A Green Delight in Umbria

Letizia and Ruurd live what is a dream for many. They run an agriturismo B&B in Umbria, Italy housed in stone buildings, some dating back as far as 500 years old. They have lovingly renovated the buildings and grounds, operating as a B&B for almost ten years. More importantly to those of us who are olive oil fanatics, Letizia and Ruurd have restored the olive grove, planting 250 olive trees so they can make their own divine olive oil.

Committed to treading lightly on the earth, Alla Madonna runs solely on solar electricity with hot water and heat coming from solar thermal panels and a wood furnace. Alla Madonna is decorated with new and vintage natural fibers. Eco-friendly cleaning products are used, the gardens and olive groves are organic, and the food served guests as well as what s used in the cooking classes are locally produced. Google, the truffle-hunting dog at Alla Madonna die Piatto sniffs out the sneakiest truffles.

Guests can choose from six comfortable rooms with private baths. From March to November cooking classes are offered  two times a week. Room rates range from 85 to 105 euros per night for a double room. Please note: Alla Madonna is closed from mid-November to mid-March and for one week in July.

Alla Madonna is about 5 miles from Assisi. If you want to vicariously enjoy the fruits of Letizia's cooking, explore her blog at: http://madonnadelpiatto.com and create scrumptious meals from her simple yet exquisite recipes.

Azienda Agraria Alla Madonna del Piatto
Via Petrata 37, Pieve San Nicolo’
06081 Assisi (PG), Umbria, Italy
http://incampagna.com

Green Dublin on the Cheap

There are numerous possibilities for traveling green in Dublin. Enjoy the green at almost every turn—here is a sampling of some of the cheapest options.

Organic eats are available at the Dublin Coop, a GMO-free zone, with a large variety of fresh produce, dairy, groceries and cleaning products. The Coop has a cafe serving organic and fair-trade coffees and treats. Dublin Food Coop, 12 Newmarket, Dublin 8; Tel: 01 454 4258; open only Saturday, Sunday and Thursday—Saturday from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, Thursday from 12 noon to 8:00 pm. On Sundays there are specialty markets such as crafts and flea-markets during which you can also make regular Coop purchases.

The Temple Bar Food & Farmer's Market is held on Saturday mornings in the colorful Temple Bar neighborhood in the center of Dublin. Here you will find wonderful organic cheeses, breads, fruits, vegetables and prepared foods. Temple Bar Food Market, on East Essex and other streets in Temple Bar; open Saturday 10:00 am to 4:30 pm.

For rock-bottom priced green lodging, there are some hostels in Dublin powered by renewable energy.

Kinlay Hostel implements a number of green strategies to reduce energy use and to minimize waste. Its electricity is from wind energy. It offers dorm rooms as well as private rooms. Rates range from 15 to 33 euros/per night per person depending on room choice and time of week (higher rates Friday and Saturday). Kinlay House Dublin hostel, 2-12 Lord Edward St, Temple Bar, Dublin 2; Tel: 1 679 6644; Email: info@kinlaydublin.ie.

At the Avalon House hostel the hot-water is solar-powered. Other amenities include WiFi, baggage scales and bike rentals for 12.50/day. Twelve-bed dorm rooms as well as singles are available from between 10 to 34 euros/night. Avalon House Hostel, Avalon House 55 Aungier Street Dublin 2; Tel: 1 475 0001;Email: info@avalon-house.ie.

In addition to hoofing or biking around the city, you can walk the labyrinth and gardens at Dublin Castle, Castle Street, Dublin 2. You can also enjoy St. Stephen's Green, a 22-acre park in the heart of Dublin with 2-plus miles of paths—open until dusk.

Go Really Green—Camping in Switzerland

When the weather is amenable, camping is an inexpensive and environmental option. In Switzerland there are numerous campgrounds, but camping outside of designated camping areas is forbidden (verboten).

