Our small rural village of Pitelet in the commune of St Victor Montvianeix nestles amongst the wooded mountains of the picturesque Puy de Dôme. Our commune is 25kms across, has an area of over 11000 acres, 57 hamlets, a population of 6 people per km², varies in altitude from 250m to 1232m and is criss-crossed by 300 kms of pathways. 
There are water sports, an outdoor swimming pool, mini-golf and tennis and squash courts available around the lake at nearby St Rémy sur Durolle (11kms) as well as restaurants and cafes. The town itself has a small selection of essential shops and bars and boasts a small Sunday morning market. 
Our nearest large town, Thiers, has been the centre of French cutlery making for 500 years. The region is the home of the famous "Sabatier" kitchen knife and "la coutellerie" is still practised by many artisans working in a modest workshop attached to their village home. 
The spa town of Vichy in the neighbouring département of L’Allier (40kms) with its famous opera house, its healing waters and its trotting horse stadium, is also worth visiting. 
And then there's Clermont-Ferrand (40kms), the region’s capital city and the home of Michelin and Bibendum, the Michelin man. The company has recently completed a state-of-the-art visitor centre. 
The Montagne Thiernoise forms the northern part of one of France's beautiful natural regional parks, the Livradois-Forez, and a short distance by car to the south-west is the stunning chain of volcanoes and its highest peak, the Puy de Dôme, from which the 'département' gets its name. Or visit one or more of the area's interesting chateaux. 
And when you have worked up an appetite, savour some of the local speciality foods. Hams, saucissons, preserves, the distinctive saucisson de choux, followed by one of the delicious cheeses from the milk of cow, goat and sheep - as the region boasts one of the largest number of AOC cheeses in France - accompanied by a glass from the smaller, yet equally distinctive wines.