EcoTourism Home > Eco Tours > France > La brande wildlife holiday
Website:
www.labrande.com
Contact email:
Labrande16@aol.com
Telephone:
+00 44 (0) 207 610 6452
Address:
12a Hurlingham Road
London, SW6 3QZ
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LA BRANDE holiday courses contribute positively to the surroundings, provide a venue that minimizes the negative effects of tourism and supports the local community throughout the year.
The activity programme includes the following:-
THE PERMACULTURE WAY
An Introduction to Permaculture, Organic and Forest Gardening.
BUSHCRAFT & WILDLIFE
Nature & Wildlife Tracking and Basic Bushcraft
WOODLAND SKILLS
Wood & Land Management, Practical Coppicing and Hedge Laying
RURAL CRAFTS
Green Woodworking, Hazel Hurdles & Trellis Making and Dry Stone Walling.
Holiday courses are of one-week duration and the normal daily pattern starts on around 10am with lunch around 12.30 (for the obligatory French two hour mid-day break) then 2.30pm & 5pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday with Wednesday a "play-away" day.
Any timetabling changes are made mutually between the tutor and the group. Water, tea, coffee, juice and soup (in the colder months) plus mid-day light refreshments are provided.
All our tutors are enthusiastic, committed and practicing crafts people with many years experience and qualifications. They provide expertise, materials and equipment and ensure health and safety regulations are met.
Some of our tutors live and work in France. Others are French speaking, so going out and about will also be a learning experience.
La Brande is set in rolling countryside near St Gourson, a fifteen minute drive south east of the town of Ruffec in the Charante Region of France. The surrounding area is dotted with charming Chateaux, pretty villages, small towns and plenty of easy walks on the quiet backwood tracks.
There are wonderful restaurants and small cafes in and around the Ruffecois area and the larger cities of Poitiers, La Rochelle, Limoges and Anglouleme with their ancient history and modern activities plus well know vineyards and wineries are all within two hours by road or rail.
Combining an activity course with a holiday is very cost effective as La Brande course fees remain constant all year round.
- Fees are £80 per day and includes tuition, the use of tools, equipment, materials plus light mid-day refreshments.
- If you do not wish to pay the full fee now you can make a firm booking by completing the Booking Form and enclosing a non-refundable deposit of £100.
- In the event of cancellation your deposit can be used for another holiday course or you can gift it to another person or group within 12 months.
- On receipt of your booking, we will confirm your registration, the amount of outstanding fees and full details of the holiday course including maps and local information.
- To confirm your booking you will need to pay the balance no later than six weeks before the course start date. If booking within the six-week period, full fees are required when booking.
- We particularly encourage groups of six or more attending by offering a 10% discount on fees.
- We use good quality local accommodation and therefore contribute to the earning potential of the local community.
- Holiday course participants are provided with self-catering twin (or more) bedded accommodation.
- The cost is £20 per night and remains the same throughout the year. If, however, you require a single occupancy, there will be a small supplementary charge.
- Partners of participants who are not attending a course are welcome to join them if they share a double room but there will be a supplementary charge.
- Holiday course participants bringing their families (who are not on a course) will be accommodated in a self-contained gite which we help you find or you may wish to source your own accommodation nearby, including camping and join a holiday course for four-days at £80 per day.
- We can also arrange extra accommodation nights if you wish to stay in the area longer.
Those traveling in Greater Europe are fortunate to be able to use land-based transport , particularly by train. La Brande is easily accessible by Eurostar and the fast TGV to Poitiers.
By air: 1 hr from Poitiers Airport and 2 hrs from Limoges/Bordeaux airports.
By car: 5 hrs from the Normandy ports.
(Car Hire is available from all airports and train stations.)
LA BRANDE’S ethos and ethics are based on the holistic design principles of PERMACULTURE which embraces the philosophy of co-operation with nature and caring for the earth and its people.
• It is based on direct observation of nature, learning from traditional knowledge and skills and embodying a philosophy of positive action and grassroots education.
• It is a global initiative reflecting and enhancing the diversity of cultures across the world.
• It encourages people to think and act both globally and locally, recognizing that we are all citizens of Earth with responsibility for the creation of value within our locality.
This is an old estate with buildings and land currently being totally re-developed and regenerated to provide sustainability based on ethical, organic, conservation and environmentally friendly methods and practices.
