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Here at Mountain & Tradition, we are looking towards a greener future. On this page, we detail all the efforts that we are undertaking to play our part in making our business eco-friendly.
We (Raph, a native of Les Gets, along with his wife Jana and their friend and colleague Ashleigh), strive to reflect our eco-friendly way of life in our working environment. Having all grown up enjoying skiing and snowboarding in the mountains, and the great outdoors in general, we are aware that, without action, this may not be an option for future generations. The environment has given so much to our lives and to our business, it is only fair that we now help to protect it.
Creating the finest chalet holiday experience possible is at the core of our business here in Les Gets. Efficiency, productivity, an open and honest working culture and sustainable development are just some of the elements that have ensured Mountain & Tradition has kept its reputation of excellence since it was created in 2008.
Here are some of the steps that we've recently undertaken in an effort to become a more ecological employer and holiday provider.
Our Chalets Eco-Rating is calculated based on multiple factors including:
The quality of our catering is something we're very proud of. But we're also very aware that food (and in particular food waste) are significant factors in the damage human beings are doing to our environment.
In order to reduce our plastic waste, we've equipped each of our accommodation with a soda stream. Our Guests can now enjoy the fizziest, tastiest, and most eco-friendly sparkling water, tonic water and soft drinks all made via the soda stream (with syrups).
Here at Mountain & Tradition, we also serve seasonal produce, sourced locally. Everything we serve is homemade, from fresh ingredients. To minimise food waste and make production as efficient as possible, we have centralised our catering into one state-of-the-art industrial kitchen. (Find out more about our catering here).
We're proud to introduce our Locavore Night this winter. But you might be wondering, what exactly does that mean?
Our Locavore Night is a celebration of all things local, a gathering that champions the richness and diversity of our community's food culture. In essence, it means appreciating the bounty of produce, meats, dairy, and other culinary delights that are produced right here in our region. The term "locavore" combines "local" and "vore" (from "herbivore" or "carnivore"), "local" being defined as anything within 100 km of our home.
We have design this menu with recipes and ingredients very local (cheese, rapins, blueberry, and genepi), even the wines you will be served are local (mondeuse and apremont). It's an opportunity to explore the unique tastes of our region, from farm-fresh vegetables and fruits to artisanal cheeses, freshly baked bread, and locally crafted beverages. And it is now a very big thing in France.
By choosing a Locavore Night, we support nearby farmers, reduce the environmental impact of transporting goods over long distances, and promote sustainable agriculture practices - Aligned with our eco-friendly approach. Not only you will be treating your taste buds, but also contributing to a more sustainable and vibrant local food system.
We have extensively reorganised our operations to make them more environmentally friendly.
When replacing tools, equipment and infrastructure, we always favour environmentally-friendly replacements. Our delivery and maintenance vehicle is now electric. Similarly, we now use eco-saver ovens in our centralised kitchen.
The EU Ecolabel is awarded to products and services that meet high environmental standards throughout their life-cycle. It offers detailed guidelines for any business that is looking to lower its environmental footprint, via an environmental management system (EMS). Through third-party authorities, EU Ecolabel can guarantee the implementation and maintenance of all adopted systems. And we're proud to say, we've been certified since March 2022!
While we have put in place countless systems and actions throughout our company lifecycle, adding an EU Ecolabel is our way of ensuring that we are operating from the best possible, and most current, guidelines. Some of the key areas that EU Ecolabel is involved with include:
Whilst the EU Ecolabel certification is done by Afnor Certification, we've been working in collaboration with Certification QSE — a certification consultancy firm. Our personal advisor is Lauriane Moiraud, based in the neighbouring town of Morzine. So far, Lauriane's knowledge, of both the certification process and the local environment, has proved invaluable to us.
Since the founding of Mountain & Tradition in 2008, we have aimed to constantly improve not only our quality of service but also our production systems. When our workforce is smiling, so too are our guests. We aim to achieve this through not only an open and honest work culture, but also through the creation of effective procedures based around our eco-friendly ethos. Find out more about ourEnvironmental Policy.
We understand that not every activity within our company can be 100% eco-friendly, and that is why we wanted to ensure we're doing the best we can, with the help of EU Ecolabel.
