17th c stone house in bustling medieval town on the River Vienne. Easily accessed by train, just a few steps to local shops, cafés, restaurants, markets, open air pool, tennis court and parks. It has an art gallery and cinema and is on the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela, steeped in the history of tanning and the French Resistance. Surrounded by beautiful countryside with lakes for swimming, kayaks, sailing. Ideal for nature lovers, walkers, cyclists. Gateway to plateau de Millevaches. The space The house is an imposing detached stone house on 4 storeys with a patio outside the kitchen, a courtyard garden overlooking the rectory garden and is within earshot of the bells of the impressive medieval church. (Don't worry, the bells don't ring at night!). There is a wildlife pond which attracts dragonflies, and other insects and birds come to have a bath and drink in the shallows. The view from the terrace outside the kitchen is 270° across to the far side of the river which cuts the town in half, to the East and to the South and there is shade under the sycamore tree. The house has many original features with exposed beams, stonework and wooden floors. The spacious living area and kitchen are both on the first floor. There are eating areas in the kitchen, living room and outside where you will also find a barbecue. One large bedroom (king side bed and single) with adjacent bathroom is on the 2nd floor. On the top floor is the second bedroom with ensuite. The house is in the bottom left hand corner of the former cattle market, now a spacious free parking area, so you will be able to park immediately outside, or just close by. Guest access As the house is our home outside of the holiday season, there is one room on the ground floor and one on each of the top 2 storeys which we keep for our private use. Apart from these rooms the entire house is at your disposal and is spacious. When we let the house out, we repair to our camper van and take to the road, gradually exploring France and further afield. A friend who lives locally will coordinate with you regarding arrival and departure and deal with any queries that arise. Other things to note The house is only available for stays of 7 nights or more. There is a Farmer's Market each Saturday morning and a bigger market on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month for which some of the streets are closed to traffic. They do not affect access to and from the house or vehicles parked on the former cattle market. There is a tourist office which offers a wealth of information on local events and sites of interest. The locality boasts many crafts, artists and musicians.