RResourcing by nature, Auvergne is an obvious slow-tourism destination! Together with Flockeo, we wanted to show the points of convergence between slow tourism and sustainable tourism.

Slow tourism in Haute-Loire is made possible by committed professionals, and made visible by platforms like Flockeo, which federate these innovative offers.

• You’ll ride through some stunning landscapes: the Allier and Loire gorges, the volcanic lands of the Velay, Mézenc and Meygal, the forested plateaus of the Livradois, and more.
• Bicycle touring is truly slow, because slow progress is part of the concept!
• It’s a sustainable way to travel, because it doesn’t emit carbon.
• These routes can be reached by train: there are several stations along the way.
• The itineraries are flexible: you can adapt the stages to suit your needs.
• Numerous attentive service providers await you before and during your journey: accommodation providers (some of which have the “Accueil Vélo” label), bike rental companies, bike guides, etc.
• It’s an experience we share: with these service providers, with your fellow travelers and with the people we meet along the way, especially local producers, restaurateurs and craftsmen…

We all dream of exploring the wilderness! But as a family, we need to be sure of our organization before we dare to venture out, especially when it comes to canoeing… That’s what Hervé and his Tonic Aventure team offer us with their all-inclusive Explora Project holiday: “Canoë et bivouac en famille”.

This itinerant canoe trip is supervised by a qualified guide in our wild and unspoilt Allier gorges. It’s an opportunity for the whole family to experience a river descent (easy level). The cherry on the cake: two nights in a bivouac, with the rudiments of wilderness campsite and supplies of local produce. Your guides take care of everything, so all you have to do is take it easy… Well, almost!

What’s slow and green:

• Soft mobility (canoe) + accessible by train with shuttle from the train station
• Organic, local, waste-free food from local producers met along the way
• Zero consumption bivouac accommodation
• Total disconnection in a calm, unspoilt natural setting
• Sharing moments around the fire

Thousand and One things to do… with or without us

• Chilling out on the bench in the middle of the meadow, while the kids play on the old vintage car.
• Joining them for a treasure hunt in the village or a walk in the forest, with a game booklet to complete.
• Sipping a local organic beer on the terrace with a view of the volcanoes at sunset (optional old vinyl playing in the background)
• Being introduced as a couple to Shiatsu or forest baths
• Having a fun and gourmet moment at an Auvergne cheese tasting workshop
• Taking a private tour of a Romanesque cloister and sharing an aperitif made with local products.

On Mondays, we don’t worry about the meal: Michel gets his apron on! While the Auvergne meat roasts on the barbecue and the PDO organic lentils simmer, you can enjoy the charcuterie brought in by a local producer. Hummm!

The Charte +Nature de Fredon France rewards the ecological and sustainable management of the campsite’s outdoor spaces. The landscaping is designed to preserve the environment and biodiversity. Here you’ll find :

• no pesticides, of course,
• hedges planted with local species,
• nesting areas for hedgehogs,
• on-site composting and waste management awareness-raising for customers…

A small nod to the owners’ love of animals: your children can visit the dwarf goats, chickens and rabbits on the campsite.

The good news for tourism players in Haute-Loire is that the département is committed to supporting sustainable tourism in its new Tourism Development Plan!

The newly-created ” Sustainable Tourism Unit ” at the Maison Départementale du Tourisme will be the mainstay of this strategy, designed to promote existing initiatives, train tourism professionals in sustainable development and encourage the emergence of new projects in this field.

Janette Clémensat