TERRE BLANCHE: A PROVENCAL HAVEN FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS TRAVELLERS IN THE KNOW
Nestled among nature in the hills of Provence’s Cote d’Azur, five-star resort Terre Blanche is establishing itself as a world leading destination for conscious travel. Taking a holistic approach to nurturing both the environment and its local community, it is leading the way in sustainable practices using a combination of state of the art technology and more traditional methods.
Originally a haven for golfers, Terre Blanche is home to two 18-hole championship golf courses and is one of only 7 courses in France to have been awarded GEO certification, an exceptional distinction that recognises the resort’s eco-friendly approach. Recently ranked Number One Golf Resort in Continental Europe by Golf World Magazine UK, the resort has recently invested in renewing its fleet of 170 electric golf carts that do not pollute or disturb the surrounding wildlife.
At 750 acres, Terre Blanche is an area of land bigger than Monaco and favours biostimulant products to protect the biodiversity. By using non-polluting materials, the team keep toxic waste waters from being absorbed by the soil and surrounding flora. From May 2019, the grass on both courses, Le Chateau and Le Riou, will be replaced with Dwarf Bermuda Riviera grass that will reduce the consumption of water and phytosanitary products, an important and contentious issue for golf courses around the world.
Designed to emulate a Provencal ‘perched’ village, Terre Blanche hotel consists of 115 luxury suites and villas tumbling down the wooded hillside. In 2018, to reduce long term damage to the environment, generic mattresses in all suites and villas have been replaced with COCOMAT© mattresses; produced by a Greek company virtually neutral carbon footprint and recycling reach of 96%. These mattresses are 100% organic made of natural latex, rubberized coconut fiber, horsehair, cactus fibers and seaweed. Without compromising on quality, these mattresses are expertly designed to ensure maximum comfort and to allow guests to sleep peacefully with a clear conscience.
Terre Blanche resides within luxuriant woods, in close proximity to wildlife reserve St Cassien Lake, a naturally rich and biodiverse, but fragile landscape. The management has made every effort to conserve the natural habitat of the various native birds, mammals and inspects, of which there are hundreds of species; from buzzards, nightingales and tawny owls to pond turtles, red squirrels, pine martins, bats and honey bees. Rather than using expensive and indiscriminate mechanical clearing of the undergrowth, Terre Blanche set up a clearing team made up of five donkeys that are selective and leave the existing biotope and fauna untouched and undisturbed.
With worldwide bee populations under threat, especially in Europe, Terre Blanche has beehives and produces its own honey. Thousands of bees live on site, gathering nectar from wild flowers without the risk of being poisoned by insecticides. With our future in mind, the hotel offers educational workshops on essential role of bees in the ecosystem for the Kids’ Club and guests who want to learn more.
Just 35 minutes from Cannes and 45 minutes from Nice Airport, the resort is also home to a multi-award winning spa that features 100% organic spa brand KOS Paris. The Michelin-starred restaurant and F&B outlets use locally sourced ingredients from its own herb gardens and the surrounding Le Pays de Fayence. Whether its olive oil from Chateau des Selves, vegetables from the markets, or goats cheese from Daniel Marin’s farm, they are immersed in the economic and political fabric of their community.
For Terre Blanche respecting nature is fundamental and initiatives are in place across each and every corner of the 750 acre resort. The resort has an unwavering dedication to providing its guests with an exceptional luxury escape, who can be at peace with the knowledge that their outstanding experience is having minimal impact on the environment that makes it so special.
ENDS