Le Moulin sur Célé

St Sulpice, Lot, South West France

Le Moulin sur Célé is a magical property which captures the essence of idyllic rural France from times gone by, with all the comfort and luxury of the present day. Formerly a water mill, set in the heart of the stunning Lot region of South West France, the accommodation comprises the Miller’s House and Tower, all in beautiful grounds, with a swimming pool, a grass tennis court and croquet lawn, plus swimming, canoeing and fishing in the Célé river which runs through the grounds.

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Overview

Sleeps: 10 (with one small child)

Bedrooms & Bathrooms

3 double ensuite bedrooms 

1 twin bedroom with ensuite bathroom

1 twin / triple bedroom with ensuite bathroom

Rent per week

4 580 to 8 780 per week depending on the season. Friday to Friday.

€650 / night. Min 3 nights. Low season only.

Detailed break down of  price per week

 

Key features

16th century water mill

15 acres of grounds

12 x 4.5m pool

Grass tennis court

River swimming

Air conditioning in all bedrooms

Testimonials

"A Dream In The Lot: 'Le Moulin sue Célé' is a ridiculously joli property in 25 acres of the Lot countryside, comprising mill, miller’s house, tower and cottage. It’s the most pinch-me perfect piece of la France profonde we’ve seen all year – ancient stone walls, beams, big fireplaces, bags of character – and it has a pool, a grass tennis court, a croquet lawn, canoes in the boathouse (there’s a stream, naturally), and an on-site cleaner. All in all, it’s almost embarrassingly idyllic"

Number 7 in The Sunday Times’ annual travel guide to the 100 greatest holidays on the planet, dated January 20th, 2013.

"My time at Le Moulin sur Célé made my heart sing. I found a peace in the quiet river and glorious unspoilt countryside that I have not known since childhood. There is a spiritual tranquillity about the place that is the perfect antidote to a hectic urban life, but there is much more. The ancient Moulin buildings have been converted into a beautiful and comfortable home - room for guests to be apart, or together for long lunches in the sun on the grassy island, cosy suppers by the fire, or on the terrace under the stars. Extremely civilised. So much to do at the Moulin. Swimming in the sheltered pool, tennis and croquet on the lawns, fishing and canoeing on the Célé river, adventures to pretty local towns and villages with their markets, restaurants and bustling street life. All very French and utterly charming. I will never forget my times at the Moulin."

John Cunningham-Reid, London, England

"We had a wonderful time at the beautiful Moulin and enjoyed some lovely weather as well. The house is a tribute to the imaginative and loving work of the owners who have created the most aesthetically pleasing environment for withdrawal from the frenetic world in which we live. Having said this, and in sharp contrast, internet access allowed us to download the Times every morning! The whole family was so sad to leave - we had some serious tennis matches and some enchanting canoeing. Apart from fishing rods (a couple of which we bought locally, and left behind for future tenants), we found everything we could possibly want. We definitely intend to book again. Please thank the owner."

Kate Buckett, Hampshire, England

"We had a FABULOUS time at "Domaine de Tamasea" and "Le Moulin sur Célé" - as ever, your recommendations were spot on. I did want to reiterate how grateful we are to you, to your team and to your owners for having arranged things so well, and for sharing their beautiful houses with us. We would love to go back to both properties."

Nick Roberts, London, England

The House and Accommodation

Family Sitting Room: adjoining the kitchen (open plan separated by an island) large and comfortable, with an impressive working fireplace, sofa and armchairs, satellite TV, Broadband/WiFi internet access. There are “sonos” (a great music system) in this room with large speakers which cover the terraces. There’s also a chargeable speaker on wheels which can be moved to the river bank or to anywhere else in the grounds.

Farmhouse-style kitchen – with La Cornue cooker, two electric ovens, kitchen island with ample refrigeration, dishwasher, coffee making facilities etc French doors on the west side open onto a dining terrace overlooking th river. 

Dining Room – in the style of a conservatory this is a superb room for family dining with views over the gardens.

The Tower ground floor sitting room: large and full of character, with creamy stone walls and exposed beamed ceiling, a huge working fireplace, a cocktail bar, comfortable sofas and armchairs, wide-screen satellite T.V., VOD (Netflix, Disney +) plus board games and cards.

Bedrooms & Bathrooms

Bedroom 1 – Madame’s Room:

A spacious master bedroom with a 6 ft double bed and windows overlooking the gardens on 3 sides. It has a large en-suite bathroom with a large powerful walk-in shower and a separate W.C. This bedroom is on the ground floor.

Bedroom 2 – The Garden Room:

With a 5′ 6″ double bed with views onto the garden and towards the tower. It has an ensuite with a deep bath, shower and a W.C.

Bedroom 3 – The River Room:

With two 3′ beds which can be joined together to form a large double and windows on 2 sides. It has a large ensuite bathroom with a large walk in shower and a W.C.

First Floor Bedroom 4 – ‘The Tower Family Room’:

This bedroom is in the tower. It has with two 3′ beds which can be joined together to form double, plus a third 2′ 6″ bed (also full-length) and windows on 3 sides. An en-suite (Shower Room 2) has a shower and separate W.C.

