Eco-friendly campsite in the Dordogne: Gaia Ecolodge’s commitments
Gaia Ecolodge’s environmental approach is built on respect for nature, moderation and a sustainable vision of tourism in the Dordogne.
At Gaia Ecolodge, our nature glamping site in Douville near Bergerac, protecting the environment around us is an integral part of how we welcome guests. On our 13-hectare estate set around its pond, we’re guided by a simple idea: to offer comfortable, restorative holidays while limiting our impact on nature as much as possible.
Our approach to sustainable camping in the Dordogne is based above all on concrete action: careful management of water and energy, waste reduction and sorting, protecting biodiversity, natural wastewater treatment, low-impact transport and more responsible choices of equipment.
Some actions are simple, others more substantial, and we keep improving them season after season.
Because at Gaia Ecolodge, we prefer commitments you can see on the ground to grand promises.
An eco-friendly stay in the Dordogne, surrounded by nature
Here, nature isn’t just scenery added around the accommodation: it’s part of the stay. The pond, the trees, the unspoilt areas and the wildlife on the estate are all at the heart of the Gaia Ecolodge experience.
Our aim is therefore to develop the estate without losing what makes it so special: protecting natural areas, avoiding unnecessary development and, wherever possible, favouring simple and sustainable solutions.
This approach is built day by day, in our own choices as well as in the small gestures we suggest to our guests.
This philosophy goes well beyond eco-friendly actions. It also shapes the way we welcome guests and think about holidays. To discover this experience, read our article on the ecolodge in the Dordogne, combining nature, comfort and the art of living near Bergerac.
Our campsite was built around a simple idea
Welcoming without exhausting, sharing without spoiling, preserving without giving up comfort.
At Gaia Ecolodge, ecology isn’t a selling point but a way of living in this place. Our approach is built day by day and evolves with the seasons, the equipment and the solutions we can put in place to gradually reduce our impact while maintaining the quality of our guests’ stay.
A campsite committed to sustainable tourism
Gaia Ecolodge is committed to sustainable tourism, in line with the principles set out by the French Ecological Transition Agency (ADEME): limiting our impact on the environment while offering a comfortable, peaceful and authentic stay, deeply rooted in its local area.
Eco-responsible practices at the heart of our approach
More responsible water management
Water is a precious resource, especially in summer. At Gaia Ecolodge, several solutions help limit consumption and manage it more carefully:
- natural wastewater treatment using reed bed filters, providing biological treatment of waste water;
- rainwater harvesting for watering green spaces;
- use of pond water to irrigate plants when needed;
- tap aerators and water-saving devices in the showers.
Better-controlled energy consumption
Reducing consumption also comes down to many choices in the estate’s equipment:
- LED lighting throughout Gaia Ecolodge;
- solar lamps in some outdoor areas;
- motion-sensor lighting in the toilet and shower blocks;
- green energy supply for the estate.
Reducing waste and recovering what can be recovered
Recycling facilities are provided for our guests to make it easy to do the right thing during their stay.
Organic waste can also be recycled in our composter. The resulting compost is then used on the estate to enrich the soil naturally.
Encouraging local biodiversity
On an estate as natural as Gaia Ecolodge, protecting the wildlife around us is part of everyday life.
Nesting boxes for birds and bats have been installed to encourage them to settle and help preserve the site’s natural balance.
More environmentally friendly maintenance
To maintain our facilities, we favour eco-friendly products and more natural solutions to keep the use of chemicals harmful to the environment to a minimum.
Our environmental approach isn’t set in stone: it evolves with the improvements we can make at Gaia Ecolodge.
Each season is an opportunity to go a little further, and also to encourage our guests to adopt a few simple habits so that together we can preserve the natural setting we all enjoy.
Eco-friendly habits and gentler mobility every day
At Gaia Ecolodge, our approach also involves small everyday actions.
Information is provided in the rental accommodation and the toilet blocks to raise our guests’ awareness of saving water and electricity and of easy eco-friendly habits to adopt during their stay.
The aim isn’t to impose anything, but to share a few good practices so that everyone can, in their own way, help preserve the estate’s natural setting.
Getting around differently and preserving the peace of the estate
Several choices also help to limit traffic and encourage gentler ways of getting around:
- our team uses an electric vehicle to get around the estate;
- only one car is allowed per pitch or rental to limit traffic;
- the path along the pond is closed to vehicles, keeping the banks peaceful and making it safe to walk;
- cargo bikes are available to make getting around Gaia Ecolodge easier and to explore the area around Douville in a different way.
Protecting life in our pond too
Fishing in our 3-hectare pond is strictly no-kill: fish are returned to the water to protect the fish population and the balance of this natural habitat.
Holidays that naturally invite you to slow down
Protecting the environment also means protecting the atmosphere of the place.
At Gaia Ecolodge, the peace and quiet, the natural spaces and the absence of noisy entertainment make for simpler holidays, where you take time to walk, cycle, fish, observe nature… or simply do nothing at all.
🐾 Truly dog-friendly holidays at Gaia Ecolodge
At Gaia Ecolodge, dogs aren’t just accepted: they’re part of the holiday. Our commitment to welcoming them has been recognised by the Qualidog 3 Truffes label, which honours establishments that pay particular attention to the well-being of dogs and their humans.
This welcome is a natural part of our philosophy: enjoying nature together, while respecting the peace of the estate, the wildlife that lives here and other guests.
Here, dogs get a pawsitively warm welcome!
So that our four-legged friends can make the most of their stay too, we’ve thought of a few special touches and facilities:
- a little surprise awaits them on arrival;
- two bowls and a dog bed are provided in our rental accommodation;
- there are areas where dogs can stretch their legs and run off the lead safely;
- plenty of walks start from Gaia Ecolodge, so you can explore the countryside and paths around Douville.
On the estate, dogs must be kept on a lead to preserve the peace of other guests and the local wildlife. Everyone is of course asked to pick up after their dog, and access to certain areas may be restricted for safety or tranquillity reasons.
A few simple rules that let everyone, with or without four legs, peacefully enjoy nature and the spirit of Gaia Ecolodge.
An eco-friendly campsite in Douville, near Bergerac
Choosing Gaia Ecolodge means choosing a stay surrounded by nature, at an eco-friendly campsite in Douville, near Bergerac, where comfort, tranquillity and respect for the environment strike a natural balance.
Across our 13 green hectares around the pond, we develop Gaia Ecolodge season after season with one simple aim: to preserve the natural setting that gives the place its charm and let everyone enjoy it to the full.
No grand promises here: just concrete action, respect for nature and holidays that simply invite you to slow down.
This philosophy runs throughout Gaia Ecolodge, from our services and activities to the protection of our 3-hectare fishing pond.