Picture yourself stepping onto sun-warmed stone as morning mist rises from your private pond, woodlands stretching across 3.5 hectares of Haut-Quercy countryside where medieval villages dot rolling hills and ancient oak trees frame your converted farmhouse. This is life in the Lot department, where time moves to the rhythm of market days and truffle seasons, where your morning coffee tastes better on a terrace overlooking meadows that turn golden each September, and where owning a vacation home means becoming part of France's most authentic rural landscape. This exceptional property offers not just a second home, but a complete lifestyle retreat with proven income potential from its thriving guest accommodation business. The Lot region represents one of France's best-kept secrets for vacation home ownership. While coastal properties command premium prices, this corner of Midi-Pyrénées delivers authentic French countryside living with remarkable value. The department sits at the crossroads of Dordogne, Aveyron, and Cantal, combining the gastronomic heritage of southwest France with the dramatic limestone plateaus of the Causses. Your property near Sousceyrac-en-Quercy positions you eighteen kilometres from Saint-Céré, a vibrant medieval town where weekly markets overflow with local cheeses, walnuts, and duck confit, and just thirty-five minutes from Aurillac's regional airport, making international travel remarkably accessible for a property this secluded. The estate divides beautifully between private family living and guest accommodation, a configuration that allows you to offset ownership costs while maintaining your personal sanctuary. The main residential house welcomes you with generous entertaining spaces: a formal dining room for long Sunday lunches, a separate living room with original architectural details, and an open-plan kitchen flowing onto the terrace where most summer meals naturally gravitate. The ground floor includes a bedroom with ensuite shower room, perfect for guests or multigenerational family visits. Descend to the garden level and you'll find additional sleeping quarters, a working bread oven that connects you to centuries of rural tradition, and practical spaces now serving as laundry and library. Throughout, double glazing ensures year-round comfort while maintaining the building's historic character. The reception house operates as a turnkey hospitality business. A six-person gîte provides self-contained accommodation ideal for weekly rentals during peak season, while three separate guest rooms offer bed-and-breakfast flexibility. The shared kitchen and dining room create communal spaces where guests naturally gather, reducing your involvement while maintaining the personal touch that earns five-star reviews. Previous owners have established strong booking patterns, and the property's proximity to major attractions like Rocamadour, Padirac Cave, and the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela ensures steady demand from May through October. Spring in Quercy means wildflower meadows and mild temperatures perfect for hiking the region's network of marked trails. The nearby Causse plateau offers dramatic limestone landscapes where sheep graze beneath endless skies, while river valleys like the Dordogne and Lot provide kayaking, swimming, and riverside picnicking. Summer brings temperatures that make your swimming pool essential, with the poolhouse providing shaded retreat during afternoon heat. Autumn transforms the landscape into amber and gold, with walnut harvests, mushroom foraging, and truffle markets becoming weekly rituals. Winter sees occasional snow dusting the hills, the wood stove and insert creating cozy atmospheres while your heat pump maintains consistent warmth throughout both buildings. The three-car garage, converted from an original barn, provides secure storage for vehicles and outdoor equipment. Your 0.4-hectare pond supports local wildlife and offers meditative morning walks through surrounding woodlands. The mature trees throughout the park create natural privacy screens and provide welcome shade during summer months. This diverse energy system, combining heat pump efficiency with the backup of fuel heating and the ambiance of wood burning, gives you flexibility while managing costs across a property of this scale. Saint-Céré, your nearest major town, delivers all essential services: supermarkets, medical facilities, restaurants, and the cultural programming of its summer festival season. The town's position along historic trade routes means architecture spanning Roman to Renaissance periods, with Saturday markets that have operated continuously for eight centuries. Nearby Aurillac connects you to Paris via regional flights, while Brive-la-Gaillarde station, ninety minutes away, links to Paris in under four hours by high-speed rail. Toulouse airport, though farther at two hours, offers extensive international connections. For vacation home owners, the Lot provides exceptional value compared to Provence or the Côte d'Azur, with property prices reflecting genuine regional economics rather than international speculation. The department attracts discerning buyers who prioritize authenticity over fashion, creating a community of like-minded owners who appreciate traditional architecture, organic agriculture, and cultural preservation. French property ownership for international buyers follows well-established procedures, with notaires handling the legal framework and fixed fee structures ensuring transparent costs. The reception business operates under France's meublé de tourisme regulations, with established tax frameworks that allow depreciation of furnishings and maintenance costs against rental income. Many owners structure purchases through Société Civile Immobilière arrangements, facilitating succession planning and simplifying estate management. The region's rental market has proven resilient, with domestic French tourism supporting baseline occupancy while international visitors from the UK, Netherlands, and Belgium provide premium-season bookings. Properties offering authentic experiences in well-maintained historic buildings command higher nightly rates than generic vacation rentals, and your established business provides immediate cash flow rather than speculative income projections. The move-in ready condition means you can begin welcoming guests immediately, whether continuing the current hospitality model or transitioning to exclusive family use. The comprehensive heating system ensures comfort across seasons, while the property's scale allows flexible usage patterns. Host extended family gatherings in the residential house while accommodating additional relatives in the gîte, or maintain the guest business during peak months while reserving shoulder seasons for personal enjoyment. This configuration offers rare versatility for vacation home owners seeking both lifestyle benefits and financial pragmatism. Key features include: 8 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms across two connected houses providing flexible accommodation. 425 square meters of renovated living space maintaining original farmhouse character. 3.5-hectare wooded estate with mature trees, meadows, and complete privacy. 0.4-hectare private pond supporting wildlife and creating scenic walking routes. Swimming pool with dedicated poolhouse for summer entertaining and relaxation. Functioning six-person gîte generating established rental income. Three guest bedrooms with shared facilities for bed-and-breakfast operation. Working historic bread oven connecting daily life to regional traditions. Comprehensive heating system combining heat pump, fuel backup, and wood burning. Three-car garage converted from original barn providing secure storage. Double glazing throughout ensuring year-round thermal comfort and energy efficiency. 18km from Saint-Céré's complete amenities and vibrant cultural calendar. 35 minutes to Aurillac regional airport facilitating international travel. Established hospitality business with proven booking patterns and income history. Homestra specializes in connecting international buyers with exceptional European vacation properties like this Quercy estate. Our platform streamlines the search process, connecting you with legal advisors, property managers, and local experts who understand the unique considerations of cross-border vacation home ownership. Whether you envision this as a family retreat with income potential, a semi-retirement project allowing gradual relocation to France, or a pure investment leveraging the region's growing tourism sector, this property delivers rare versatility at a price point reflecting genuine regional value. Contact us today to arrange a private viewing and begin your journey toward owning a vacation home in one of France's most authentic and unspoiled regions.
