LES INFOS ❘ GREEN FRANCE GREEN FRANCE
Eco-tourism and green living in France is endlessly evolving – here we bring you the latest news and developments
In brief TREE DESTRUCTION
Up to 200 environmental activists tried in vain to oppose the felling
of seven 100-year-old plane trees, which were cut down to make
way for the controversial new A69 motorway between Toulouse and Castres in Occitanie. “We’ve lost
yet more trees that could have given our kids oxygen,” said one activist.
CAR SHARE SIGNAGE Keep an eye out for these
‘covoiturage’ signs on busy roads Low-carbon breaks are go!
Enjoy responsible tourism in Nouvelle-Aquitaine with a cycle trip in Ainhoa, Basque Country, or a low-carbon weekend getaway in Bordeaux
France tourism professionals, from large regional organisations down to the smallest communes’ tourist offices, are increasingly putting their sustainable attractions front and centre of visitor offerings. Nouvelle-Aquitaine, for example, has created a bespoke selection of 'low-carbon holidays', designed with the support of ADEME (the French Environment and Energy Management Agency) to offer ‘slow’ and meaningful experiences in destinations accessible by train. They work with renowned responsible tourism tour operators, who specialise in walking and cycling breaks. They have also enlisted the help of destination experts to recommend the best low-carbon weekend getaways in the region, the first trips being in the Gironde and Basque.
www.nouvelle-aquitaine-tourisme.com/en
TRAINS NOT PLANES French PM Élisabeth Borne and Education Minister Gabriel Attal came under fire after taking a plane for a Paris-Rennes round-trip to visit a Breton school to mark the new school year. “It’s a pity, it’s a missed opportunity to demonstrate pedagogy” on the environment, said Julien Bayou. A train ride would have taken 90 minutes each way.
110 ❘ FRANCE TODAY Oct/Nov 2023
when next in France, or you could end up with a hefty fine. Special lanes for those carpooling are signified by a diamond (called a losange shape in French). Use the
lane without authorisation and you risk a €135 fine, with some cities beginning to test technology that will observe car occupancy levels.
THE GRASS IS GREENER During the summer, the Riviera town of Mandelieu-la-Napoule used local firm Bioassays’
innovative dye solution to colour dried out municipal lawns green.
The algae-based colourant, which is 100% organic and natural, also
provides nutrients. “The idea was to give nature a helping hand by providing protection,” said the town’s mayor, Sébastien Leroy.
IMAGES © ALBAN GILBERT-CRTNA; MON NUAGE-CRTNA; BIOASSAYS
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