogs . All at  Praboure-Saint Antheme (30 minutes away)
• Rock climbing
• Tennis
• Fly fishing
• Cycling
• Forest Mountain Bike trails (VTT)
• Ride in a Hot Air Balloon (Viverols, 5 minutes away)

Or why not...

•  Enjoy excellent local French food  at the Relais Du Vermont auberge at the Col De Chemintrand mountain pass (5 minutes away) or try other restaurants in the vicinity such as Le Droubliei (10 minutes away) for fondu made from the local cheese and for its chestnut flan or try the well-reviewed Auberge Le Clos Perche at Montarcher (25  minutes)

• Experience the Festival of Montpeloux: concerts, theatre and spectacles on throughout the summer at the natural  volcanic amphitheatre of Montpeloux (15 minutes away) or the internationally acclaimed  classical music festival of Chaise Dieu  (40 minutes away) 
• Discover a traditional way of life by visiting the mountain-top museum of ‘upland summer pasture’ life (with local organic fare in the restaurant), 1250 metres up the mountain at the Jasserie Coq Noir (30 minutes away) 

• Explore  local wildlife: catch frogs in the stream, watch buzzards and other birds of prey circling overhead, walk the Eglisolles Roe Deer trail, visit the  Ecopole du Forez observatory where  nightingales and beavers can be found (50 minutes away), or pick  forest mushrooms,  blueberries and raspberries in the surrounding woods.

• Challenge yourself at the Tree-top Adventure Activity centre with the high ropes, zip-wire in the tree tops (Chateau Roche Lambert  60 minutes away)  

• Explore French local history:  visit the Eco  museum (museum of mountain  forest  life) in Usson En Forez (15 minutes away), the 1900 School Museum in St Martin-Des-Olmes (25 minutes away), the French Resistance museum in  Estivareilles,  the Petanque  (Bowls) museum in  St Bonnet-Le-Chateau or the fascinating 15th century Paper Mill at Ambert (all 30 minutes away ) 

  Walk with  a pack of husky dogs at Praboure (30 minutes away)