Les Sources de Caudalie is an icon of green luxury nestled among the grand cru vineyards of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, just outside Bordeaux. This 5-star spa hotel – designated as France’s first eco-certified “Palace” – has, for over two decades, embodied a harmonious blend of elegance and eco-responsibility. Built in 1999 using reclaimed local materials (think centuries-old oak beams, salvaged stone, and even antique bricks from old nearby wine warehouses), the property feels timelessly regional while being consciously low-impact. Its architecture and operations have always prioritized sustainability: in 2023, the hotel earned the European Ecolabel in recognition of its long-standing green commitments. Strolling the grounds, you’ll find yourself amid organic kitchen gardens, beehives, and even a small farm with chickens – all contributing to the restaurants’ hyper-local supply. The two Michelin-starred La Grand’Vigne restaurant crafts tasting menus from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region’s bounty, including produce from the hotel’s 250m² permaculture garden and eggs from its coop. They’ve cut out food miles so much that at breakfast, everything except coffee, tea, and sugar is sourced within the region. Les Sources de Caudalie’s world-renowned Vinotherapy Spa is another pillar of its sustainable ethos. The spa’s pools and therapeutic barrel baths are fed by a natural hot spring 540 meters underground – no energy-intensive heating needed for that warm, mineral-rich water. Treatments utilize Caudalie’s grape-based skincare products, which are largely natural and eco-friendly. In fact, this Spa just became the first in the world to be certified by Ecocert as a “Sustainable Wellness Facility”. Throughout the property, single-use plastics have been banished; rooms feature chic refillable bath product dispensers and amenities in compostable or fabric packaging. Energy and water savings are pursued vigorously: geothermal wells and heat exchangers help warm the pools and buildings, LED lighting is used exclusively, and all irrigation for the extensive landscaping (including a vineyard on site) comes from collected rainwater and an on-site well. Waste reduction is equally creative – the hotel installed a vermicomposting system to turn kitchen scraps into rich compost for the gardens, and has partnered with a local recycling social enterprise (Elise) to recycle everything from paper to glass while supporting jobs for disabled workers. Even in the fine-dining kitchen, the team follows a “zero waste” training program so that every carrot top and grape skin finds a use (soups for staff meals, cosmetic ingredients, etc.). Despite all these advanced initiatives, the ambiance remains one of romantic French country living: ivy-covered facades, a lake with swans, and art pieces made by local artisans dotting the landscape. Les Sources de Caudalie shows that a hotel can pamper you and the planet at once – delivering indulgence (a soak in the outdoor thermal pool, a glass of their organic Graves wine by the fireplace) with an unyielding commitment to “blend elegance with awareness”. Little wonder it’s frequently named one of Bordeaux’s most sustainable and finest retreats.