Terre Vivante (Living Earth)

Contact:
Terre Vivante
Tel. 04 76 34 80 80
Email: info@terrevivante.org
Web: www.terrevivante.org 

Specialty: gardening and green building
Region: Rhône-Alpes
Languages spoken: FR 

This 50ha visitor centre focusing on ecological gardening and housing is located in Mens in Rhône-Alpes. In this region about 20% of the farms are organic : a miracle in comparison with the 1,5% organic farms present on the French territory!

Terre Vivante's buildings demonstrate the potential for earth-friendly construction, utilizing passive and active solar features including photovoltaics, composting toilets, solar and wood-burning water heaters, and natural materials. A wide range of food crops are grown in the gardens, including forgotten or endangered varieties, relying entirely upon composts and organic fertilizers generated nearby. One can also learn about the water-conservation methods used.
In addition to vegetables and flowers, visitors can discover the bamboo garden, wild meadows with donkeys, and a constructed wetland for waste-water treatment.  

Gardening, green building workshops: An ongoing series of workshops is offered at the centre on regenerative gardening and farming, water saving and waste-water treatment (through reed beds), renewable energy, and ecological building techniques. 

Dates: Terre Vivante is open to visitors from May through October. Workshop thematics can be found on their website. 

Prices: 6 euro entrance fee + 2,50 euro per workshop

Eco-Gîte Les Ombelles

Contact:
Bernadette & Patrick Kopacz-Gatelier
Tel: +33 (0)4 76 34 74 71
Email: les-ombelles@wanadoo.fr
Web: www.gitelesombelles.com 

Langues : FR, EN, DE 

Bernadette & Patrick Kopacz-Gatelier welcomes visitors in their renovated farm-ecogîte at the earth of the little Avers hamlet, 6 km from Terre Vivante. All cooking ingredients come from local biological producers or vegetables and red fruits picked up in their 1000m2 garden. One can learn there about the fast composting technique, how to dry fruits, make jam, feed the 2 donkeys and chickens, pruning trees (e.g. rose trees), learn how to grow aromatic plants, vegetables and harvest it from spring to autumn; learn to prepare tomato coulis, collect nuts etc.

Bernadette enjoys particularly talking about vegetarian food and try out new simple but healthy receipts together with her clients. Non-vegetarian food is available as well. 

Prices: half-board from 39-43 € (adultes) including breakfast & diner