Qualité Tourisme and sustainable resorts
Qualité Tourisme™, a brand guaranteeing quality
Qualité Tourisme™ is a label attributed by the French government to tourism professionals for the quality of their services.
It applies to the entire chain of people working in tourism, so you may see Qualité Tourisme™ labels throughout your holiday: accommodation, restaurants, places of interest, sports and leisure activities, tourist information offices, organisations in charge of swimming areas etc.
In 2019, Landes Attractivité launched a new project involving the national Qualité Tourisme TM label in partnership with the Syndicat Mixte de Gestion des Baignades Landaises (SMGBL). The top 14 local authorities involved applied in 2021 via an independent mystery visit.
Welcoming and informing visitors, combined with prevention and safety, are top priorities. The Qualité Tourisme label takes a comprehensive approach, complementary to existing, ambitious prevention schemes. It makes visitors a priority and ensures that all tourism professionals are involved. It also helps to share the expertise of Landes lifeguards.
What does this involve?
Communication, information, prevention, comfort, cleanliness, sustainable development, welcoming people to the lifeguards’ station, safety, accessibility, promoting regions etc.
Questioning, providing training, raising awareness, supporting others.
Find out more = www.tourismelandes.com/qualite-tourisme et www.qualite-tourisme.gouv.fr
Focus on actions to protect the environment
Here is a summary of just some of the initiatives aimed at keeping the impact of human activity to a minimum, by adopting preventive and educational measures, while welcoming tourists in good conditions.
Arjuzanx
- The beach is located in a national nature reserve that means many actions for the preservation of the environment
- Public awareness of respect for nature and respectful behaviors are encouraged
- Bin-free beach.
- Distribution of pocket ashtrays
http://www.reserve-arjuzanx.fr/
Biscarrosse
Logistics
- Bin-free beach.
- Portable ashtrays available at the lifeguards’ stations
- Tree6clope cigarette butt collecting stations are available
- Beach clean-up operations (Great Lake integration projects).
- Designated dog areas and dog poop bag dispensers at the entrance to each beach.
- Two environment ambassadors have been hired by the CCGL to raise awareness
Lifeguards’ stations
- Awareness-raising during Vis Ta Plage operations (ocean and lake) at least once a week in the summer season.
- Regular preventive activities run by the lifeguards.
Education
- Mermoz school ocean project: territorial overview with the creation of posters to raise awareness (now posted on the lifeguards’ stations), and creation of models on the “BISCA IN 2050” theme (organisation of competitions).
- Ground painting campaign: “the ocean starts here” in partnership with Jean Mermoz school.
- Awareness-raising in schools with the “pitchouns sauveteurs” (budding lifeguards) operation (involving 13 primary school classes).
- Special ocean recycling bins have been installed at three out of four ocean beaches throughout the winter (partnership with the town hall, schools and local residents’ associations).
- Partnership with the association AmatayeRecycling to recycle masks (collection points) + organisation of beach clean-up operations.
- Environmental awareness-raising early in the season for lifeguards by the Natura 2000 officer at the CCGL.
http://www.ville-biscarrosse.fr/
Capbreton
- No-smoking beach
- Bin-free beach
- Creation of a “plastic waste-free beaches” charter
- Recycling of shower water
- By-pass to transfer sand from Notre-Dame beach to Centrale and Santocha beaches to prevent erosion in winter by adding more sand to the beaches
Hossegor
- Bin-free beaches: La Gravière beach and Naturiste beach
- No-smoking beach : South beach and Parc beach
https://www.soorts-hossegor.fr/
Labenne
- Bin-free beach
- Installation of ocean waste bins
- Clean-up operation with the youth centre, school and associations
- Recycling during mechanical cleaning
Léon
- Monitored consumption of water and electricity
- Message to encourage waste recycling and promote eco-friendly behaviour in general
- Use of eco-friendly cleaning products
Lit-et-Mixe
- Bin-free beaches
- Installation of an ocean waste recycling bin
- Beach clean-up operations
- Driftwood used for urban furniture
Messanges
- Awareness-raising on water consumption and limiting use of shower products (signage)
- Recycling bins at stations and around the beaches
- Installation of an ocean waste recycling bin
Moliets
- Introduction of an eco-friendly charter for citizens
- Creation of a guidebook for individuals in several languages showing where the recycling bins are
- Beach clean-up operations in winter
- Installation of an ocean waste recycling bin
- Awareness-raising message about water consumption with respect to showering
- Installation of netting to retain sand on paths leading to beaches
Ondres
- Bin-free beach
- Installation of an ocean waste recycling bin
- Beach clean-up operations behind the dune in May, for the nature festival, and in August, for the dune festival
- Off-road beach vehicle washed with stored rainwater (used for other service vehicles too)
Sanguinet
- Pavillon beach: No-smoking beach
- Preserve the environment and protect biodiversity
- Eliminate visual pollution
- Prevent forest fires
- Caton beach: “zero cigarette butt” operation with the Great Lakes CDC (distribution of portable ashtrays).
https://www.ville-sanguinet.fr/
Seignosse
- Beach clean-up operations every year: Les SeignOceanes, and also with the Associations Surfrider Antenne Landes /Cetasea/ Pickup40
- Removal of bins on the beach and installation of recycling bins at the entrance
- Dune preservation sessions with the ONF (French forestry office) and Asso des Surfeurs du Penon
- Project to install showers with a built-in water recycling system
- Partnership with the Laboratoires de Biarritz to introduce dispensers to provide chemical filter-free sunscreen
- “Un Sapin Pour la Dune” Christmas tree disposal operation
- Guided nature tours with an ONF ranger to raise awareness on protecting the dune (in summer)
- “Eco-friendly on holiday” page in the Tourist Board’s 2021 Welcome Guide
- Single-use plastic prohibited for those with a beach business licence (cabins and surf schools)
Soustons
- Awareness-raising with regard to dune fragility
- Showers placed near the lifeguards’ station to ensure proper use and save water
Ste-Eulalie-en-Born
- Lacustre beach in Ste-Eulalie-en-Born is bin-free. There are recycling bins near the car park.
- Several ashtrays have been installed: one at the lifeguards’ station, one by the bicycle and boat rental shop, and another near the activity centre. Portable ashtrays are available in the summer.
- In July and August, council workers clean the beach of seaweed three mornings a week.
- There is a guidebook with suggestions for nature hikes, to raise awareness among visitors about local wildlife, to explore biodiversity from the southern-most point of the lake à Ste-Eulalie-en-Born. The unique nature and unusual story of our lakes, the current, the marshes and forests.
https://www.sainteeulalieenborn.fr/
Vieux-boucau
- Bin-free beach