Ecotourism is the buzzword of the moment, but I inadvertently caught the fever 25 years ago when we bought our house in a remote village in the Massif Central. At the beginning, we had no water, electricity or major sanitation. It was like camping in a stone tent -- and a 400-year old one at that.
The experience has left me with a love of the French simple life in tune with nature so I am a real devotee of the new accommodation springing up that uses green methods of building, heating and lighting and champions green tourism. But unlike the former stone tent, these new gîtes and houses are beautifully done with all modern conveniences.
The latest eco gîtes I've come across are Les Balcons de Marcieu, set in a wonderful landscape in the Chartreuse park in the Isère department. In the village of Saint Bernard du Touvet, seven wooden chalets accommodating from four to 10 people have been built by local workers using local material. All the wooden gîtes have fully equipped kitchens and are decorated with simple, but striking soft furnishings and bedcovers. The views are breathtaking. The village is near Grenoble, in an area normally known for winter sports.
There are lots of interesting walks well-signposted from the village, showing off the flora and fauna while local organic farms welcome visitors. It all takes place against the backdrop of the Alps where the air is fresh and the skies are clear.
More green accommodation: