Green France: Clef Verte & Saving Toads

Eco-tourism and green living in France is endlessly evolving – here we bring you the latest news and developments.

Record green key figures

2024 represents an all-time record for Clef Verte (Green Key), the leading international sustainable label for tourist accommodation and restaurants. The label has been awarded to 1,564 French establishments, an increase of 45% on 2023. “This impressive increase in all types of establishment, and in all regions of France and the French overseas territories, bears witness to the growing commitment of an entire profession to developing its practices and anchoring its business in sustainable development,” says the organisation.

Le Sud region, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Île-de-France top the list, and more than 2,000 initiatives to protect biodiversity have been put in place by label-winning establishments. The stringent criteria for selection include general environmental management, employee training and social responsibility, plus water, energy and waste management.

Check the 2024 list (French only) at https://rb.gy/2y5yrg

Toads out of a hole

Local authorities on the lle de R̩ put out a call for volunteers to help hundreds of toads cross a dangerous road and reach the wetlands where they breed. Last year, 857 amphibians were rescued from potential car accidents Рthe second most common cause of amphibian mortality.

Meat-eating target

Reducing meat consumption in France by 50% would help meet climate targets, says a study by Action Climat and Société française de Nutrition. After two decades of decline between 1990 and 2012, per capita meat consumption saw a slight increase over the last ten years, while chicken consumption in France more than doubled between 2000 and 2022.

Life’s a drag

An ingenious inventor from Sideville, near Cherbourg in Normandy, has come up with a hair-based filter for installation in drains to stop cigarette butts and plastics from reaching the sea. The town carried out a four-month test period in II drains and will be extending the system in 2024. Sébastien Vrac collects hair from salons in the area.

A festive future

The planting of 1,700 fir trees, collected after festivities last Christmas, along the dune at Anglet (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) to preserve its stability and biodiversity, is already proving a success. “We’ve already seen the reappearance of plants endemic to the dune in certain places,” said the mairie’s environmental manager.

From France Today magazine