Instants d'Absolu - Ecolodge de Luxe & Spa

Exceptional! A remote, silent place, just the sounds of the wind and birds songs on the lake nearby. Superbe food. Interesting wines to discover. Great evening atmosphere chatting at fire side. comfortable rooms feeling like you have been invited by writer and adventurer Sylvain Tesson (make it Ernest Hemingway for those not familiar with French literature). I will be back!

What a wonderful experience, to be in such a natural environment, so peaceful and serene, and with so many trails for hiking, biking and even horseback riding. The lodge itself is beautifully appointed with much attention to detail and a consistent nature theme. It blends in perfectly with the surrounding environment. We enjoyed meeting Laurence and Daniel and sharing in their dream with them. We enjoyed our coffees in the chill morning air on the deck with the fabulous view of the lake. We enjoyed gazing at the night sky, full of stars and even the Milky Way. We enjoyed warming and relaxing our bodies in the unpretentious spa area. We enjoyed hiking in the surrounding forest and hunting for mushrooms and finding a bounty of them. We enjoyed the dinners as they were fresh and delicious and very inventive. We enjoyed every minute of our three heavenly days at the Ecolodge and we will surely return for another visit so we can once again rejuvenate our souls, and our bodies in such a splendid place. It's very rare to find this kind of situation anywhere in France!

We have just spent two days at this Eco lodge having enjoyed the setting, accomodation and food. All these treats were enhanced by hosts Daniel and Laurente who made us most welcome ? . Driving along the lake to discover this exception Lodge sitting alone and perfectly in its setting was a joy as we didn't know what to expect. This couple have decorated the place in a sensitive and tasteful way using local craftsmen . The food was a treat as was the wine list and our breakfast buffet offering all you could want. We explored the area by foot discovering flora and fauna along the trails. How lucky were we to have found such an unusual and beautiful part of France. Grey stone with red woodwork set in a rural setting with fields of wildfloweres what more could you want. We highly recommend that travellers venture to this region and particularly this Lodge.

This is for you if you value peace and tranquility, beautiful scenery, good walks on your doorstep, and delicious food. The decor is really nice (modern and comfortable) and the spa area is new and lovely. The bedrooms are comfortable, quiet and very nicely decorated. There is an attractive outside seating area. I would definitely visit again or recommend to friends. We paid approx £130 each for dinner, bed and breakfast (one person per double room) which was good value for the quality of the accommodation and food.

We spent two nights at the ecolodge at the end of 10 days in the Auvergne. I read about the hotel several years ago somewhere and kept the clipping in my travel wish list. We travel to France every year, and love to find remote places with good food. Les Instants d'Absolu did not disappoint in that regard - the lodge is beautiful, the room was comfortable and the lake was stark and peaceful, especially as the sun came up in the morning and as we sat in the hot tub and watched the birds land and take off from the water. ||||Drinks and dinner were served in a beautiful dining room/bar area with a fireplace and roaring fire. The menu changes every day with choices between three appetizers, three main dishes and two desserts. On our first night husband had the smoked sturgeon which was very thinly sliced with salad and creme fraiche. Lovely, delicate and delicious. I had a borscht, which was good but the serving was too large. Husband then had beef, which was half of the local Salers breed and half Charlevoix, which gives you certain qualities which explained to us but I don't remember. I had pork which was almost carmelized, not dry. Both were served with the local lentils blondes, sweet potato, which I have never seen in France, and baked grapes. The next night husband began with his second mushroom soup of our trip. Fall in France is all about mushrooms. I had escargots which were served with fennel. Husband then had pintade which was served in a red wine sauce and I had veal. Both were served with sauerkraut in an apple juice, a baked pear and vegetable risotto. Almost everything is local, carefully described and beautifully presented. Our second night I ordered the cheese plate which was full of the classic Auvergnat cheeses - Cantal, St. Nectaire, Bleu d'Auvergne. ||||We spent the day walking one of the many trails through the pasture land and woods. We asked for a picnic lunch which was generous and quirky - hard boiled eggs, figs, clementines, bread, sliced duck and ham, two kinds of cheese, bottles of water. We are not spa people, but after our long walk we put on our bathing suits and soaked in the hot tub and baked ourselves in the sauna. ||||The lodge is beautifully decorated but I had a hard time reconciling the eco, nature aesthetic with the rabbit fur on the bedside stump/tables, the cow hide rug in front of the fireplace and on the front of the bar. The cow hides were beautiful and striking, but somehow disconcerting to me.||||My only two critiques about our time at instants d'Absolu are we could not regulate the temperature in our room properly, it was too hot. Granted, I never asked how to make it cooler. And Madame insisted on speaking English with me. She never really gave me the opportunity to demonstrate my fairly decent French which was disappointing since I travel to France to use my French. Thankfully her husband humored me and conversed with me in French.

An amazing place in the middle of nowhere. I was seeking a relaxing place away from the hustle and bustle of city life, back to nature and to eat good food. I got exactly this. Here you can enjoy peace, quiet, stunning nature and excellent food. This lodge is luxurious but in an understated and unpretentious way. There is no problems here wearing your slippers in the lounge, in fact its encouraged. The two hosts, Laurence and Daniel, go out of their way to make guests feel comfortable and ensure they have a relaxing time. For those of you that are native English speakers and don't speak any French, my understanding is that the majority of guests here are French, which may be a little confronting for some. Both hosts speak English. Bring your hiking boots however don't expect to loose any weight ... the food and wine here are way too good for that!

Extremely well designed facility. Our rooms with separate bedroom, ample space for a lady's essentials, good shower, walk in closet, separate sitting room had a view of the lake. ||The restaurant serves good meals on a pre fixe basis, with a good wine list and efficient service. ||The sauna and jacuzzi is available in the afternoon- evening. The sauna is quite good. ||Set in a wilderness region, one can access many hiking trails. ||The proprietors can be congratulated for there vision and implementation of it to create this unique place. |

My wife and I visited Instants d'Absolu in early June. The weather was touch and go, but it was perfect as it forced us to relax and unwind. The landscape is beautiful and picturesque with the lodge perched at the edge of the lake. It felt like it took forever to wind our way around the lake to the lodge, but it was worth the trip. ||||Laurence provided a wonderful reception and gave us an overview of their property and vision, upon arrival. Our room was large with a walk in shower and a view over the lake. With an approaching thunderstorm, the lake and hills formed a dramatic backdrop. We hit the small, but pleasant, spa to soak our bones and watch the thunderstorm roll over our heads. We both really enjoyed the unique barrel steam bath. ||||Afterwards we got changed and headed to the dining room for our meal. Here we met Daniel who provided charming, friendly, and light-hearted service. He spent time with each table, discussing the dishes, and getting feedback. Our food was delicious and local. We had cauliflower soup, roasted pork, and a red fruit crumble, all of which was prepared perfectly and was exactly the type of meal we wanted on a cool June evening. ||||Back in our room, the night was calm and silent; exactly what you want during an escape! We woke to a mostly sunny day and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, again hosted by Daniel. Afterwards we went on a short hike to a hill overlooking the lake. The lodge has worked tirelessly with the local council to create hiking trails, rejuvenate the lake, and make the area more environmentally sustainable. The hike to the hill is easy and is a great vantage point from which to see the valley.||||We really enjoyed our stay at the Ecolodge and wished we had more time to spend exploring the area. Maybe we'll be back again one day.