Two Web sites provide campsite information for Switzerland, available in German and English and can be searched by region: www.camping.ch and www.swisscamps.ch. The Swiss Camps site lists thirteen campsites that rent tents (tent is zelte in German). A few sites offer regional camping information—for the Valais area www.campings.ch; for the Berner Oberland area www.camping-bo.ch; and the Interlaken area www.campinginterlaken.ch

A cross between camping and hosteling is Schlaf im Stroh (Sleep on Straw), for which you need a sleeping bag and a desire for a farm experience. Some of the two hundred and forty farms participating in this program also offer camping, guest rooms or dorm-style accommodations. Prices range from 20 to 30 CHF/person/night. The Web site, offered in German, French and English, is searchable by region using a map or list; Web: www.abenteuer-stroh.ch

There are hundreds of alpine “huts” across the Swiss Alps. Short and long term hikers can take advantage of these—most are open only in the summer and early fall, while a few are open in winter and early spring. Often local food is served—from homemade butter, jams and breads to vegetables and traditional muesli. Founded in 1863, The Swiss Alpine Club manages the three hundred plus huts. Visit www.sac-cas.ch for a map showing hut locations. The site is in German and French, but easily searchable under French “Chercher une cabane” or German “Hütte suchen”—click on the map and then click on any red “hut” dot for more information about that specific hut location.

Whether camping or not, take advantage of the remarkable walking trails, the Wanderweg, that wind through Switzerland.

Extremadura - Wild and Wonderful

8 days until Earth Day - celebrate for a lifetime!

 

 

Attention traveler’s to Extremadura Spain--- please click here to View the NEW Supplement to the Best of Green Award Winning Green Earth Guide: Traveling Naturally in Spain.

 

Find tips and tools to help you travel naturally in the wild and beautiful region of Extremadura, Spain.

 

ENJOY!!! 

Eco-Honeymooning in Spain

Couples looking for a honeymoon that includes a combination of ecological conscience, culture, beauty and romantic atmosphere can find numerous opportunities in Spain. In the southwestern part of the country there exists a magical area famous for “white villages” and deep history. 

The towns of Gaucin and Cortes de la Frontera lay about twelve miles across a valley from each other, each featuring unusual, ecological accommodations. Andalucia Yurts in Gaucin and Hoopoe Yurts in Cortes de las Frontera are rural oases, offering rustic but comfortable solar-powered lodging in hand-crafted yurts – canvas covered round wooden structures traditionally used by nomadic peoples in Mongolia and Turkey.

For a non rustic experience, honeymooners can stay at one of the Parador Hotels. Run by the Spanish government these are luxury hotels in restored palaces, castles, monasteries and other historical buildings as well as some modern structures. Paradors in this area of Spain housed in restored buildings include the Parador Arcos de la Frontera/ Hotel Casa del Corregidor, in a former palace; Parador Hotel Ronda – with views of the Tagus Gorge- in the former Town Hall; and the Parador Carmona/Hotel Alcazar del Rey Don Pedro in a renovated 14th century Arabic Fortress east of Seville.

Andalucia Yurts has two Moroccan style yurts each large enough to sleep up to five people making them spacious choices for honeymooning couples. The yurts are situated amongst orange groves in a fairly remote mountainous area near the pristine Genal River. Kit and Penny Hogg run the bed and breakfast serving homemade and local foods for breakfast. You can dine on one of the terraces or outside under a canopy. Kit and Penny pride themselves on being able to accommodate special diet needs and tend towards a mix of Andalucian and Moroccan menus for their dinner fare. There is a wood-fired sauna and various wellness therapies including massage and yoga are available. There is a swimming hole in the river on the property, as well as a eucalyptus-wood and stone lined outdoor shower. 

Hoopoe Yurts is about a twenty-minute walk from the white village of Cortes de la Frontera, and is about a half an hour drive from the famous white town of Ronda. Hoopoe has five yurts each in their own private acre of land and each furnished as a double room with different colors and woods, and Mongolian-style furniture and textiles. The yurts all have private bathrooms and the complementary olive oil soap is especially made for Hoopoe. Four nights a week Hoopoe offers dinner made with their own or locally produced products. Breakfast includes local honey and fresh fruit. They also offer pack-lunches for picnics and have a bar open until 11:00 at night. There is a pool, and yoga, massage as well as other wellness therapies are available.

