Welcome to our eco-friendly guesthouse committed to sustainable tourism in Sarthe!
A guesthouse where nature is celebrated for the pleasure of our guests.
The beauty of the Sarthe bocage, the lush countryside stretching as far as the eye can see, is the scenery you will enjoy when you stay with us.
Very close to Le Mans, the advantages of the countryside are combined with those offered by the city.
Our guesthouse is nestled in a green haven with a vegetable garden and an orchard providing fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the year. Based on permaculture concepts, our garden is designed as a walk through garden squares and flower beds, fruit trees, flowering fallows, and arranged spots for resting and admiring.
The property is surrounded by a natural hedge of local bocage species. Essential for biodiversity, this hedge cuts strong winds, helps create a microclimate in the garden, and serves as a prime habitat and pantry for garden aides (birds, butterflies, pollinators…).
Our garden, a haven of peace where serenity reigns, opens its doors to you. Come discover our vegetable garden and reconnect with nature.
Our pergolas and shade trees offer resting spaces for our guests, inviting relaxation and appreciation of natural beauty.
Our flowered terraces are a true living picture, each season offering a different show with its flowers and scents.
The presence of animals completes this mini-farm and contributes to the balance of our ecosystem. To the delight of our guests, a chicken coop where chickens, turkeys, and geese thrive, recycling kitchen waste while producing eggs regularly.
Our two sheep ensure the eco-grazing of part of our land and delight children by their simple presence.
Our hives also help maintain this entire ecosystem through pollination and provide us with good honey, appreciated by our guests at breakfast.
Come experience an unforgettable stay in our guesthouse where calm and serenity combine with the beauty of nature.
A place where nature respect is at the heart of every initiative. This article is an invitation to explore our space, our ecological practices, and to discover how we work to minimize the environmental impact of our tourist accommodation activity.
Our breakfasts
To start the day with energy, our breakfasts consist mainly of products from organic and/or fair trade agriculture (milk, coffee, chocolate, cereals, fruit juices, eggs, yogurts, compotes…). Our homemade jams are a celebration of organic fruits from our garden or family gardens. The honey is also organic and local, and often homemade depending on the year.
We take into account the allergies and intolerances of our guests, offering gluten-free and lactose-free alternatives.
Reducing our carbon footprint, controlled energies
To preserve the environment and avoid additional impermeabilization of natural soil by building on newly developable land, we chose to rehabilitate an existing farmhouse.
In order to reduce the carbon footprint of our transformation work on the farmhouse outbuildings into a guesthouse, we opted for a wooden frame rehabilitation (walls, floors, roof), using bio-based materials as much as possible (roof insulation in wool and wood fiber, natural wood cladding…). We engaged in much self-construction and when we did use craftsmen, we of course chose locally.
To save energy, we use 100% LED lighting with automatic detection. The reversible heating provides cooling in summer. The heat pumps are programmable remotely, allowing for optimized consumption.
Our thermodynamic system for sanitary hot water ensures an efficient and economical use of energy.
Our A+++ grade appliances consume as little energy as possible and are regularly maintained.
Our heated swimming pool is equipped with an anti-loss cover to maintain a pleasant temperature and reduce the use of the heat pump.
Reducing water consumption
Our faucets are equipped with aerators to reduce water consumption, and our showers have thermostats to regulate water temperature.
We use well water for toilets and irrigation, significantly reducing our potable water consumption.
To optimize their use, our high-capacity washing machines are A+++, ensuring reduced water and detergent consumption. The same goes for dishwashers.
Our autonomous sanitation system, partly treated by phytoremediation, purifies our wastewater and sewage through the action of plants, wind, and sun. After system exit, the filtered water is returned to the soil through a draining trench.
The same is true for our rainwater. Water from roofs is channeled into a planted ditch and eventually returns to the soil naturally. The overflow is directed into ditches, which are also planted ditches.
A commitment to eco-friendly products
We only use eco-labeled cleaning products. They limit the negative impact on the environment.
In fact, their chemical content is lower, if not absent in some cases, which prevents water pollution and health alteration.
Finally, these products are not tested on animals.
