In its newsletter of 6th June, Landes Attractivité, the Landes development agency tasked with developing the Landes territory’s overall appeal as a tourist destination, gave the floor to Patrick Dauga, who runs the Green Resort as well as Espace Blue Océan.
Extract from the newsletter:
“This month, Patrick Dauga, Director of the Green Resort in Ondres, shares his experience of hosting eco-responsible corporate seminars and events in the Landes region.
Hello Patrick, could you introduce yourself and tell us about your connection with the Landes?
My ancestors have lived in this village for centuries. They were “pigniers” (the pignier collected the pinecones, dried them and sold them as firelighters in the town), and lived in symbiosis with the forest and its environment.
I lived on several continents for my work. Then I travelled around the world with my family: we were struck by the eco-villages of Halong Bay in Vietnam, and by the atolls of the Pacific, where respect for the environment is not an option, but a question of survival! In Japan, it was the extraordinary sense of service that won us over…
Naturally, at the end of my career, I wanted to participate in the economic development of our Landes territory, by launching myself into eco-tourism. So, 5 years ago, we created an eco-resort to welcome environmentally friendly customers.
Tell us about your best seminar memory…
It was a seminar for the Paris-based company AlterFood (AlterFood develops responsible food products). Their CEO wanted to improve performance by working on team spirit, cohesion and leadership, but in a fun and cheerful atmosphere. He chose to move away from our 2 traditional meeting rooms and hold all his meetings and workshops on our wooden decks in the middle of the forest, surrounded by ferns and broom. A yoga session took place on the beach, then one of our experts introduced them to the flora and fauna of the dune, before brainstorming around the climate fresco – a subject a thousand miles away from their daily lives. Finally, the highlight of the seminar was a presentation by Gautier Garanx – big-wave surfing champion (holder of the 2014 record, Billabong XXL award for a 19m wave) – who explained how to work on concentration and fear management to improve performance.
Why do you think the Landes territory should be chosen for a company seminar?
What other part of France can offer so much to a company looking to improve the performance of its people?
Eco-responsibility is a powerful way of uniting and motivating teams, whatever the business sector.
The Landes is a territory that recognised the value of its natural environment (forest, ocean, nature reserves) very early on, and preserved it, transforming it into a real asset. Its seaside resorts on a human scale, its endless cycle paths and hiking trails make it a remarkable holiday destination. The region’s excellent transport links (TGV, airport, motorway) mean that the Landes is only 3 hours by train from Paris.
The area’s hotel infrastructure is expanding rapidly, with establishments aiming to move upmarket to satisfy a demanding clientele. Last but not least, the local culture, marked by hedonism and ecology, has shaped serious entrepreneurs who are attached to their country and know how to share with their visitors.”
Source : News-letter Landes Attractivité 06/06/2022