The town of Gaucin, filled with tile-roofed white houses, is home to a tenth century Moorish fortress, Castillo del Aguila, which sits atop a cliff offering amazing views on clear days all the way to Africa, where you can see the “Pillars of Hercules” (The Rock of Gibraltar and Jebel Musa in Northern Africa) and the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. 

Gaucin is home to a number of artists whose studios you can visit. Eco Tienda Pura Vida, sells natural and organic food, as well as having a little café serving breakfast and lunch with freshly made organic, vegetarian tapas and raw dishes available, as well as fresh fruit juices and shakes. The local Mercado (market) is open 9:30 am to 1:30 pm with some stalls selling organic vegetables and free-range eggs. Calle Convento has a few excellent food stores besides Pura Vida including Carniceria Candida, where you can find local meats and the Boníssim Delicatessen selling local and international gourmet products with fresh daily baked artisan breads and pastries, and roast chickens from free-range birds.

Cortes de la Frontera sits in between two natural parks surrounded by cork trees (alcornocales) and is a larger town than Gaucin. With its proximity to the natural parks it makes an ideal area for walking. The Llanos de Líbar is a walking route on the edge of the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park. It is almost twelve miles long if walked in its entirety, across the flood plain (llano) of the Guadiaro River. Birdwatching is another favorite activity in this area as numerous species can be found in the region. 

The famous white town of Ronda sits amidst the mountainous area called the Serrania de Ronda and is perched three hundred feet above the El Tajo gorge. Ronda offers incredible views and is full of cobble-stoned streets and monuments like the Palacio Mondragón, a 12th century Moorish Palace. 

History loving honeymooners will be impressed with the cave-viewing possibilities in this part of Spain. The Cueva de la Pileta in Benaojan, west of Ronda, in the Sierra of Grazalema Natural Park, has ancient ochre and charcoal cave paintings as well as natural cave formations that take an hour to tour with your guide, usually one of the descendants of the farmer who discovered the cave. Protected by the government, the cave is still owned by the local farming family who owns the land. Unfortunately cameras are not allowed. The Cueva de Ardales in Ardales, about fifty-five miles from Gaucin, contains Paleolithic and later cave drawings which can be viewed during the almost one mile walk through the cave. The Cueva del Gato, near Benaojan, is a rock pool where icy water pours from an underground river providing refreshing relief from the summer heat. 

With plenty to see, delicious local foods, old world charm, and romantic, eco-minded lodgings it is easy to enjoy a wonderful honeymoon with an environmental conscience. 

The Details:

Andalucia Yurts, La Huerta, Gaucin, Andalucia; Tel: (34) 952 117 486 (Evenings & Weekends) or Cell: (34) 686 888 409; Email: hoggs@vsatmail.com; Web: www.andaluciayurts.com. 35 euros a night per person for accommodation and breakfast. Additional 20 euros for dinner.

The Hoopoe Yurt Hotel, Ed & Henrietta Hunt, Apartado de Correos 23, Cortes de la Frontera, 29380 (Málaga), Spain; Tel: (34) 696 668 388; Cell: (34) 660 668 241; Web: http://yurthotel.com; open May 1st to October 16th. Price: 136 euros/night/double – no kids nor pets – Stays start Wednesdays or Saturdays. 

If you want to travel by public transport and not rent a car you can fly into Malaga and then take a bus to Gaucin or Cortes de la Frontera and have either hotel pick you up (arrange in advance). Or you can fly to the Gibraltar airport. Walk out of the airport and across the border (about a tenth of a mile), then take a taxi to San Roque (10 to 15 minutes) and then take the train to Cortes de la Frontera (50 minutes) where either hotel could pick you up (again arrange in advance). 

Parador Hotels, Prices for the Paradors run between 160 to 275 euros per room per night depending upon the season and room type. Web: www.paradores-spain.com 

Gaucin: Castillo de Aguila is open every day from: 10:00 am to 2:00pm/ 4:30 to 7:30 pm.

Eco Tienda Pura Vida, calle Convento 166, Gaucin; Tel: 952 151 369; Web: www.ecotiendapuravida.es/indexeng.html; open Monday from 10:00 am to 3:00pm, Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 am to 3:00pm/5:00 to 8:00pm, and Saturday from 10:00 am to 3:00pm. Café is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 am to 3:00pm.

