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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – For 50 years, Yves Rocher has been associated with the plant world through Botanical Beauty. The plant world is at once our only source of inspiration and guide for our behavior. By understanding and respecting it we make it accessible to all women.
These same principles guide La Grée des Landes. Everything was conceived so guests have a privileged encounter with nature in a healthy and protected environment at the very birthplace of the brand, La Gacilly. Designed as an eco-system, Yves Rocher’s Eco-spa hotel is closely connected to the surrounding elements. Our ambition has always been to create a positive relationship between man and nature. The aim of La Grée des Landes is to show that it is possible to ‘stop taking without giving back’ and that it is possible to create a place of relaxation which sustainably respects nature even over time.
Experience Nature
Here, the word Earth is written with a capital E. And on this small parcel of Earth, a huge project was sown. This exceptional 25 acre site has seen the progression and completion of La Grée des Landes. There are 30 rooms, a restaurant, conference rooms and a spa all nestled in this botanical haven.
A new way of experiencing nature, naturally.
At La Grée des Landes you feel at home in a warm and welcoming
atmosphere reminiscent of a bed and breakfast. The days pass by in harmony with nature and the seasons, from dawn to dusk and spring
to winter. There are 25 acres of meadows and forests to discover
cloaked in different shades of colours and light. The smell of humus, dew,
cut grass, the fragrance of flowers, granite, shale, moss, bark, heather, fern…
Botanical insulation.
All of the 29 rooms have botanical roofs: in the summer they protect against direct sunlight
and in the winter reduce heat loss. They are an important source of energy savings all year round.
They also absorb sound waves and provide excellent sound proofing.
Sustainably managed heating.
• Two wood burners supplied with wood from the neighbouring forest of Brocéliande,
provide the heat necessary given the requirements of each season.
• There is a greenhouse built on the fundamental principles of bioclimatic architecture: it captures,
stores and distributes the sun’s rays and reduces heating requirements by 15 to 30%.
• 35 sq metres of thermic solar panels ensure preliminary water heating.
• A heat pump dehumidifies the spa and reduces its energy needs.
High Environmental Quality materials.
• Thermal stones in siporex which are recyclable and perfectly insulating cover the walls of the kitchen,
restaurant and lounge.
• The natural insulating material hemp, chosen for its thermal qualities, is used in the bedrooms
and various eating areas.
• Internet connections in the bedrooms are available through a wired network and not WIFI in order to avoid
potential problems caused by waves.
Awakening
Open one eye then the other. Feel enveloped by the soft light of
the morning filtering through the linen curtains. Feel reassured by
the delicate colours appearing in the same overlapping tones.
Feel protected by the strength of the raw materials in the floors and walls.
A gentle awakening, an enchanted awakening.
There are twenty-nine comfortable rooms each on the same level as
terraces nestled in the landscape: twenty-nine different colours in shades
of ochre, earth, minerals and plants. Linen, quilts and pillows
in organic cotton, oak floors. Bathrooms with natural lighting,
designed like log cabins.
A carbon compensated activity.
La Grée des Landes will compensate for any carbon emissions arising
from its activities. Its short term objective is to encourage each guest
to compensate for the carbon emissions generated by their stay.
Escaping
Decor straight from nature.
• There are beautiful views from the windows and each room is unique thanks to a study of nature
by a famous photographer.
• The mattresses are organically certified. The parquet and wainscoting are in oak and have been treated
without using solvents.
• To preserve the quality of the air, the rooms have been painted with mineral paints which do not give off
volatile organic compounds (VOC).
Well thought out comfort and controllable energy.
• Low consumption lighting, electrical supply linked to the room’s key, double glazing and reinforced
insulation, south-west facing windows to optimise natural lighting: here comfort is synonymous with saving
heat and electricity.
• The bathroom fixtures have thermostatic mixer taps. The water pressure and temperature setting are
instantaneous and therefore reduce consumption. Without lowering the water pressure and comfort of the
shower, the auto-foaming eco-shower limits the flow to 12 litres per minute instead of the average 20 litres.
It works by adding air to the water.
Naturally filtered water.
• A reed planted garden filters all the waste water.
• To lower the use of chlorine, the water from the relaxation pool is treated with UV rays. After use,
the chlorine is removed using a natural filter system before the water is reused for flushing the toilets.
The easiest waste to recycle is the one we don’t produce.
This is why the single-dose products normally found in hotel bathrooms
have been replaced with Yves Rocher products in glass bottles:
shower gel with organic witch hazel water extracts and an eco-labelled
“I MyPlanet” shampoo. Every guest is invited to participate in sorting
the waste in his/her room.
Put on your Wellington boots, take a hat, an umbrella, a basket and go
breath nature! Pick mushrooms, watch birds, build cabins, read a book
in the shade of an oak tree, clear a path through the grass, smell the
fragrance of a dog rose, bite into an apple…
So many magical opportunities to take a breath of real nature.
Below the village of La Gacilly is the Végétarium, a museum devoted
to plant life and the Botanical Garden which is a reserve for thousands
of rare and protected species. And of course the 110 acres of organic
fields where you can try and recognise the plants and flowers used
in Yves Rocher’s products. During the summer the People and Nature
photo festival shows off the work of famous photographers in the streets
of the village.
Preservation of the flora and fauna.
• 25 acres of forests, meadows, moors and gardens with colours and fragrances which vary according
to the season.
• Substantial flora and fauna: 52 species of wild flowers, more than 60 species of trees and bushes,
40 species of birds, 19 species of butterflies.
• A few dead trees are preserved to provide a refuge, nesting place or food supply to animals and insects.
