LE PERCHOIR DU QUERCY, soon to be an official sustainable holiday house rental

I'm Nathalie, the proud owner of Le Perchoir du Quercy and your hostess during your stay.


A few years ago, I took the time to create this unique place where you can come and relax in the heart of nature, while limiting your impact on the environment.


My family and I gradually adopted a more eco-responsible lifestyle over the last decade. It was therefore obvious to me to design a holiday rental in line with my values, serving the wellbeing of my guests and the planet.


Let me explain my approach to reducing the environmental impact of Le Perchoir du Quercy before it officially becomes an eco-labelled gîte.


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Vue de la terrasse du gîte Le Perchoir du Quercy, illuminée par les guirlandes lumineuses le soir, Montcuq, sud du Lot, Occitanie.

A healthy, sustainable construction for my gîte

Le Perchoir du Quercy is a fuste: a house built from debarked logs, cleaned and then stacked and nested one on top of the other.
In addition to the architectural beauty of this type of construction, a fuste has a low environmental impact:


  • The Perchoir is made from untreated Douglas fir logs sourced from forests in central France. Wood is a renewable material: once cut, it continues to store the absorbed CO2 throughout its usage.
  • The construction of a log house produces very little waste, most of which can be recycled. The logs are cut, debarked by hand and then left to dry. The fustier then fits them together and stacks them one on top of the other. This construction technique requires few tools, and no glue or screws.
  • The house is first assembled in the workshop, then dismantled and reassembled on site in just a few days, saving on transport and energy costs.
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Vue sur le gîte Le Perchoir du Quercy (Montcuq, Lot) qui a l'air perché au milieu des arbres.

What's more, log homes are healthy and comfortable, thanks to the wood, which :


  • regulates the humidity of the indoor air, preventing mould ;
  • stores heat or cold and releases it later, providing natural air conditioning.


All the craftsmen who worked on the house are local. The house was built by Pierre (Les Fustes d'Olt), a fuste maker whose workshop is in Prayssac, about thirty kilometres from the gîte.

In agreement with him, materials with a low environmental impact were used for the rest of the construction: hemp and wood for the insulation, gypsum for the partitions, Périgord oak floors, and so on.

As for the Nordic bath, heated exclusively with wood, it was designed and manufactured in the French Alps by Storvatt. 

Finally, as the Lot département is always keen to ensure that the architecture and construction of a house blend in as well as possible with the landscape, the house had to be built on stilts, to respect the slope of the land. And that's just as well, because it looks like a lovely perch among the trees... hence the name of the gîte (le perchoir means "the perch" in French, which is a bit obvious 😊)!

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Cuisine du gîte en bois Le Perchoir du Quercy, hébergement de vacances écologique zéro déchet.

The ecological approach of Le Perchoir du Quercy

Staying at Le Perchoir du Quercy means choosing a form of tourism that is more respectful of the planet.


RATIONAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION:

  • solar hot water production,
  • a supplier of renewable energy (Enercoop),
  • heating with a wood pellet stove,
  • low energy lighting,
  • ennergy-efficient household appliances to ensure rational consumption.

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Nathalie, hôte du gîte écologique Le Perchoir du Quercy, caressant ses brebis.

MORE ECOLOGICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT:

  • waste sorting and composting;
  • sheep and goats to maintain the grounds instead of a noisy and polluting lawn mower;
  • buying and using cleaning and hygiene products in bulk to limit unnecessary packaging.


CONSUMING MORE RESPONSIBLY AND LOCALLY:

  • cleaning and hygiene products with the Ecocert label;
  • a preference for "Made in France" products: almost all the household appliances are made in France, bed sheets were made from Normandy linen and the garden furniture by the French brand Fermob, etc.;
  • second-hand furniture and decorative items, most of which I've hunted down or made myself using the upcycling principle;
  • highlighting our local producers and shops in our welcome booklet for you to discover on site;
  • promoting a range of nearby outdoor activities, including walking trails, mountain biking, climbing and canoeing.

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Help me protect the planet during your holiday

I have done my best to implement a number of actions to limit the environmental impact of my gîte.


During your stay, I'll pass the torch to you and encourage you to carry on my efforts.


Nothing complicated or restrictive, just a small number of simple actions to take:

  • turn off the lights when you leave a room ;
  • turn off the water when you brush your teeth or wash the dishes;
  • use a shopping bag and bulk bags when you go shopping;
  • eat locally, thanks to the list of small producers I can provide you with;
  • use the cleaning products available in the gîte, carefully chosen for their effectiveness, and to protect your health and the environment;
  • compost your waste, and say hello to our animals while doing it;
  • try out the solid, zero-waste product s on sale in the gîte's "little boutique", a great opportunity to get started if you don't already use them.

If you need to find out more, you'll find a booklet full of information and tips on how to minimise our impact on the planet.

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If, like me, you have a strong ecological conscience, you can come and relax at Le Perchoir du Quercy without feeling guilty: everything is designed to to minimise the environmental impact of your holiday.


Yes, you can be eco-friendly and relax in a spa 😉


I look forward to welcoming you and can't wait for you to discover Le Perchoir du Quercy!

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Treat yourself to an unforgettable stay at Le Perchoir du Quercy!
Book now!