Boníssim Delicatessen, calle Convento 54; Tel: 951 16 89 41; Open Thursdays through Sundays from 10:00 am to 2:30pm/5:30 to 9:30 pm. June through September the store is also open on Mondays. 

Cueva de la Pileta - Open every day from 10:00 am to 1:00pm/4:00 to 6:00pm (or 5:00 pm in the winter); Web:  http://www.cuevadelapileta.org

Cueva de Ardales, Web: http://www.cuevadeardales.com/indicees.htm

More Unusual & Green Accommodations in Spain

To celebrate the upcoming release of the Green Earth Guide: Traveling Naturally in Spain, I am posting here some fantastic accommodations that I learned about after completing the book - thank goodness for blogs and web sites!

The InOut Hostel in Barcelona is part of the Hostelling International network of worldwide hostels, but it is unique in that it is established as a nonprofit organization whose workforce is comprised almost entirely of people (96%) with disabilities including Down’s Syndrome. 

Located about fifteen minutes from the heart of Barcelona, InOut Hostel sits on almost sixty acres in the Collserola Park. The hostel is large, clean and airy with more than 150 beds and a restaurant serving fresh foods. The hostel is handicap accessible and offers terraces, lawns, and footpaths through the park. InOut Hostel, Major del Rectoret, 2, 08017 Barcelona; Tel: 932 800 985; Email: info@inoutalberg.com; Web: www.inoutalberg.com; Metro: FGC S1 or S2 to Baixador de Vallvidrera. 

Available from the beginning of May to the end of September, you can stay at the mountain retreat of Molino Taponero where you will find a cottage sleeping up to four people and a house sleeping up to six people nestled in the Andalucian mountains by a river - a former water mill - near the town of Gaucin and forty minutes from the famous white village of Ronda. The houses are rented by the week for £480 per week for the house and  £380 per week for the cottage - or equivalent in Euros. Owners Dawn and Paul Sutcliffe are weavers and produce natural fiber shawls and blankets in the winter months. Molino Taponero, Gaucin, Andalucia; Email: ptsutcliffe@yahoo.com.

Nearby the Molino Taponero you can find the solar-powered Andalucia Yurts. Here you will find two locally crafted yurts which sleep 4-5 people and a double-guest-room on the side of the main house. There are indoor and outdoor showers - the outdoor has riverstones on the floor and eucalytus wood walls. Natural health services are offered and they have a wood-fired sauna by the river. You can stay for 35 euros/night and have dinner for 20 euros per person.  Andalucia Yurts, La Huerta, Gaucin, Andalucia; Tel: 952 117 486 (evenings & weekends) or cell: 686 888 409; Email: Kit and Penny Hogg at hoggs@vsatmail.com.

Nearby is a WAY cool yurt making company, Baltasar Bent Yurts, which makes handcrafted yurts from chestnut wood. They say, “We make the wooden elements of our yurts using traditional hand tools and sew the canvas using sustainable solar power where possible. All the poles are cut, stripped, sanded and oiled by hand - the result is a yurt with no hard edges - all in all a magical, organic, beautiful space.” 

For a further variety of eco-accommodations in Spain check out the wonderful Organic Holidays Web site developed by Linda Moss, author of Organic Places To Stay UK & Ireland.

Lucky you if you get to stay in any of these wonderful places….

More Green Eats, Drink and Sleep Around France

La Vie Saine is a full service natural foods store chain in France. The Montpellier store is a Green Earth Guide Favorite, and not to be missed if you find yourself in Montpellier. If you are traveling in the regions of Burgundy, Savoie, Bordeaux or Languedoc Roussillon, you will be happy to know that La Vie Saine has ten stores in these regions. See the La Vie Saine Web site for all of their store locations. Remember when you see Magasins Bio that it means Organic Stores, not magazines☺

Chez Teresa is a two-bedroom bed & breakfast almost due east of Nantes in picturesque Fontevraud in the Pays de la Loire region of France. They serve vegetarian meals by reservation only, and have a little shop selling some vegetarian items plus conventional foods from the UK. They also offer writing workshops. Room range from 49-55 euros/night. Fontevraud is about equal distance from the sea and the mountains. Chez Teresa, 6, Avenue Rochechouart, right by the ancient and impressive abbey of Fontevraud; http://www.chezteresa.fr

Thirteen kilometers from Fontevraud you will find the town of Saumur where, among other sites, there is a great Saturday market and the museum of mushrooms, Musee du Champignon.