• Nesting places have been created in the walls for swifts and birds from the tit family.
• La Grée des Landes has the LPO refuge label-official garden for birds.
Using Rain water.
Rain water that is collected from the roofs is stored in the overflow pond and used to water the gardens
and clean the terraces. 85 000 litres of water are economized each year.
An orchard car park.
• Ancient varieties of apple and pear trees have been planted in the car park (Bénédictin, Chailleux,
Reine des Reinettes).
• Get to the hotel by bicycle or mini-bus.
• The village of La Gacilly can be reached on foot along a pathway in only a few minutes.
• La Grée de Landes is committed to optimizing its supplies by reducing the number of deliveries,
choosing suppliers nearby when possible and encouraging car pooling amongst its staff.
Enjoying
Art takes its place in nature.
La Grée des Landes welcomes artists who are aware of the necessity of preserving
our planet, and who bring attention to nature and populations through their work.
Franz Krajcberg’s sculpture L’oiseau de bronze illustrates this in a unique and singular way.
Portraits de Planteurs by Patrick Wallet, Graminées et Herbes folles by Jean-Nöel Reichel
and Les Hommes Racines by Pierre de Vallonbreuse are series of photographs
which bring poetry to a visitor’s stroll through the countryside.
Discovering new flavours? The Les Jardins Sauvages restaurant’s menu
of the day appears in chalk on shale boards. The season’s products,
grown and freshly picked in the vegetable garden and orchards
at La Grée des Landes, can be savoured inside or on the terrace.
Intense pleasure and natural enjoyment.
Count the stars on a late night stroll. Then settle into the deep,
cosy settees and listen to the wood crackling in the fireplace
or browse through the numerous bookshelves…
Nature in your plate.
• Products “made in Brittany”, fresh and seasonal, and grown for the most part using organic farming
methods, for a gourmet cuisine of delicious flavours and natural fragrances.
• While working to obtain the Ecocert label, the restaurant offers organic menus every day.
The vegetable garden is a nature reserve.
The vegetable garden next to the kitchen provides some of the vegetables and herbs: artichokes, zuccini,
tomatoes, but also strawberries, red currants, and black currants as well as parsley, chives, dill straight from
the organic garden onto your plate.
100% local organic herbal tea.
Verbena, camomile, mallow or peppermint teas are just some of the herbal teas which can be tasted without
moderation. All the plants were grown in Yves Rocher’s fields, at La Gacilly, using organic farming methods.
Relaxing
A tree planted for every guest.
La Grée des Landes is meeting its ecological challenge:
low energy consumption building, use of renewable energy, natural treatment
and collection of water…, and the aim of having a neutral carbon footprint.
For every guest a tree will be planted.
Botanical Beauty Spa
Experience botanical beauty treatments. Be renewed by the effects of
beauty products developed close by in La Gacilly. The Botanical Beauty Spa
is more than a simple spa or an exceptional beauty moment;
it is a unique sensorial experience.
Find the time to enjoy yourself.
Time to relax in the hands of experts, and benefit from beauty treatments.
In this oasis of nature there is a pool, a hammam, baths, an herbal tea
lounge, four beauty cabins and the Botanical Beauty Spa, all in perfect
harmony with their environment. Damascas rose, peppermint, neroli oil,
verbena, mallow, camomile. Let yourself relax with the quintessence of
plants, silky soothing oils, velvety creams, massages which provide a feeling
of well-being for the body and mind.
A haven of peace and a place to reenergize
The Botanical Beauty Spa appears to have been placed in the middle of nature: 300 sq m, four beauty cabins
with one especially designed for the physically handicapped, an organic herbal lounge, and a relaxation
area with pool, relaxing chairs, soft music and nature as far as you can see. Thanks to 50 years of
experience in beauty institutes and an incomparable knowledge of the plant world, each treatment is
performed like a ritual. Chosen from the menu or as part of a personalised programme, these treatments
exclusively at La Grée des Landes, are devoted to the well-being of body and mind.
Sublime organic beauty treatment with 18 organic plant extracts
Calm and pleasure are part of the programme. To begin, a bath scented with organic flowers grown locally,
matched with an organic herbal tea. Then a massage with sweet orange, tangerine and lavender essential
oils. Pleasure for the senses and fantastic for the skin.
Sublime botanical beauty treatment with 3 aromatic plants
Ultimate relaxation and multi-sensorial, this treatment begins with a bath scented with
organic flowers and an organic herbal tea. It is followed by a scrub with linden flower powder,
then a massage with warm and moist bundles scented with thyme, rosemary and verbena.
Finally, a face mask with refreshing fruit water. The face appears younger, the body lighter and rested
and the mind brimming with a thousand fragrances.
Sublime relaxing beauty massage with warm entada seeds
Dive into the heart of well-being. To begin, choose an organic flower bath or hammam. This is followed by an application of essential oils of lavender and petitgrain to the skin. Finally, experience a unique massage on
the body, hands, neck and lower back using, warm botanical seeds. Be in an immediate state of harmony.
Sublime hammam tradition beauty treatment
A multi-sensorial journey to the heart of Morocco. The hammam is an ideal first step to switching off
from reality. A delicious green tea is served to be enjoyed during a leg massage with a cooling gel.
This is followed by a scrub with argan stones and a full body rose water massage.
An exceptional treatment which leaves you with a feeling of profound well-being.
The Eco-Spa Hotel’s website is only in French at the moment: http://www.lagreedeslandes.com/
For reservation, here is the direct email address: [email protected]
Jacques Rocher
Director, Sustainable Development, Yves Rocher
Creator of la Grée des Landes
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