A More Eco-friendly Ski Chalet Experience
Did you know that for the last few years F&P has been beavering away behind the scenes to make our ski chalets more eco-friendly? Our ethos at F&P has always been to provide alpine comfort and luxury as well as delicious food and access to some of the best skiing in the world. We also believe that this shouldn’t come at the cost of our beautiful surroundings. Let us explain what we’ve been up to and how, we believe, it will enhance your experience.
Becoming a net zero chalet business
Our long-term goal is to become a net zero chalet business. What does that mean in practice?
It means we are working on a plan to reduce our carbon emissions as much as we possibly can and anything we can’t reduce, we will offset. We want to be completely transparent with you about our progress as this is a process, not something we can achieve overnight. We aren’t in a position to set a date to become net zero yet, but we are looking to have the carbon footprint of our operations audited so we have a base from which to set our target and make reductions. That said, we are already taking action to reduce our impact.
Here is a selection of our activities:
Reducing energy consumption in our chalets
You may not have noticed, but we are already reducing our energy consumption. We’ve switched 95% of our lighting to LED and have a plan for the last 5%. Our use of smart meters also helps inform our team which appliances are using the most electricity so they keep consumption to a minimum (all whilst providing you with their usual top-notch food and service of course). We’re also helping our chalet owners switch their electricity contracts to renewable energy providers.
Food, glorious (sustainable) food
Our breakfast table is completely plastic-free, all the way down to our tea bags which we source from Clipper and our yoghurts which are local and come in glass jars. In addition to this, we’ve selected a coffee supplier who will deliver our coffee in reusable packaging which they will collect and reuse each week. More on our breakfast table, we should mention that we don’t stock a well-known brand of chocolate hazelnut spread due to the unsustainable palm oil content. Don’t worry though, we do have a more sustainable alternative.
Whilst we know a plant-based approach is the most sustainable way to eat, we’re also aware it’s not for everyone. On that basis, we provide a menu with a carbon footprint we are comfortable with, sourcing local meat and serving seasonal vegetables. We also stock certain items for our guests who are plant-based including oat milk available as standard in our chalets. Food waste is a big no-no for us. We think we might be the only chalet company to weigh any food waste every day. With this information, we incentivise our chefs to cook just the right amount to tickle your tastebuds and keep you fuelled up on the mountain.
Being eco in the bathroom
You’ll see that our toiletries don’t come in single-serve bottles. We also partner with brands that share our strong commitment to environmental sustainability
Bramley: Bramley is committed to sustainability through the use of natural ingredients, refillable packaging, and a firm stance against animal testing, ensuring their products are as kind to the planet as they are to the skin.
Aesop: Aesop embraces a thoughtful approach to sustainability by prioritising plant-based ingredients, using recyclable packaging, and supporting carbon offset initiatives to reduce their environmental impact.
Who Gives A Crap: Did you know, every time you go to the loo, you’re supporting people in water poverty thanks to our toilet paper supplier Who Gives a Crap? Rolls are paper wrapped, so no more plastic either. It’s a small action on our part that has a positive impact elsewhere in the world. Our guests also support us in our efforts to be more eco-conscious by using their towels for the duration of their stay, only requesting a mid-week change if absolutely necessary.
Getting around more sustainably
We’re aware that many of our emissions are linked to transport, to and from as well as in resort. To limit our impact, we’re encouraging our team to join us for the season without flying. Many have already confirmed they are taking the train or car-sharing. We are also launching a new initiative for guests, offering free transfers to and from Moutiers station when you visit Méribel by train.
Our in-resort shuttle bus is there to help you get to your ski lessons on time, but we’ll also be publishing the Méribus shuttle times and encouraging you to take the bus when possible. It runs all day and evening and picks up and drops off right by our chalets in Meribel Village, so it is a really convenient way to get around.
Further efforts behind the scenes
Behind the scenes our shopping is delivered in reusable crates, our cleaning products are refillable and we’ve even replaced our plastic washing up brushes with natural ones. Our environmental efforts extend to our laundry too where we are working to eliminate single-use plastic bags, use eco-detergent and donate or repurpose our linen at the end of its life.
We hope you appreciate the actions we’re taking to reduce the impact of our chalets and your holidays on the environment.
If you’d like to find out more about how you can plan a more eco-friendly ski holiday check out this article.
Our Sustainable Partners
One Tree at a time: We work closely with One Tree At a Time to help us and other alpine businesses reduce their environmental impact and individuals to bring about positive change. One tree at a time helps businesses and individuals achieve this through the implementation of solutions that provide a pathway to transforming their operations and lives.
Protect Our Winters: We also work closely with POW – a UK based charity taking positive action to address the climate crisis.
It gives invaluable advice on how you can reduce your carbon footprint, at the same time as enjoying time on the mountain. From researching which ski wear brands are sustainable to donating old kit, from investing responsibly to respecting the resort’s recycling policies and encouraging others to adapt their behaviour too, it all helps. Likewise, if you have any suggestions for F&P, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Méribel Resort
One of the greenest resorts in the Alps, Méribel uses solar and hydroelectric energy to power the lifts and snow canons, and regular free buses run between the villages, reducing the need for cars – even the piste groomers are energy efficient. As a new, more efficient lift system is put in place, the old structure is recycled.
Local planning laws ensure there’s minimum impact on the environment, and the surrounding natural habitat is closely monitored – as you ski around the Trois Vallées, you’ll see information on indigenous species and how to protect them.