About one hour west from Fontevraud is the organic and biodynamic vineyard Domaine de Juchepie, Les Quarts, 49380 Faye D’Anjou; Tel: 02 4154 3347; Email: contact@juchepie.com; Web: www.juchepie.com. See the Traveling Naturally Ecological Wine Guide for more information about this vineyard.

Tour du France The Green Way in Limoges, Gueret and More

I am listing here the details on some of the tips I gave on New Hampshire Public Radio's Word of Mouth segment about traveling green along one of the Tour de France legs running right through the center of France from Limoges (in the Limousin region) to Issoudun (in the Centre region).

If you are looking for health food stores you will find a few in the cities of Limoges, Gueret and Chateauroux. The following list offers a selection of stores. Most of these close in the afternoons so if you are buying lunch it is safest to arrive before noon.
La Vie Claire, 9 rue Lansecot, 87000 Limoges; Tel: 05 55 307 671
Planete Nature, 15 rue Hoche, 87000 Limoges, Tel: 05 55 796 997 (off Place Marceau)
Rayons Verts, 11 rue Clouet, Limoges, Tel: 05 55 439 583
La Vie Claire, 4 rue de l’Eglise, 23000 Gueret, Tel: 05 55 528 547
Castel Bio, 15 rue Joseph Bellier, Chateauroux, Tel: 02 54 089 144
Espace Bio, Centre Commercial St Jacques, 36000 Chateauroux

Look for markets in Issoudun, Bourges, Gueret and other towns. In Gueret market days are Thursday and Saturday mornings.

You can lay your head down at the following green lodging possibilities.

Holiday Tipis in France has six tipis powered by solar electricity. Open from May 1st to August 31st, they serve local foods for breakfast included in the tipi charge, and optional dinners three evenings a week. Stays range from three to seven days and prices run from 170 to 350 euros per tipi depending upon length of stay. Located about fifteen minutes from Gueret. Holiday Tipis in France, 7 Folbeix, Ladapeyre, Creuse, France 23270; Tel: 05 55 809 026; Email: info@vacanesdetipienfrance.com; Web site: www.vacanesdetipienfrance.com

3 Place de Sarbres is a vegetarian bed & breakfast in a renovated 18th century house in the town of Felletin about an hour and forty-five minutes east of Limoges and one hour south of Le Creuse, considered the French Lake District. The apartment price ranges from 189-252 euros per week. Bed and Breakfast rooms are 50 euros a night and the vegetarian meals are extra. In Felletin the water comes from the mountains so it is like bottled water from the tap, and there is a micro brewery in the town. 3 Place de Sarbres, Felletin; Tel: 05 55 665 229; Email: info@3placedesarbres.com; Web site: www.3placedesarbres.com

Northeast of Gueret you will find Le Petit Pauliat, a rural gite rented by the week from Saturday to Saturday in a beautiful rural setting. Three kilometers from the town of Gueret is Le Labyrinthe Géant – a treat for labyrinthe enthusiasts. Le Petit Pauliat, 4 Pauliat, 03380 Treignat; Tel: 04 70 070 885; Email: info@pauliat.com; Web site: www.pauliat.com.

There are numerous choices for excursions in the area. Listed here are a few recommendations.
Two hours west of Chateauroux you will find the stunning forty-five acre organic vineyard of M Louzeau Chateau de la Bonneliere just south of Saint-Lazare and Chinon.

A little farther – two hours and forty minutes from Chateauroux- or only one and a half hours from Tours is a beautiful fifty acre biodynamic vineyard, Chateau Tour Grise in Le Puy Notre Dame a town surrounded by almost 4000 acres of vineyards. Le Pinsonniere is a neighboring bed & breakfast in a renovated 17th century farmhouse serving local and organic foods.