Our cleaning products are ordered in large and recyclable containers to reduce waste. Our sponges are washable and not disposable.
Our allergen-free soaps and detergents are gentle on the skin and respectful of the environment.
We use 100% French (from Normandy), natural, and 100% recycled toilet paper.
Anti-waste solutions and selective sorting
To reduce food waste going to the bin, we have opted for composting solutions and raising a few chickens.
We systematically place in the composter, which is also available for our guests, organic waste such as fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, dead leaves, etc. The compost thus obtained is then used as a natural fertilizer for our vegetable garden. Our very greedy chickens and turkeys also consume a large variety of our food waste.
Our vegetable garden and orchard produce delicious fresh fruits and vegetables. We directly consume a large part of this production and offer it to our guests, who enjoy a good salad of tomatoes or cucumbers with an incomparable taste during summer. Our guests also have everything they need to cook good ratatouilles. Our fruits are turned into jam and served for breakfast.
Often, production is very abundant over a short period. To avoid loss, we use a dehydrator to dry fruits, vegetables, and aromatic herbs. The nutrients are preserved, allowing us to consume them all year long.
We have never used individual water bottles in our guest rooms. We also don’t have individual packaging for soaps, cups, dishes… We use ecological soap dispensers in each bathroom. The dishes used are not disposable.
To limit coffee waste, for breakfasts, we opted for a bean-grinding machine. Only the grains consumed are ground. Thus, there is no loss. The coffee grounds are the only waste feeding our compost.
In the guest rooms, the welcome coffee is in the form of fully compostable capsules.
After composting, the chickens, product processing, and reduced waste production, there are still some waste items left. We practice selective sorting and encourage our guests to respect it by providing, close to the cottages (in kitchens and on their terraces), selective sorting containers with clear signage. We also have a glass container on the property.
Local partnerships, investment in the local associative fabric
When our honey production is insufficient, we work directly with a neighboring honey producer.
We also offer cooked dishes made by the local company Erik-table based in Fay (72): ethical and artisanal cuisine in jars! Their original recipes, made only with fresh, local, and seasonal products, contribute to nourishing the local economy and promoting sustainable agriculture.
During privatizations of our establishment, we connect guests who wish to hire a caterer with the caterer of our commune “Tradition sarthoise – Mickael Doire”.
Tony is a volunteer at the François Rabelais socio-cultural center in Changé. This center is a pillar of the local participative life. It initiates numerous social projects and culturally rich events.
The Garden of the 4 Seasons is also a member of the Changé association “Les amis de Badia/Goumanko”, known as “Labako”. It is a partnership between the towns of Changé and Badia in Mali, aiming to create friendships and sustainable cooperation by developing socio-cultural, educational, and health exchanges through concrete actions (access to drinking water, school sponsorship, construction of latrines, creation of educational gardens based on permaculture and agroforestry…).
The Garden of the 4 Seasons also donates to the Red Cross.
A project supported by ADEME
The Garden of the 4 Seasons has been eligible for the ADEME grant from the “Sustainable Tourism Fund”.
The grant’s objective is to help establishments already engaged in an eco-responsible approach to further reduce the environmental impact of their activity (reduce the use of water and electricity, implementation of pergolas, shade trees, more efficient and less consuming appliances in terms of water, electricity, and products, anti-loss curtain for the pool…).
The alignment of values with actions (partly made possible by the grant), and explaining these approaches to guests, brings meaning and well-being to those who stay at the Garden of the 4 Seasons.
Upcoming projects
Always eager to improve our practices to achieve harmonious consistency between our values and actions, many projects remain to be finalized.
For 2025/2026 and the coming years, we plan to install an electric vehicle charging station, offer bike rentals, and plant even more tall-stem trees to enhance this already initiated oasis of greenery.
We also plan to join an ethical, solidary, and responsible bank to ensure our money doesn’t finance polluting companies and supports projects with a positive cultural, social, and environmental impact.
We also plan to draft a charter explaining our values and functioning, aimed at gathering our guests’ support for these environmental commitments. Drafting this charter is also part of our effort to join the “Green Key” or “European Ecolabel Tourist Accommodation” environmental label.
