Looking to relax while keeping your environmental impact to a minimum? If you’re keen to book a green getaway, here are some eco-friendly destinations in France that encompass slow villages, zero-waste lodges, green towns and eco-responsible resorts.
Book a train ticket
Book a train ticket
The ‘Slow Village’ in Biscarrosse
Located in the Landes region, south-west France. In 2018, a ‘Slow Village’ opened in Biscarrosse, opposite a lake in the middle of a forest. A ‘Slow Village’ is a brand new kind of holiday village that promotes ‘slow tourism’: the art of slowing down, so to speak. The idea is to immerse yourself in the place and its culture, while taking part in local life.
For accommodation, you can choose between splendid traditional resin-collectors’ cabins or ultra-comfortable mobile homes that blend in perfectly with the surrounding forest. Whatever you choose, you’ll enjoy stylish, modern furnishings.
The idea behind a stay here is to relax, switch off and enjoy the moment in an exceptional setting. So, ideally, you’ll stash your phone away in the cupboard! Afraid you’ll get bored? There’s no risk of that! The programme in this gorgeous natural setting includes botany, culinary workshops and discovering the local flora and fauna. A real green paradise!
Slow Village Biscarrosse Lac, 7141 Route des Lacs, Port Maguide, 40600, Biscarrosse
How to get to Biscarosse by train
The nearest station is Ychoux. Then take a bus to the Biscarrosse bus station (under 30 minutes).
A zero-waste lodge in Charente-Maritime
Are you a zero-waste expert or someone who’s just curious to find out more? In either case, ‘Le Bocal’, France’s very first zero-waste lodge, is for you! The concept is all the rage. To try it out, head to Seigné in the Charente-Maritime region. The owners Camille and Loïc teach their guests how to live without waste, and are passionate about sharing their lifestyle.
How can we reduce packaging? How do you make homemade toothpaste or organic cosmetics? This is the ideal place to pick up some good ecological habits. From the moment you arrive, you’ll be immersed in its eco-friendly ethos!
Ecology is omnipresent in this beautiful Charente building, right down to the furniture made from wooden pallets, cardboard and wrought iron. A highly rewarding holiday awaits!
Le Bocal, 1 allée des Chèvrefeuilles, 17510, Seigné
How to get to Charente-Maritime by train
To travel responsibly and independently in Charente-Maritime, take the train to Angoulême and then hire a car directly from the station with our Ma Location AVIS® service. You can collect your car at any time and enjoy a discount of up to 15% off your rental.
The green city of Angers
Fancy a trip to a green city? If so, Angers, in the Pays de Loire region, is the place for you! It took the top spot in France’s national ranking of green cities awarded by the Union Nationale des Entreprises du Paysage (UNEP). What does its ‘green city’ accolade mean? That Angers is the French city that allocates the most space to nature and flowers!
It has the largest number of square metres of green spaces in France! Numerous parks and meadows await (Ile Saint-Aubin, the botanical garden, Balzac Park, and so on). It’s also one of the cities with the best air quality in France. So there’s no question about it: if you’re looking for a little ‘green break’, Angers is the ideal destination!
How to get to Angers by train
An eco-friendly resort in Les Rousses
Les Rousses is one of the largest resorts in the Jura Mountains, with a total of 50 km of ski runs. It’s the ideal place for a wonderful family holiday. Offering an air bag for practising ski jumps, toboggan runs, a boardercross course, skiing lessons, childcare facilities and more, there’s something for everyone at Les Rousses! And as an added bonus, don’t forget to tuck into a delicious fondue when you return from the slopes.
This resort shows it’s possible to have a fun AND eco-friendly holiday!
Flocons Verts resorts
Ski resorts are also going green! Aware of the challenges inherent to their activities, some companies are trying to limit their environmental impact. Every year, the Mountain Riders association publishes an eco-guide to good practices for preserving the ecosystem and awards its ‘Flocon Vert’ (Green Flake) label to the most responsible resorts, which include Les Rousses!
To date, the 12 ‘Flocon Vert’ resorts are: Morzine-Avoriaz, Les Arcs, Valberg, Les Angles, the Chamonix Mont-Blanc Valley, Les Rousses, Châtel, La Pierre Saint-Martin, Chamrousse, Le Grand Bornand, Val Cenis and Megève. They are recognised for the measures they have implemented to protect the environment.
How to get to Les Rousses by train
The nearest train station is the Morez TER station (8 km from Les Rousses). Bus liaison service available.
Shuttle buses run to the resort from Dijon station (150 km away) or Dôle station (110 km away) every Saturday from December to March.
Strasbourg, where cycling is king
For sustainable tourism that favours soft modes of transport, head to Strasbourg, where there are almost 600 kilometres of cycle paths, making it one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in France.
So, hop on a ‘Vélhop’ (the name given to the 6,000 shared bikes available in the city) to explore the streets, seeing or revisiting the must-sees of Alsace’s capital, such as Notre-Dame cathedral or ‘La Petite France’, a picturesque district of old Strasbourg featuring half-timbered houses dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries.