OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CHARTER
Dear Guest,
We are delighted to welcome you to Château des Vigiers, a characterful property set
in the heart of a preserved natural environment. Combining heritage, accommodation and landscaped
grounds, we are committed to offering a high-quality stay while reducing our
environmental impact.
For you, for us and for future generations, we are implementing practical actions
to preserve resources and biodiversity, maintain our guests’ comfort
and operate our property more responsibly.
Our establishment is currently working towards Green Key certification. This process
helps us structure our commitments, monitor our progress and continuously improve
our practices.
Thank you for supporting this approach by adopting a few simple
eco-friendly habits during your stay.
WE INVOLVE OUR TEAMS AND OUR GUESTS
A successful environmental approach depends on everyone’s involvement. We are progressively raising
awareness among our teams and involving our guests in this commitment.
• We share environmental information through our welcome materials and our
website.
• We encourage simple eco-friendly habits during your stay: saving water and
energy, sorting waste and using resources responsibly.
• We make it easier to choose lower-impact transport options, particularly through electric vehicle
charging points and bicycle hire.
• We provide information about the local environment and the biodiversity that can be discovered here.
• We work to improve the accessibility of our services through appropriate facilities.
• We are continuing to strengthen the training and involvement of our teams as part
of our Green Key certification process.
WE CONSERVE WATER
Water is a precious resource. We monitor our consumption and introduce
equipment and practices designed to reduce water use without compromising the quality of our service.
• We regularly monitor our water consumption so that we can manage our usage more effectively.
• We check our installations for leaks and act quickly if
an issue is detected.
• Bed linen and towels are changed on request, helping to avoid unnecessary washing.
• We use carefully managed irrigation practices for our outdoor areas.
• Water recovery and reuse solutions are incorporated into our operations
where appropriate.
WE MANAGE OUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION
Reducing our energy consumption is one of our priorities. This involves everyday actions,
regular monitoring of key indicators and targeted investment.
• We monitor our electricity and energy consumption in order to track performance and identify
areas for improvement.
• Heating, ventilation and air conditioning are managed within defined temperature thresholds.
• A large proportion of our windows are double-glazed to reduce heat loss.
• Most of our lighting uses energy-efficient bulbs, with a significant
proportion of LED lighting.
• Lighting control systems are used in certain areas, and outdoor lighting
is limited to what is strictly necessary.
• Le Relais was designed with environmental performance in mind,
including HQE (High Environmental Quality) certification and the use of solar panels.
WE REDUCE AND SORT WASTE
Reducing waste at source and encouraging its recovery and recycling are key parts of our operations.
• We sort several categories of waste, both in our operational areas
and in spaces accessible to guests.
• Food and other organic waste generated by our activities is collected and recovered.
• We limit individual packaging and, wherever possible, favour larger
formats.
• We have removed disposable tableware from our day-to-day operations.
• We serve tap water in carafes whenever water quality allows.
• We aim to reduce paper consumption and develop more resource-efficient
digital practices.
• Our guest amenities are selected with waste reduction in mind, particularly through the use of
more responsible containers and dispensers.
WE FAVOUR MORE RESPONSIBLE PURCHASING AND SERVICES
Our purchasing choices directly contribute to the property’s environmental footprint. We
are progressively steering our supplies towards more sustainable solutions.
Food and catering
• We favour local and seasonal products throughout our food and beverage offering.
• We take action to reduce food waste and adjust production as closely as possible to actual needs.
Cleaning and consumables
• Products used for the daily cleaning and maintenance of the property are selected with
particular attention to their environmental impact.
• We favour appropriate cleaning and disinfection methods while seeking
solutions that are more respectful of both health and the environment.
WE PROTECT BIODIVERSITY AND OUR NATURAL SURROUNDINGS
Château des Vigiers enjoys an exceptional natural setting. Protecting local biodiversity and the
quality of the environment across the estate is an integral part of our commitment.
• Irrigation is carefully managed, and our grounds maintenance practices aim to limit their impact
on the environment.
• Initiatives are implemented to support local flora and fauna and preserve the natural habitats
found across the estate.
• We encourage walking and cycling around the property and invite our guests to limit
the use of cars whenever possible.
AND THERE IS MORE...
Our approach continues to evolve. We are pursuing our work on organisation, awareness and
continuous improvement in order to strengthen, year after year, our environmental and
social performance.
• We monitor our carbon footprint and seek to reduce our emissions progressively.
• We incorporate environmental considerations into our renovation and operational decisions.
• We aim to make every stay at Château des Vigiers both
comfortable and more responsible.
See our eco-friendly actions
GOLF FOR BIODIVERSITY – SILVER LABEL
A committee bringing together representatives from the worlds of biodiversity, the environment and golf has awarded Château des Vigiers the Silver level of the Golf for Biodiversity Label.