Our environmental management system enables us to improve our performance permanently. It also gives us a framework to work from in implementing future procedures.
Some of the systems that we are currently undertaking include:
We endeavour to communicate all aspects of our environmental policy with both our team and our guests. We want this to be a collaboration, not a directive. If you have any questions at all about the process of our accreditation or our any aspect of our environmental policy, we'd love to hear from you.
Les Gets is continually working to improve its ecological footprint, and has long been raising awareness of the issue. You can find more on the official Les Gets Ecotourism page.
Our top 5 ways Les Gets is preserving biodiversity and nature in the area:
Les Gets resort is actively involved in the Biodiversity Observatory, whose ambition is to reconcile the practice of tourism with the preservation of natural heritage. The resort is thus committed to protecting the Black Grouse, one of the Alps iconic bird species. The grouse wintering areas are now marked and accompanied by information panels, in order to limit disturbance as much as possible. Once the winter has passed, alpine pasture areas are cleared and maintained to encourage reproduction.Find out more...
Imagine a 19th-century botanist and priest from Les Gets in search of a sacred plant, who embarked on three missions to China and a few more hazardous voyages, and step into a unique botanical garden combining history and botanical treasures. The Delavay Garden is located in the beautiful setting of the Lac des Écoles, and features plants and shrubs discovered 150 years ago by Father Jean-Marie Delavay in the mountains of Yunnan. It was created in 2017, and contributes to the preservation of living heritage.Find out more...
Created by UNESCO in 2015, the purpose of the Global Geopark label is to explore, develop, and celebrate connections between a geological heritage, and all other aspects of its natural, cultural, and intangible heritage. The Chablais region's identity has been shaped over millennia by both geological forces and human activities. The exceptional geological, cultural, and human heritage of the Chablais Geopark can be explored through two main themes: the history of the Alps' formation and the Quaternary glaciation.Find out more...
The Plateau de Loëx is a Natura 2000 protected area, comprising of three localities (Les Gets, Taninges and Verchaix) and extending over an area of more than 3000 acres. The ambition of this network of ecological sites is to preserve biological diversity and enhance the natural heritage of the territories. Discover a path in the heart of wild landscapes and exceptional natural habitats, through forest tracks and pastures, passing by the Chapel of Jacquicourt.Find out more...
Introducing the Eco-Friendly Beech Wood Lift Pass for the 2023-2024 Ski Season! Experience a groundbreaking change in French ski resorts this winter with the innovative beech wood lift pass! Embrace an eco-conscious approach without compromising on functionality. Crafted from sustainable beech wood, this pass boasts the same features as a traditional one, including an RFID chip and online recharge capabilities via its unique WTP number. Combining style and practicality, this pass comes in a sleek credit card format, ensuring seamless skiing adventures. Plus, it is universally accepted in all resorts, and compatible with online sales sites of Portes du Soleil, making it your perfect skiing companion.Find out more...
Our friends PureVolt Solar are all about green energy. They are a solar panel installation company based in Ireland. Having recently tested an Eco science experiment with their kids, they wrote an article about it: "DIY Solar Panel as a Paddling Pool Heater". Spoiler alert: It worked!
Another aim in applying for Ecolabel accreditation is to showcase to our partners and suppliers that we are looking to minimise our environmental footprint. We hope this will encourage other businesses to take similar steps.
PUREXPERIENCE is one of the few sports shops in Les Gets that places being environmentally responsible at the heart of everything it does. Proudly a member of the global movement 1% FOR THE PLANET, PUREXPERIENCE donates 1% of its turnover to projects that protect and restore the environment. All the brands and suppliers that PUREXPERIENCE works with, have been chosen for their commitment to the environment, hence we have partnered with them. For more information, visit their website...
L'occitane is a very famous cosmetic brand, which have a very strong environmental policy, based in Manosque (Provence). They see nature as their model and draw inspiration from the natural properties of plants to drive innovation. They strive to purchase local produce whenever possible, in order to reduce their carbon footprint and support local business, prioritising short and local integrated channels when sourcing their key ingredients. For more information, visit their website...
