8 months after its opening, the Landes de Gascogne Center Parcs was awarded the Green Key label with the congratulations of the jury, thus becoming the first certified establishment in the Lot-et-Garonne department.

 

A RESPONSIBLE APPROACH

 

From its design, to its construction, and now its operation, controlling the ecological footprint is at the heart of the Center Parcs Les Landes de Gascogne project. Eight months after its opening, the estate was awarded the Green Key label, the leading international label for responsible tourism, with the congratulations of the jury.

A desire to reduce its impact on the environment is reflected in concrete actions, which have now been rewarded:

 

o Presence of a biomass boiler room capable of covering 90% of the energy needs of the Aqua Mundo aquatic centre and the Village Centre, the central location of the estate, 

 

o Installation of more than 10,000 m² of vegetable gardens inspired by ancestral permaculture techniques to observe and learn from nature,  

 

o Development of a plan to combat light pollution with good practices to adopt and a presence detection system for lighting the premises,

 

o Bioclimatic construction of the cottages which limits the need for heat in winter and avoids the need for air conditioning in summer thanks to air renewal systems, solar protection and the orientation of the windows, 

 

o Reduced consumption of drinking water thanks to water-saving equipment.

 

Right from the start of the project, numerous measures were put in place to preserve the living and natural space in which the estate is located: introduction of a green building site charter, creation of a black corridor, limitation of light pollution to protect nocturnal flora and fauna, creation of a zone that is not accessible to the public around the Papetier pond to protect the identified otter habitat, and monitoring of species by SEPANLOG, a local expert association.

 

AN ESTATE INTEGRATED INTO ITS ENVIRONMENT

 

Entirely pedestrianised, the Domaine des Landes de Gascogne is based on strong local roots. In addition to the bastide-style village centre, which has a market place with local producers, this anchoring is also reflected in the restaurant menus, the plants in the vegetable gardens, the architecture of the buildings and the excursions offered.

Center Parcs remains true to its roots by offering experiences inspired by the local environment of each estate. At Landes de Gascogne, for example, holidaymakers are immersed in the theme of the “Wonders of Nature” through edutainment activities closely linked to the seasonal nature and riches of the Lot-et-Garonne.

 

TRIPLE CERTIFIED AREAS, A FIRST IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY: GREEN KEY, ISO 14001 AND ISO 50001.

 

Respect for the environment has been at the heart of Center Parcs’ commitments since its creation over 55 years ago. Certified ISO 14001 for the first time in 2002, then ISO 50001 from 2017, Center Parcs also has all of its 29 European estates certified Green Key. This triple certification, unprecedented in the tourism sector, illustrates the quality of the brand’s environmental management system and its management of the estates in terms of waste recycling, energy consumption and water management.