Drawing on its 50-year tradition of botanical beauty products, the French beauty firm Yves Rocher opened an eco-friendly hotel and spa, called La Grée des Landes, in its hometown of La Gacilly, France in April. “My father had the idea of building a ‘beauty farm’ modeled after those in Germany or the Nordic countries, says Jacques Rocher, son of Yves and director of sustainable development and prospective for the Groupe Yves Rocher. “It seems logical to have a designated place of well-being, where people can come to relax, escape and breathe with nature, especially while respecting it.” The 3,333-square-foot Botanical Beauty Spa features four modern, stone-walled rooms, where guests can experience treatments using ingredients culled from the surrounding 110 acres of organic plants.
The spa has the first organic treatment room certified by Ecocert. Services include signature rituals that combine herbal baths, body scrubs, facial masks and massage, about $162 each. A sauna and a “relaxation basin” featuring an airy, wooden balcony with a picturesque view, are open to all hotel guests. The hotel, built with the aim of being carbonneutral, boasts thermic solar panels and rainwater recapturing systems. Its 29 rooms have numerous eco-friendly features, such as furniture made of nontoxic materials, and the restaurant uses local and organic produce. One tree is planted in honor of each guest’s stay. Rooms start at $149 during high season.