For thermal baths you can go to Evaux-Les-Bains, a small spa and thermal bath town east of Gueret. More information is at the town web site: www.ot-evauxlesbains.com; and at the Web site for the baths: www.evauxthermes.com.

Walking and biking routes include one of the Routes to Santiago de Compostela in Spain (Route of St James), which runs through the region of Limousin, starting in Vezelay and heading south of Bourges towards Limoges and St Leonard De Noblat. Grand Randonee (GR) long distance walking routes in the area include the  GR 3 - see the Randonee Website and click on 18, 36, or 37 on the map for more information.

There is a Regional Natural Park in Brenne just west of Chateauroux between Limoges and Bourges.
Ninety kilometers south of Limoges the town of Brive-la-Gaillarde is home to a famous market where you can find local specialties including walnuts, mushrooms, truffles, apples and violet mustard. The market is held on Place du 14 Juillet and Place de Lattre de Tassigny on Tuesday and Saturday mornings from 8am to 12:30pm.

The Limousin region was home to a strong contingent of the French Resistance including the Maquis guerilla resistance fighters who worked to combat the Nazi controlled government in Vichy. In Brive-la-Gaillard you can find the Musée de la Resistance et de la Deportation Edmund Michelet (The Resistance & Deportation Museum), with memorabilia, artifacts and photographs from World War II and the French Resistance. Musée de la Resistance et de la Deportation Edmund Michelet (The Resistance & Deportation Museum), rue Champanatier, 19100 Brive la Gaillard; Tel: 05 55 740 608. Open every day except Sunday and holidays from 10am to 12pm/2pm to 6pm with free entrance.

Happy touring!

An Eco Saturday in Paris

Book in at the Hotel de la Porte Dorée, a family run hotel with some green amenities, on avenue Daumesnil in the 12th arrondissement, on the east side of the city, steps away from the Port Dorée metro and bus stops, making the city sites easily accessible. Make sure you are equipped with a map of Paris and the metro and/or bus lines.

The Organic Market Brancusi (Marche Biologique Brancusi) is held Saturday mornings from 9:00 am to 3:00pm. To get there take the purple #8 Metro line from Port Dorée towards Richelieu for two stops to Daumesnil. Switch to the green #6 line towards Charles de Gaulle Etoile. Take that twelve stops to the Edgar Quinet stop and walk down rue de Gaite or through the Montparnasse Cemetery to du Maine Avenue. Rue R.J. Zay off of du Maine will bring you to Place Constantin where you will find the Marche Biologique Brancusi. The teal #13 metro stop, Gaite is closer, but not worth the switching coming from Port Dorée.

For bikers, there is a Paris Vélib bike station at 1 Place Edouard Renard a couple of blocks from the Hotel. Bike to the Market and there is a Vélib station at 90 Ave. du Maine, one to two blocks from the market, near the Gaité Metro stop. For more Vélib information, visit their website for locating stations all over Paris.

Once you have explored the market and eaten some delicious food, you can walk to Park George Brassens, or rent a Vélib bike (there are two Vélib stations along the park – one is Station # 15046, 42 rue des Morillons), where book lovers will particularly enjoy the secondhand and antique book market held in an old horse market pavilion in the Parc on rue des Morillons in the 15th arrondissement of Paris (Métro: Convention). The Parc has vineyards, beehives, 510 rose bushes, walking paths, and more. The book market, held on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 6pm, has over 200 participating booksellers, 68 of which rotate through each weekend.

After the Parc and book market you can bike or Metro to the St. Germain neighborhood, a lively area full of fun stores and eats, making your way towards any number of sites – Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay – to name a few. If you are planning on one of the museums, you are better off planning in advance for those and purchasing your tickets Online to avoid the crowded entry lines.
You can eat lunch at the first all-organic bar and restaurant in Paris, Phyto Bar, serving terrific organic food. They offer an array of fresh squeezed juices—the grapefruit-kiwi is an especially refreshing combination. The seaweed “caviar,” made with a variety of greens from the sea, is highly recommended. Next door, you will find La Nature a Paris Boutique, their sister store, a tiny, jam-packed health food shop. (Phyto Bar Restaurant and Bar, 47 Boulevard Saint-Germain; Tel: 01 44 07 3699.) The Phtyo Bar Restaurant is about five blocks along rue Monge from the Seine River and the bridge across to the Notre Dame Cathedral. In nice weather there will be book, souvenir and art vendors along the Seine.

