Eco-friendly practices at holiday homes

Looking for ways to incorporate eco- friendly practices at your French holiday home? Cherie Harlow advises…

As a property manager, I have seen first-hand how the tourism industry is beginning to prioritise environmental sustainability. For my part, I encourage my clients to adopt eco-friendly practices at every opportunity in the French holiday homes I manage on their behalf. Adopting these practices not only contributes to the preservation of the beautiful natural landscapes of France, but will increasingly attract eco-friendly travellers who value sustainable living.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Improving a second home’s energy efficiency is one of the best ways to lessen its impact on the environment. Even a seemingly insignificant change, such as switching from incandescent to LED light bulbs, can have an impact. Investing in a smart thermostat to regulate temperature and save energy when the property is unoccupied may be worthwhile depending on the heating and hot-water system at the property. Offering guests clear reminders and instructions on how to turn off lights, appliances, and heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems when not in use is a no-brainer.

WASTE REDUCTION

Implementing waste reduction measures is crucial in creating an eco-friendly environment. It’s simple to set up a recycling system that allows guests to easily separate recyclables from general waste. I provide clearly labelled recycling bins and information on what can be recycled locally.

Minimising the use of single-use plastics can be done by offering alternatives such as cloth shopping bags, reusable water bottles and refillable toiletry dispensers. The bags I now use were introduced to me by our daughter, who had the pool toys from her wedding party made into totes when they got punctured! The fabric bags can be washed between guests and are hard wearing, however, any recycling system or reusable tote is great.

ECO-FRIENDLY CLEANING PRACTICES

Switching to eco-friendly cleaning products is an excellent way to minimise the impact of chemicals on the environment and to ensure a healthier indoor air quality for guests. There are more and more biodegradable, non-toxic products available made from natural ingredients. I make my own cleaning solutions using simple ingredients like vinegar (don’t worry about your home smelling like vinegar, the smell disappears when it dries), bicarbonate of soda, lemon juice, salt and essential oils. I use and suggest the use of washing balls or eggs that are filled with tourmaline and mineral beads for clothes washing, as they are friendly to fosse septique systems too.

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION

I always include information on public transportation routes in house guides and guest information packs so that guests travelling by train or bus know how to get to their holiday destination. Whether they arrive on public transport or after a long drive on the motorway, there is information on walking paths, where to rent bicycles and local cycling routes such as the voie verte (green cycling routes) to encourage them to explore the surrounding area and to get out and about into nature.

WATER CONSERVATION

Integrating environmentally friendly water-saving practices benefits the environment while also saving money on water bills. The most basic way to conserve water is to use less of it by installing water-saving fixtures such as low-flow shower heads and tap aerators, as well as water hippos (these are small containers you place in your toilet cistern to reduce the amount of water you flush – you could even use a bottle of water or a house brick to reduce the capacity of the cistern). These fixtures are designed to use less water while still functioning properly, providing guests with a comfortable experience but reducing their water consumption.

France is known for its occasional rainfall so when it comes, it’s good to be prepared. It’s rare to see a property these days that doesn’t already have water butts to collect runoffs from roofs and reduce the reliance on freshwater sources for gardening use.

Some clients like to install irrigation systems as a means of maintaining a healthy and vibrant landscape in their absence, but it’s important to manage these and inspect them regularly for leaks and fix them promptly. Adding a small pump to your water-saving system is also a great way to ensure that the recycled water can be used here. I have a diploma in horticulture so I increasingly draw upon this knowledge to recommend and source drought-tolerant native plants that are well adapted to the climate here and require less water than non-native species but are just as impressive.

I regularly inspect holiday homes for any leaks in irrigation and plumbing fixtures and get them repaired quickly to prevent unnecessary water loss. Normally, I advocate having household appliances repaired rather than replaced, but for some appliances – particularly those with high energy, water efficiency and repairability ratings – it’s worth considering upgrading.

COMPOST, MULCHING AND DROUGHT- RESISTANT PLANTING

As a property manager responsible for maintaining some of my clients’ gardens, I find that one highly effective way to create a beautiful and sustainable garden is to introduce composting and mulching. Not only does this enhance the natural beauty of the landscape, it also provides numerous benefits for the soil and plants, as well as for the overall ecosystem.

Composting kitchen scraps, yard trimmings and other biodegradable materials creates a dark, crumbly soil addition that will serve to boost the fertility of your garden. Nutrient-rich soil fertilises plants and retains moisture.

Mulching is a fantastic way to help retain soil moisture, plus it can be a secret weapon against weeds as it blocks the sunlight thus preventing the weeds from germinating and growing. Some municipalities in France, including ours, have shared shredders that they make available for residents to use, so the task becomes more manageable. To my mind that’s a win-win situation. The garden’s tidy borders and lush plants will captivate guests.

EDUCATE AND INSPIRE

I like to provide information brochures, pamphlets and digital guides to go on the holiday property listing, that highlight nearby eco-friendly events such as organic markets, local food tastings, initiatives that connect local producers with consumers and other sustainable tourism activities.

Tourism is the number- one employer worldwide, and while sustainability is about looking after an area, regenerative tourism is about bringing new energy and life. As a small link in the tourism chain, I feel I should play my part by connecting owners of tourist accommodation and their guests with local small businesses providing activities, dining, toiletries and more. Some regeneration projects try to make tourists pay for the extra work or cost of being sustainable, which is not a bad thing. But I think local tourism workers can make the most difference when it comes to efforts to protect the environment by being ambassadors, teachers, and voices for sustainable practises. The way I see it is I have an opportunity to not only create new life in an environmental sense, but also in an economic sense. It’s about adding a positive impact to the environment – not just lessening the damage.

Yes, it’s about leaving a space as you found it if in nature, but it’s also about ensuring that those who come after you can enjoy the space too.

Cherie Harlow is a property manager at Les Bon Voisins, and a green enthusiast who inspires others to embrace sustainable practices in their holiday homes and gardens.

Tel: 0033 (0)5 62 29 26 62

Elbvfrance.com

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