Let me introduce a secret side to France and a luxurious and romantic hotel with a beautiful spa completely off the beaten track. Located in the splendor of Auvergne’s Wilderness in Chavagnac’s iconic Massif Central, Instants d’Absolu Ecolodge & Spa is a place to let your thoughts wander.
Location
To reach this unique retreat, the drive will wind you up onto the plateau through a primitive forest of Scots pine, fir, and beech trees… simply follow your natural sense of roaming on small country roads and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Just an hour’s drive south of Clermont Ferrand and a 30-minute drive from the A75 motorway linking Paris to Montpellier and an hour from Clermont-Ferrand, which can be reached directly from Gatwick via Ryanair, “Instants d’Absolu Ecolodge & Spa” has surprisingly good access to the highlights of the region.
Style & Character
Surrounded by forest, you can immerse yourself in the scenic grandeur of the Auvergne Volcano Reserve and explore the wilderness of Pinatelle on foot, on horseback, on a mountain bike, or cani-kart – which is dog sledding on wheels.
Service & Facilities
The ecolodge itself sits on the shoreline of a 40-acre lake and is surrounded by a 6,000 acre-forest where volcano summits are part of the scenery. What makes it so special is that you can enjoy this completely unique scenery from the luxury of the Eco Lodge, the spa, sauna, a steam bath, or simply sit in the outdoor hot tub in total relaxation.
Nearby, you can discover some of the most beautiful medieval villages in France like Salers, Tournemire, Blesle or Lavaudieuand, castles including Anjony and the home-castle of Marquis de La Fayette who helped the Americans during the war of Independence, gorges such a La Truyère and roman chapels perched on the high isolated plateaus. More adventurous travelers can fly off these plateaus by paraglider or uniquely fly on an ULM with the wild geese from Christian Moullec (who participated in the film “Le peuple migrateur”).
Rooms
With just 12 rooms, including one suite and three junior suites, this truly is a boutique wilderness retreat. Rooms feature personalized decoration, which connects each individual room to the views of the neighboring lake, the forest, or volcanoes. The rooms have been designed in an ancient Safari style and tones of restful creams and oatmeals with old trunks for dressing, small tables, and colonial chairs or seats made of linen or cashmere, all to being a natural extension of such a remarkable natural site.
Plaids in alpaca, linen, or virgin wool, and skins of sheep or rabbits are part of the Eco Chic atmosphere. Bathrooms offer bio-verbeina bath products. The lack of a TV or phone means that the silence is only disturbed by the sound of frogs and birds.
Food & Drink
At “instants d’Absolu” Ecolodge & Spa, there is a strong sense of place that pervades everything, from the exceptional views of nature to gourmet cuisine crafted with the best and freshest local ingredients. Enjoy a gastronomic restaurant offering a refined cuisine that celebrates Auvergne’s strong table tradition: Salers beef, peas, and Slowfood lentils of the Planèze (volcanic plateau), local cheese, and products direct from the farm. The restaurant is also partly based on wild plants from the forest. A rainbow of gourmet pleasure is waiting just for you in one of Nature’s secret gardens.
Conclusion
This romantic retreat is a superb example of Eco Chic. Halfway between civilization and nature, this luxurious space is the ultimate place to leave daily life behind and just to enjoy being you. Uninterrupted.
Instants d’Absolu Ecolodge & Spa also features in our top 5 best nature resorts in europe.
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