Second Floor Bedroom 5: 

This bedroom is in the tower with exposed rafters, a 6 ft double bed and windows on 3 sides. There is also a bath, shower and separate W.C.

NB: all bedrooms and shared indoor areas are equipped with air conditioning in the summer and heating in winter. All bedrooms also have ceiling fans. All the beds in the Miller’s House and the Tower have mosquito nets, although this is a precaution rather than a problem.

Garden and Grounds

Le Moulin sur Célé is set in 15 acres of glorious secluded gardens and grounds on the banks of the Célé river. It provides an idyllic pastoral setting. The garden is filled with roses and flowers, along with masses of other climbers, shrubs, pot plants and herbs. There is also a wide variety of trees, including walnuts, and an orchard of peach, pear, apple, quince, greengage and plum, plus raspberry canes and other soft fruits.

The grounds also include a croquet lawn with hoops, balls and mallets and a superb grass tennis court with net, racquets and balls provided. There is also a children’s football net and badminton racquets and shuttlecocks.

From its days as a working mill, the ‘race’ remains to create ‘the island’ between the river and garden, although it is usually dry in summer. This is an enchanting corner of the garden for a refreshing dip in the Célé and comprises a shady lawn which gently slopes to the river, a number of sun beds, a large table and 10 chairs, plus the charcoal barbecue and a table tennis table (the net, bats and balls are kept indoors).

The Mill itself is now a boathouse which houses three 2-man canoes with paddles and life-vests, plus 2 lilos. The Célé river is navigable for some miles and meanders downstream through stunning scenery to eventually join the wide and imposing Lot. Guests and canoes can be collected from their eventual destination, thus saving a paddle back upstream. There are also 2 fishing rods and a tackle box. Brown trout are caught quite frequently.

Swimming Pool

A filtered heated swimming pool measures 12 metres × 4.5 metres, with steps descending into the shallow end (1.1 metres) and shelving to 1.7 metres at the deep end. The pool is fenced and gated, with comfortable sun beds and sun umbrellas. It can be heated at tenants’ request prior to arrival.

Location

Le Moulin sur Célé is set amongst the dramatic hills and cliffs of the Lot ‘département’ and stands on the banks of the Célé River.

The surrounding countryside is renowned for its beauty and tranquillity and is known as the ‘triangle noir’ in reference to its black, star-studded night skies. The region is also reputed to have some of the purest and most unpolluted air in France.

Le Moulin is 2 kms from the medieval riverside village of Marcilhac-sur-Célé, with basic shopping facilities, 2 small restaurants and an ancient abbey. It’s 10 kms from the small town of Cajarc which has a good range of shops including a supermarket. The charming historic town of Figeac is 25 kms, on the outskirts of which (at Capdenac) is a giant Leclerc supermarket and a very good open-air market each Saturday.

How to get there

Train stations

Cahors – 1 hour’s drive

Brive-la-Gaillarde – 1 hour’s drive

TGV

Agen (375 minutes)

Airports:

Brive-la-Gaillade (1 hour) and Rodez (75 minutes)

Toulouse (Blagnac) & Bergerac (Roumanière) international airports are 2 hours’ away.

Things to see and do nearby

The House Book

Has details regarding the hire of bicycles. They can de delivered to Le Moulin if required. This is great cycling country!

Walks

There are wonderful walks in all directions, very much including the well-trodden, ancient pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela in north west Spain. The national park of the Causses du Quercy surrounds the property

Hiking

Hiking in the National Park. The parc naturel regional des Causses du Quercy surrounds le Moulin. It has many well marked foot paths throughout the ‘blue path’ system. There are many ordinance survey maps of the local area showing the foot paths in the sitting room. These take you from Le Moulin around the Valley or further afield. A slightly longer two hour walk for instance starts at Marcilhac-sur-Cele (the next village west down the Valley) and follows the valley ridge towards Le Moulin before dropping down onto the river and finally back to Le Moulin (this is a blue-path route). For the more intrepid walkers go online and you can pick up the well-trodden, ancient pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela in north west Spain

Canoeing

The Lot and Célé rivers are renowned for the most beautiful canoe trips. This activity alone draws large numbers of visitors each year and The Lot department local government has a large budget and does a fine job of keeping rivers and banks clear and easy to navigate. They also maintain many weirs with safe canoe slides for many miles of uninterrupted gliding down the river. Le Moulin has two canoes taking 2 or 3 people. These should only be used after instruction from Patrick. Patrick will transport these up the valley for either a half day or full day canoeing. The end of the trip ends on Le Moulin’s river bank

The Croissant Run

The valley first thing in the morning and at dusk is sublime. The seven minute drive to the boulangerie in Marcilhac-sur-cele is never a chore. The road follows the river along the valley west, it’s a fantastic drive

Local foods

The organic vegetable farm shop is a stone’s throw up the road to Brengues. It has a fantastic selection of the most wonderful, fresh local vegetables. Foie gras is a speciality of the region as demonstrated by the many local producers and shops. The small town of Cajarc (10 kms) has an excellent butcher called René Verdrune who offers all sorts of ready-prepared food; the baker called Lagarde has a varied selection of delicious sweet and savory foods, whilst there is a delicatessen and several other food shops plus a supermarket. Cajarc has a marvelous Saturday market

Markets

During the summer season there is also an excellent market every Tuesday evening in nearby Marcilhac sur Célé

Underground River

There is an extraordinary underground river near Le Moulin which can be explored by serious divers – apparently its furthest point has yet to be discovered!

