Normandy bed and breakfast nr Alencon, France
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
Wildlife and Ecology
The gardens are designed to encourage wildlife - we avoid the use of chemicals on plants, we hang bird feeders in winter and provide nest boxes for various species (woodpeckers, tits, robins, wrens etc.) as well as allowing swallows, swifts, sparrows, starlings and redstarts to nest in the eaves, nooks and crannies of our outbuildings. Mallards, little grebes and moorhens make their homes in the bullrushes and reed beds we have planted around the wildlife pond of 2500m², and on the long, warm days of summer the surface of the little lake is abuzz with damselflies and dragonflies.
Bats are regular visitors and can be seen feeding on the wing at twilight from spring to autumn and occasionally in winter. In 2010 we built and installed a bat box on the south wall of the main barn.
Bird Sanctuary
La Basse Cour is a designated LPO Bird Sanctuary. The LPO is the 'Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux', the French equivalent of the British Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
There is a wildflower area next to the vegetable garden and many areas of the garden are managed to encourage bees and other insect life. Toads and hedgehogs keep down the slug and snail populations. Our waterside copse of mixed trees (alder, birch, elder, oak) and the specially planted native hedgerows provide food and cover for blackbirds and thrushes, whilst walnuts and hazelnuts are left for the wildlife to forage (these include native red squirrels).
Heating from carbon-neutral, sustainable sources
Most of our heating in winter comes from a wood-fired boiler for central heating, using wood from sustainable, managed woodland in the Forest of Perseigne, which is in sight of our home. We reduced wood consumption by 35% in winter 2009-2010 thanks to a combination of double glazing and the completion of wall insulation in 2009.
Energy and Water Conservation
We have installed double glazing and low energy light bulbs throughout the house, walls and ceiling cavities are heat insulated and rooms are well sound-proofed. All domestic appliances are AAA energy and water rated. Water for the garden is drawn from a well and is used only for the vegetable plot and for flower beds in times of real need. We reduced our electricity consumption by 25% between 2007 and 2009, and our water consumption by 20%.
Community
Our food, other than that which we grow ourselves, is sourced locally wherever possible, including breakfast produce such as croissants, pains au chocolat, viennoiseries, yoghurt, bread etc. which are purchased from local shops on foot or by by bicycle.
We actively promote local tourism and encourage guests who are interested to visit local art and craft workshops and artisans. Examples of local crafts are on display in the house and gardens and publicity materials for local businesses are displayed within the tourist information section of the guest sitting room.
Local attractions such as gardens, historic buildings and museums are featured prominently in the tourist literature provided – we believe that sites further afield should be visited only after the local possibilities have been exhausted.
We encourage our guests to patronise our local village restaurant on at least one night of their stay and more if possible (though of course some prefer to try a variety of restaurants if staying for a long period).
All of the initial building work on converting La Basse Cour was carried out by local craftsmen and workers, whom we have continued to employ for subsequent home improvements such as installation of double glazing, a new wood fired boiler, general running repairs etc.
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