I’ve stayed in quite a few theme park hotels but Les Trois Hiboux at Parc Astérix felt a little different. For starters, it’s genuinely in the forest.
Rather than feeling like a hotel that happens to be next to a theme park, the whole thing feels much more secluded. There are trees everywhere, woodland around the hotel and, if you’re lucky, even sheep wandering around.
Les Trois Hiboux has been awarded the Clef Verte certification since 2020, recognising its environmental management and sustainable tourism practices. The certification looks at things such as energy, water, waste, purchasing and environmental awareness.
But a sustainability certification is one thing. What I wanted to know was, can you actually see any of it when you’re staying there?
Water…
The hotel is fitted with water-flow reducers throughout the building. According to Parc Astérix, this was one of the measures that contributed to the hotel achieving its Clef Verte certification.
It’s a good example of something that I think gets overlooked when we talk about sustainable tourism. Sustainability doesn’t always have to mean a giant solar panel installation that everyone can see. Sometimes it’s a tiny change to something you use every day.
And if the guest doesn’t notice any difference in their experience, that’s arguably a pretty good thing.
The toiletries…
Another small detail was the hotel’s use of eco-labelled products. Parc Astérix states that its hotels use Ecocert-labelled welcome and maintenance products.
Again, this isn’t something that completely transforms your stay but multiply these small decisions across 150 rooms, thousands of stays and an entire resort, and suddenly the little things start to add up.
And then there are the sheep…
Yes, actual sheep. Parc Astérix uses Ouessant sheep for eco-grazing around the resort, including areas around Les Trois Hiboux.
Instead of relying entirely on conventional landscaping and mechanical mowing, the sheep help manage the vegetation naturally. And honestly, this might be my favourite sustainability initiative I’ve come across. It practical, it’s visible and it also adds something to the guest experience.
The park says the grazing system is carefully managed, with the sheep rotated between different areas to protect both the animals and the vegetation. Technical studies were also carried out to make sure the areas were suitable for the sheep, including looking at noise and vibration from nearby attractions.
So yes, there are sheep next to the rollercoasters and somehow that makes perfect sense.
What I found most interesting…
What I liked most about Les Trois Hiboux wasn’t necessarily any one sustainability initiative, it was the fact that the environmental side of the hotel doesn’t completely take over the experience.
You’re still there to stay somewhere nice, eat a massive breakfast and go on rollercoasters. The sustainability measures are mostly working quietly in the background.
And I think that’s an interesting challenge for sustainable tourism.
How do you make travel more sustainable without compromising the experience?
Because ultimately, people are on holiday to enjoy themselves.
If saving water means installing a flow reducer that I barely notice, great.
If managing the grounds with sheep means I get to see sheep from my hotel room, even better.
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