If you need a rest after your walking, biking and sightseeing, you can bus, bike or metro back to the Hotel.

Once you are refreshed, the evening offers a number possibilities. One of my favorite Paris excursions is to listen to the nuns sing vespers at the Sacre Couer Basilica – the magic and beauty of their voices can be enjoyed by all. They begin at 6pm and sing for about thirty minutes.

From the hotel you can get to Sacre Couer a few ways. By bus take the #46 from Porte Dorée to the final stop of Gare du Nord (a large train station). From there you could walk all the way, or walk to the Funicular that goes up the hill to the basilica. If you want to go by Metro, you want to be on the #2 blue line. Take the #8 purple line from Porte Dorée two stops to Daumesnil, change to the #6 green line to Nation. At Nation get onto the #2 blue line and take that to Anvers. Here you will be quite close to the funicular, which you can either take, or simply walk up the steep steps.

If you want to stay closer to “home” in the evening, try a delightful experience at the Grand Mosque, serving tea and more. For a truly delicious experience you can wind down with a Hammam steam bath and massage at the Mosque. The Tea room is open seven days a week from 9:00am until 11:30pm, so you can enjoy this almost anytime of day. Check the website for specifics about the Hammam since they have different days for men and women. The Hammam is open until 9:00pm. To reach the mosque by metro from the hotel either get onto the purple #8 line at Porte Dorée for two stops to the Green #6 at Daumesnil (or walk to the Daumesnil stop). Take the Green #6 six stops to Place d’Italie and switch to the orange #5 for two stops to Saint Marcel. Walk two blocks up rue Geoffrey St-Hilaire toward the Jardin des Plantes (worth a stroll and visit on its own), and the Grand Mosque. The Tea room and Hammam entrances are on rue Geoffrey.

Lastly, if you are in Paris during July and August, there are outdoor film screenings in La Villette Park showing at 9:00pm most nights. But, if you decide to enjoy a Hammam Steam bath on Saturday evening, you can go to the movies Sunday night instead.

Traveling Naturally Saturday in Paris:
• Organic Brancusi Market
• Used and antique book fair in Parc George Bressans
• St Germain neighborhood\Notre Dame Cathedral (with possible visits to the Louvre or Musee d’Orsay)
• Lunch at PhytoBar Organic Restaurant
• Return to Hotel for Rest
Evening Options:
• Sacre Couer Basilica Vespers 6pm
• Tea and/or Hammam Bath and Massage at the Grand Mosque
• La Villette Park outdoor movie screenings in July and August only, at 9:00pm most nights (http://www.villette.com/fr/parc-villette-agenda/)

The Best Eco Hotels and Resorts in the world...: travel green in France with this guide ...

A NEW REVIEW for the Green Earth Guide: Traveling Naturally to France!

The Best Eco Hotels and Resorts in the world...: travel green in France with this guide ...

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Bastille Day and Tour du France The Green Way in Limoges, Gueret and more

Happy Bastille Day!
You can hear the podcast to New Hampshire Public Radio's Word of Mouth segment on The Green Earth Guide: Traveling Naturally in France at http://www.nhpr.org/node/26019.

I am listing here the details on some of the tips I gave on the show.

The Tour du France route on July 14th runs from Limoges (in the Limousin region) to Issoudun (in the Centre region) - 194.5km (about 120 miles) - right through the center of France. See the Tour du France route at www.letour.fr

Health food stores in the area include:
In Limoges (87 Haute Vienne dept):
La Vie Claire, 9 rue Lansecot, 87000 Limoges; Tel: 05 55 307 671
Bonne Terre affiliated stores:
Planete Nature, 15 rue Hoche, 87000 Limoges, Tel: 05 55 796 997 (off Place Marceau)
Rayons Verts, 11 rue Clouet, Limoges, Tel: 05 55 439 583

In Gueret (Creuse # 23):
La Vie Claire, 4 rue de l’Eglise, 23000 Gueret, Tel: 05 55 528 547

In Chateauroux:
Castel Bio, 15 rue Joseph Bellier, Chateauroux, Tel: 02 54 089 144
Espace Bio, Centre Commercial St Jacques, 36000 Chateauroux

There are markets in Issoudun, Bourges, Gueret and other towns. In Gueret market days are Thursday and Saturdays.