This initiative aims to improve knowledge, management and conservation of biodiversity across the 150-hectare Château des Vigiers estate and its golf courses.
Thanks to its exceptional natural environment and the work carried out by the entire grounds team, Château des Vigiers was awarded the Silver label directly, without first going through the usual Bronze level.
The Golf for Biodiversity Label is a voluntary commitment scheme for golf clubs within the national Golf for Biodiversity Programme led by the French Golf Federation, with scientific and technical support from the French National Museum of Natural History (MNHN).
The Programme aims to improve knowledge, management and conservation of biodiversity within golf environments while also raising awareness among golfers.
The Golf for Biodiversity Label recognises and promotes the work undertaken by golf clubs to support biodiversity. It is built around three principles: “I understand, I act, I raise awareness”, through the implementation of practical actions for biodiversity on golf courses. Its aim is to help golfers become more aware of the biodiversity of the places where they play.
The label has three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold, reflecting progressively higher standards defined with the MNHN.
As part of this process, a team of experts from the Conservatoire d’espaces naturels de Nouvelle-Aquitaine visited Château des Vigiers several times to carry out a biodiversity audit.
Here is a short extract: “Located within a landscape of agricultural systems and vineyards, but connected to the mainly wooded Seignal valley, the Vigiers golf course emerged from the 2022 study as an area of high biodiversity. The great diversity of habitats — particularly woodland areas left to develop naturally and large areas of meadow managed through late mowing — combined with a relatively dense network of hedgerows and the presence of streams and wetlands, creates a complex system that supports this rich biodiversity.
A total of 474 species were recorded on the site using the IQE methodology, 31 of which are considered species of conservation interest (9 plants, 13 birds, 1 reptile, 2 amphibians, 1 butterfly and 5 Odonata). Seven taxa are of conservation concern at European level, including the Black-winged Kite and the Marsh Fritillary.”
To obtain this label, our grounds teams completed the five actions requested by the experts from the Conservatoire d’espaces naturels de Nouvelle-Aquitaine, including creating micro-habitats for wildlife, restoring the pond, modifying wildlife traps, allowing selected woodland habitats to develop naturally, and introducing differentiated management across all rough areas.
Environmental protection at Château des Vigiers
Hotels
Le Relais is our environmentally responsible hotel, certified to the HQE (High Environmental Quality) standard. Its design helps limit the long-term environmental impact of the building while maintaining harmony with its immediate surroundings. It meets key HQE criteria, including visual and acoustic comfort as well as responsible water and energy management.
Further sustainable building principles are incorporated through solar panels, cotton-fibre insulation and the use of natural materials.
Across our accommodation services, we favour local and eco-labelled products wherever possible. We also help reduce unnecessary washing of bed linen and towels by changing them on request only.
We also prioritise the use of environmentally responsible guest amenities, recycled toilet paper and recycled hand towels.
Since 2020, we have also offered electric bicycles for hire so that guests can explore the region without using their car. Charging points are also available for electric and hybrid vehicles.
Environmental protection at Château des Vigiers
Golf
The golf course favours alternatives to conventional plant protection products. We use biostimulants, natural substances and biocontrol products, particularly on sensitive areas of the course such as greens and tees.
In addition, 100% of the water used to irrigate the golf course is collected in a rainwater retention basin. The course is maintained using hybrid mowers, reducing both fuel consumption and noise levels.
Finally, wild areas are mown late just once a year in order to preserve these habitats and support biodiversity. We also plant trees each year to attract more birds, bees and insects. In 2020 alone, around fifty trees were planted.
Environmental protection at Château des Vigiers
Restaurants
Château des Vigiers continues to strengthen its CSR approach with Red Organic.
Red Organic helps us transform our food waste into a valuable resource: compost. This means that peelings, leftover food and organic waste from our kitchens do not simply go to landfill, but instead become a nutrient-rich organic soil improver.
We are helping to significantly reduce our carbon footprint by reducing the volume of our food waste by 90% in less than 12 hours. Organic waste is collected, processed by a dedicated machine and then returned to nature in the form of compost, creating a beneficial circular system for the environment.
This initiative forms part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability. By working with Red Organic, we are choosing an innovative and responsible approach to minimise our environmental impact while supporting a local circular economy.
Environmental protection at Château des Vigiers
Spa
Our Spa partners with the French brand Sothys, based in Brive-la-Gaillarde. Sothys also works with local producers to source some of the raw materials used in its products.
We encourage the use of water dispensers and recyclable paper cups in order to reduce plastic use.
For the maintenance of our wellness facilities, we use environmentally friendly cleaning products.
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