St-Cirq-laPopie

Arguably France’s most beautiful village is only 10 kms away, St. Cirque-la-Popie, which cascades down a steep hill into the river Lot.

Wild Flowers

This is a splendid region for wild flowers and wild life in general – red squirrels, deer, butterflies and nightingales to name just a few

Caves

Cabrerets (half an hour’s drive) is said to have some of the country’s finest pre-historic painted caves that are still open to the public

Cahors

The ancient city of Cahors is within an hour’s drive. Its 14th century fortified bridge is of particular interest. The region around Cahors is widely known for its red wine, once rivalling the finest Bordeaux in terms of quality and price

Golf

There is a charming 9-hole golf course at St Céré with a superb restaurant

Riding Stables

There are riding stables nearby, offering everything from lessons to pony trekking in the surrounding national park

Additional Information

Arrival welcome and departure: You will be personally welcomed on arrival and shown over the whole house. A welcome hamper is provided with 3 bottles of local wine, chilled water, orange juice,  tea, coffee, French bread, local cheese, fresh fruit, milk butter and jam.

Wifi and Broadband: There is a landline telephone in The Miller’s House for guest use. 4G mobile reception is generally good. Free WiFi is available throughout the house, pool area and gardens.

Housebook: The extensive house book comprises maps and guides, plus details regarding the local restaurants (in various price ranges), shops, markets, antique/bric-à-brac emporia, fairs and festivals, museums, medieval villages, towns and castles, as well as cultural and sporting activities of all kinds in the surrounding area.

Additional entertainment: The sitting room in the Tower has a card table, plus packs of playing cards, jigsaw puzzles and board games. There are some children’s toys. There are English-language books throughout the house.

Services included: Patrick Velu is the gardener and groundsman. He is also responsible for keeping the swimming pool clean and in good working order. He loves to share his knowledge of the gardens, plants, flowers and trees.

Optional / additional services available: Given sufficient notice a cook can be available for as many dinners and/or lunches as may be required.

Utilities: washing machine and dryer, fridge/freezer, ice maker and ironing equipment.

Air conditioning and heating: All bedrooms and shared indoor areas are equipped with airconditioning in the summer and heating in the winter. All bedrooms have ceiling fans.

Children: There are 2 baby’s cots both with a mattress and one with a sheet. There is also a high chair.Car Parking: There is a designated car parking area at the entrance to Le Moulin.

Rents
2024
2024 Rents & Terms Weekly rate
July & August €8,780
May, June and September €6,750
All other months €4,580
Short Breaks €670/night. Minimum 3 nights. Low season only

Other than short breaks out of season, all tenancies will be for a minimum of 1 week, and will start and end on Friday.

Terms and Conditions

The Booking Process – A deposit of 25% of the rent will be payable to Anglo French Properties Ltd on signing the Rental Agreement, with the 75% balance to be paid 8 weeks prior to the commencement of the tenancy.

Security Deposit – A Booking and Security Deposit of €500 will be payable to Anglo French Properties Ltd on signing the Rental Agreement. This will secure the booking, and will cover the cost of (a) telephone and fax calls made on the house telephone during the tenancy, (b) replacing/making good any losses, breakages and/or damages incurred during the rental, and (c)  any exceptional cleaning work which may be required at the end of the tenancy. This Booking and Security Deposit will be refunded (less any deductions as outlined above) within 4 weeks of the tenancy’s conclusion.

Tenants should advise Anglo French Properties at the end of each rental of any losses, breakages and/or damages. This is in lieu of an inventory.

Minimum stay: Other than short breaks out of season, all tenancies will be for a minimum of 1 week, and will start and end on Friday.

Arrival Time & Departure times: Tenants should arrive as soon as possible after 5pm on the commencement day. They will be welcomed on arrival, given a tour of the property and shown how everything works. Tenants should leave by 10am on the agreed day of departure.

Number of People: Unless otherwise agreed, there should not be more than 11 people staying in the property at any one time.

Security: The owners’ insurance policy requires that all doors are locked, and that all windows and shutters are closed when tenants are away from the property.

Energy costs are included: The energy costs are included in the rental price.

Heating costs are included: The heating costs are included in the rental price. 

Linen and towels: Linen and towels, and the cleaning of the linen and towels are included in the rental price. These will be changed on a weekly basis.

Smoking allowed: No smoking allowed inside the property. Caution should be taken when smoking outside during the summer months as the risk of fire can be extremely high.

Internet access: yes, included in the rental price. 

Optional / additional services available: any additional services, if available, (eg extra cleaning or cooking) will be agreed in advance at a pre-agreed rate per hour. These costs will be the sole responsibility of the tenant.

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