Loire Valley self guided cycling holidays

Loire Valley self guided cycling holidays

How this holiday makes a difference

Environment

We are a small family run business, which has been operating since 2006 and our principal aim is to provide quality breaks in the Loire Valley to meet the needs of our customers. As you will be exploring on two wheels, you will have zero negative impact on the environment, but plenty of time to look at and explore your surroundings.

Our restored building has a number of features which we have installed which significantly reduce our energy consumption, including the installation of double glazing and insulation throughout which exceeds the French requirements. This often provides the springboard to discuss with guests how we can all conserve energy, particularly in a stone building where you have 60cm thick walls.

Our drainage system is standalone and we have approval to drain the filtered water into the rain water drains as it is classed as “clean”. To ensure the quality of water we do use only bio-friendly detergents and minimise use of these by not changing sheets and towels daily.

We recycle plastics, glass, paper, cartons and compost. We encourage our guests to do the same and so provide you with appropriate means to do this.

We use low wattage lights wherever possible, recycle rain water for the garden and are currently researching the use of solar heating both for the production of hot water and also for pool heating.

We recommend travel to us by train, to minimize the Co2 emission by capita. We use locally owned and run businesses for all of our external requirements. These include all our suppliers for cycle purchase, canoe trips, horse riding etc, and the places that we recommend guests stop for meals and shopping. Most of our clients use our bikes – purchased locally and made in France instead of bringing their own. This, of course, also benefits the local economy.

Community

Our focus is on single centre self guided cycling breaks and accommodation is here in our property, which we restored and rebuilt with the help of local artisans – using local suppliers and local materials wherever possible, such as the tuffeau stone which is common to this region.

We have established a friendly network of professionals and contacts including many wine growers who are also firm believers of sustainable development, many of whom now grow grapes organically and are looking at alternative ways to ensure good harvests each year, in preference to pesticides and chemical treatments. We encourage you to use the commerce in our local village – bread shop, butchers and general store, as well as pointing out the local markets which are close by.

Your routes pass by local villages and attractions, giving you the opportunity to visit and so help the local economy. We are particularly keen to point out the lesser known attractions, often run by individuals who are passionate about their heritage and sharing it with others. You will also pass by local sights/events and through the countryside – where you are able to discover the local agriculture and the methodology which invariably provokes a discussion on your return.

We serve meals here – again with local produce depending on the season being prevalent – as we are in the heart of the “Jardin de France” – local vegetables and fruits are always served. We believe that over a meal and/or a drink is also the ideal time to discuss ways in which we can all help prolong the life of the planet which we share.

In summary, we believe we are operating an environmentally friendly holiday, with a high level of interaction in the local community, benefitting our economy. Of course, anything can be made better and we are striving to do so – guests who think like us are most welcome.

Loire Valley self guided cycling holidays