Places to lay your head at night include the following "green" lodging:

Holiday Tipis in France has six tipis powered by solar electricity. Open from May 1st to August 31st, they serve local foods for breakfast included in the tipi charge, and optional dinners three evenings a week. Stays range from three to seven days and prices run from 170 to 350 euros per tipi depending upon length of stay. Located about fifteen minutes from Gueret. Holiday Tipis in France, 7 Folbeix, Ladapeyre, Creuse, France 23270; Tel: 05 55 809 026; Email: info@vacanesdetipienfrance.com; Web site: www.vacanesdetipienfrance.com

3 Place de Sarbres is a vegetarian bed & breakfast in a renovated 18th century house in the town of Felletin about 1hr 45 minutes East of Limoges and one hour south of Le Creuse, considered the French Lake District. The apartment ranges from 189-252 euros per week.
Bed and Breakfast rooms are 50 euros a night - vegetarian meals are extra. In Felletin the water comes from the mountains so it is like bottled water from the tap... also there is a micro brewery in the town. www.3placedesarbres.com; info@3placedesarbres.com; Tel: 05 55 665 229

Northeast of Gueret you will find Le Petit Pauliat, a rural gite rented by the week from Saturday to Saturday in a beautiful rural setting with nearby Le Petit Pauliat, 4 Pauliat, 03380 Treignat; Tel: 04 70 070 885; Email: info@pauliat.com; Web site: www.pauliat.com.

For the thermal baths....
Evaux-Les-Bains is a small spa and thermal bath town east of Gueret. More information is at the town web site: www.ot-evauxlesbains.com; and at the Web site for the baths: www.evauxthermes.com

Walking routes include:
One of the Routes to Santiago de Compostela in Spain (Route of St James), runs through the region of Limousin, starting in Vezelay and heading south of Bourges towards Limoges and St Leonard De Noblat - GR 654. ANother walking path is GR 3 - see the Website for both of them at: http://www.ffrandonnee.fr/itineraires/ideesRandos_selection.aspx - click on the map for the area you want.

Parks: Issoudun has city parks and sites
Regional Natural Park is in Brenne just west of Chateauroux between Limoges and Bourges - Web site: http://www.parc-naturel-brenne.fr/parc/ou/index.html

Excursions:
90 km south of Limoges the town of Brive-la-Gaillarde is home to a famous market where you can find local specialties including walnuts, mushrooms, truffles, apples and violet mustard. The market is held on Place du 14 Juillet and Place de Lattre de Tassigny on Tuesday and Saturday mornings from 8am to 12:30pm.

The Limousin region was home to a strong contingent of the French Resistance including the Maquis guerilla resistance fighters who worked to combat the Nazi controlled government in Vichy. In Brive-la-Gaillard you can find the Musée de la Resistance et de la Deportation Edmund Michelet (The Resistance & Deportation Museum), with memorabilia, artifacts and photographs from World War II and the French Resistance. Musée de la Resistance et de la Deportation Edmund Michelet (The Resistance & Deportation Museum), rue Champanatier, 19100 Brive la Gaillard; Tel: 05 55 740 608. Open every day except Sunday and holidays from 10am to 12pm/2pm to 6pm with free entrance.

Organic and Bio-Dynamic Vineyards:
Biovidis is a biodynamic vineyard in Amboise, Indre et Loire - www.biovidis.com

Here's to Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, not just for the French, but for the planet!

A Sustainable Saturday in Paris

Rather than reinvent the wheel, I am directing you to the blog of my publisher, North Atlantic Books, which has posted a sample itinerary I prepared based on my book and travels - A Sustainable Saturday in Paris. See http://northatlanticbooks.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/a-sustainable-saturday-in-paris/

I thought it was such a good idea that I have decided to post a few more daily itineraries here. So stay tuned for more to come and if you are not in Paris, enjoy the itinerary vicariously.