Holidays and sustainable development: a selection of unusual places

More and more people follow the trend and chose eco-friendly travel destinations. A recent survey revealed that 68% of the French people would prefer an eco-friendly destination. Thus, it does not come as a surprise that sustainable housing, eco-friendly appartments and unusual travel destinations are on the rise all over the world. We did some research in order to find some original travel destinations in France that combine relaxation with sustainable development, environmental protection and renewable energies. Because we love renewable energy all year long and not only when we are at home!

Unusual and clever travel destinations

• Eco-gite of the Fontaine Blanche de Melgven: located between Concarneau and Pont Aven, the city of painters, this gite perfectly integrated into the nature of Finistere gives you the opportunity to discover the Breton landscapes. The estate gives you the choice between accommodation in a cottage or in rooms designed to relax and recharge your batteries. The place relies on renewable energies, integrating solar energy production and water management for holidays that respect nature and are as close as possible to natural areas. A few kilometres from the sea, you have the choice between many outdoor activities that will delight young and old.

• La Petite Presqu'Île: "The small peninsula" - This estate in the village of Locoal in Morbihan puts you in contact with a preserved nature and the wild banks of the Ria d'Etel. You can enjoy many nautical activities with this bioclimatic pied a terre, built in an ecological vein: wood frame, pellet boiler, solar panels, optimal insulation, they have even thought of protecting you from magnetic fields during your holidays thanks to protective electrical ducts. The estate's rooms are completed by 3 rural gites in the Anne Marie Farm, in the hamlet of Keruzerh, which guarantee you a total change of scenery!

• Eco-gite Veda: This eco-gite near Carcassone is truly special. It combines the ecological fibre with Hindu influences: in the decoration, the Ayurvedic massages, seminars about Hindu philosophy... Located in the heart of the Cathar country, where you can visit the castles, the 100% eco-designed building has provided for dry toilets, rainwater harvesting and solar panels to contribute to sustainable development. Built according to the principles of Feng Shui, it will delight fans of Asian spirituality and ecology.

• The "Village", eco-source arboricultural site: This rather special village in the Creuse region in France offers you to stay in wooden huts in the trees. Not only is the place environmentally friendly - self-sufficient in energy, solar powered, heated by a wood stove - it is also very aesthetic with artistic and original decorations, and fun. Indeed, the village is designed as a place of conviviality, like its "Place des feux" where you can meet with your friends or family for a campfire or a barbecue, and a place in close connection with nature, as evidenced by its organic vegetable garden containing many medicinal species. A stunning place you should not miss!

• Cap Cabane: More cabins in the trees but in the Landes region in France this time, with this estate which plays the esthetic card and a harmonious integration of the building with the oak and pine wood on which it is planted. The multi-storey wooden buildings offer you all the comfort of a house thanks to combined solar water heater and green electricity systems of the enercoop type. A holiday residence that fully embraces eco-tourism and has the ecolabel.

Sites to browse

You want to find your own environmentally responsible holiday rental? Here are some interesting sites to get you started:

• www.ikinat.com hich includes many gites, bed and breakfast and unusual rentals, accompanied by precise descriptive sheets summarizing the sites' ecological actions. You can pre-select your holiday rentals according to ecological criteria such as energy management, the possibility of taking concrete actions in favour of nature, or eating healthy products. It's up to you to make your choice!
• www.bio-organic-holidays.com: the website for eco-travellers. It allows you to find trips that immerse you in the fauna, flora and culture of a country and to travel responsibly by helping the economic development of areas that need it. Eco-volunteering, Eco-lodge and residential accommodation are on the menu.
• www.echoway.org: a website specializing in eco-tourism in solidarity, which invites you to travel differently.

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