We are located in a preserved natural area of 50 hectares.
Domaine de la Planche de Mélussac is located on the edge of a forest and at the bend of a river, in the town of Cussac-sur-Loire. This old farmhouse, completely renovated by 4 friends, has been welcoming anyone who feels the need to get away from it all for a weekend since 2017. They can enjoy on-site guest rooms and eco-lodges with all the comforts required, as well as the various activities on offer. It is also an opportunity for them to taste the good local products.

Have you fallen in love with this place?
Sébastien Sigaud: Yes! There are four of us who fell in love with it. We are all natives of Le Puy-en-Velay and its surroundings. We know the place well because we used to come to the banks of the Loire when we were little. So we chose to make our project focused on housing and breeding animals a reality. I settled here in 2013, as a farmer. We are therefore on a preserved natural area of 50 hectares. There are 3 km of banks of the Loire and we are at the beginning of the upper Loire valley.
In what frame of mind did you renovate this farm?

Sébastien Sigaud: Our idea was to introduce Haute-Loire to people who want to get back to nature, who like outdoor activities like hiking, and who want to discover a place that offers all the comforts of a farm.
What accommodations are available today?
Sébastien Sigaud: Since 2017, we have offered 5 guest rooms, and we have rented rooms for receptions. Our rooms are quite spacious. They have been designed with raw materials, such as stone, wood, and steel. They combine authenticity and chic, with all the modern comfort that goes with it.



Are there also eco-lodges?
Sébastien Sigaud: Yes, because we want to offer more accommodation. We provide our guests with ecolodges to offer them a slightly more immersive experience in the heart of nature. And the goal is also to make the stays a little longer. So we provide them with a cabin in a part of the forest that overlooks the estate, and which offers some pretty nice viewpoints.
A word about your breeding?
Sébastien Sigaud: First of all, we have been farming organically since 2013. There are Aubrac cattle. They are outside all year round. The aim is to produce Aubrac beef finished on grass. These are animals that have been fattening for about three years. We also raise pigs outdoors on the steepest part of the estate. There are Gascon, Duroc and Mangalitza.

The estate also offers the possibility of eating?
Sébastien Sigaud: Yes. We process all animal production on the estate. This allows us to offer artisanal charcuterie to our guests. There is sausage and raw ham that they really like. They also like to taste beef, which does not have the same taste as what we are used to eating. We like to offer and highlight quality products. We get our cheeses from small producers in Saint-Martin-de-Fugères, Céaux-d'Allègre, and Vernassal.

Who is your clientele?
Sébastien Sigaud: We have had quite a few people from Lyon, Clermont and Saint-Etienne since the post-Covid period. Some come to spend just one night to get away from the usual city setting. And then, we have more and more professionals who take advantage of a stopover evening, and who allow the estate to operate all year round. There are business seminars, outside the summer period, and wedding receptions in the summer. Finally, we welcome people who come to the events that we create throughout the year, as was the case last summer with the reconstructed guinguette on the banks of the Loire, or when we organize the black pudding festival in winter.
Is it possible to practice activities?

Sébastien Sigaud: There is indeed the possibility of fishing thanks to the Loire which is nearby. You can also go hiking, because we are at the passage of the GR3 and its different variants, around Solignac, Chadron, or Coubon. And then, there is the Rond de l'Ange which overlooks the Loire, and which starts from here. We also offer horseback riding with our service provider.
Do you have any plans for 2025?
Sébastien Sigaud: We plan to open a restaurant at the beginning of this year during the off-season. And then, we have taken steps to obtain the European ecolabel, in order to try to be as self-sufficient as possible in terms of energy and food.


