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It is now necessary to become aware of the urgency to protect and preserve our planet. This involves carrying out operations in favor of the environment.
For this reason, Vacances Léo Lagrange has decided to develop a structured work methodology with clear objectives:
Always in a spirit of unity, efficiency, and credibility, we work in close partnership with major NGOs such as Surfrider Foundation Europe, or other specialized organizations like France Nature Environnement.
Because we want to be objectively evaluated in this eco-responsible approach, we have called upon an independent organization.
Indeed, the GREEN KEY scheme is a program of the French Office of the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe (FEEE), which awards an international label and thus validates compliance with a strict and precise set of specifications.
Our work schedule on our environmental policy provides for one facility labeling per year.
Furthermore, we have decided to have our establishments labeled by an independent international organization, the “Green Key” label. This label is obtained annually and requires applicants to meet specific criteria and provide numerous supporting documents.
Finally, 70% of our establishments are located in Regional or National Natural Parks and have obtained the “Park Values” brand. This brand was created at the initiative of the Federation of Regional Natural Parks of France to allow consumers to distinguish products or services offered by economic actors who respect local sustainable development and participate in structuring territories.
As members of the Léo Lagrange Federation (an organization recognized as being of public utility), we sit on the International Organization of Social Tourism, we are members of the National Union of Tourism Associations (UNAT) and the Regional Chamber of Social and Solidarity Economy Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. Moreover, we are signatories of the national charter for Social Tourism and a founding member of the largest French sustainable and social tourism coordination, PARCOURS Vacances.
Vacances Léo Lagrange is affiliated with the Leo Lagrange Federation
The purpose of these alliances remains in the defense of a united political voice to inform public authorities about the need to develop a strong social Tourism policy in a coherent and effective way. Our mission is also to co-act with CSE, COS and CASC to facilitate access to holidays for as many people as possible. It is within this framework that for many years we have maintained close ties with nearly a hundred organizations, including notably the Central Fund for Social Activities of the Electrical and Gas Industries, the CESC UES MGEN, the CAES INSERM as well as the solidarity health mutual Solimut.
Finally, Vacances Léo Lagrange aims to create synergies with other operators sharing common values. Thus, our association group is proud to count among its partners organizations such as Floréal HOLLIDAYS (main sustainable tourism operator in Belgium), VVF Villages (largest French social tourism actor), as well as ARTES (major player in the Hauts de France region).
Our association Vacances Léo Lagrange follows in the footsteps of one of the political personalities who has marked, through his generosity and commitment, the entire associative movement of our country.
Under-Secretary of State for Leisure in the Popular Front government (led by Léon Blum), he turned this modest ministry into a formidable lever of emancipation for youth and the working class. The phrase that made him famous was: “For young people, we shouldn’t trace a path but open all roads!”
He is notably credited with establishing paid holidays, creating the popular sports certificate, developing youth hostels as well as the democratization of leisure and culture.
For him, paid holidays were an exceptional tool to promote the advancement of workers and their families. Brotherhood between people of all origins was at the heart of this approach.
In 1940, although as a parliamentarian he was not eligible for mobilization, he nevertheless decided to enlist and was killed at the front, leaving an indelible mark for all those who work for a more just and tolerant society.
It is in this spirit that we want to extend his message by offering stays that prioritize discovery, respect for local populations and natural spaces. This is done by placing solidarity and conviviality at the center of our concerns.
We must know where we come from to understand where we are going
Throughout our history, discover initiatives that were sometimes audacious for their time. Always with the same objective: to make vacations a unique opportunity to participate in the emancipation of individuals. Throughout our journey, the ambition to organize stays based on the values of an ideal society that we defend has been reinforced: Access to holidays for the greatest number, being a cultural and civic actor in the community, raising awareness about environmental protection, promoting local employment, participating in the economic development of territories.
How did one man manage to change the lives of so many French people in less than two years? Léo Lagrange simply lived his ideas fully. And if you’re wondering why we bear the name “Vacances Léo Lagrange”, there is no other answer than the legacy of a thought that we owe to this Under-Secretary of State for Leisure and Sport of the Popular Front. As Frédéric Rosmini, President and founder of Vacances Léo Lagrange, loves to say: “He was a minister greater than his ministry”.
At that time, our team was mainly composed of enthusiastic volunteers. But conviction and passion being the greatest sources of motivation, our activity gradually became professionalized. Thus, 1965 saw the explosion of innovative initiatives for their time:
Half a century of commitment to open windows of curiosity for youth through tourism activities that showcase our territory. A mission that has meaning, doesn’t it?
In a logic of “popular education, what could be the vocation of a meeting between young people? Sharing and” exchange allow for understanding of others, and this is precisely what the Franco-German exchanges we organized in Marseille from 1965 aimed at.
You know as well as we do that youth builds the world of tomorrow. A fundamental societal issue, isn’t it? At that time, the goal of these reciprocal stays was the definitive reconciliation of the German and French peoples. And what better tool than a shared stay to meet, exchange and understand each other?! Since that time, we have never stopped building relationships with different universes, both in terms of our vacationers, our partners and our teams.
The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. Hard Day’s Night in the ears and pleated skirts at the school exit, in the 60s England made so many young people dream.
While Great Britain was experiencing a remarkable cultural transformation, at the request of the Deputy for Social Works of the City of Marseille, we organized the first trips abroad for the children of municipal staff. So it wasn’t Castles in Spain, but rather Castles in England that we rented for 12 years to welcome the youth of Marseille.
During these stays, we established a lifestyle based on cultural discovery and a pedagogy derived from “popular education. We have always aimed to make vacations a window of openness to the world and a tool for the” emancipation of individuals.
Since then, we have reconnected with many of these young people. Some return today as vacationers in our family Holiday Villages. Others entrust their children to us during educational stays. Our story is written over several generations, and it’s not over yet!
Remember the stays in the mountains, by the sea, or in the countryside. Remember those friends that we were heartbroken to leave at the end of the holidays. All our Holiday Villages and Leisure Centers hold these memories like treasures that testify to the importance of these moments of sharing.
1969 ➞ Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes, a first adventure
It’s 1969, it’s Christmas, and we’re opening the doors of a former communal school for new stays. In this place, we were keen to create a family-like and warm atmosphere, for children who were sometimes just 5 years old.
In our intact memories, it was indeed a canteen worker, a real grandmother figure, as well as young locally recruited employees who largely contributed to this friendly atmosphere.
We offered ski trips, nature discovery, and snow days twice a week. And this is how the origins of our expertise began to take shape.
1976 ➞ La Garde Freinet, our first Holiday Village
At a time when there was much talk about tourism, social tourism struggled to make itself heard. But for us, commitments are meant to be kept. So we inaugurated our first Holiday Village to welcome those who were deprived of stays solely due to their financial situation. We defend the right to vacations and have the ambition to make everyone benefit from them.
1977 ➞ The Frioul Islands, a Leisure Center for the people of Marseille
In the early 70s, we were commissioned by the Municipality of Marseille to create a leisure center for the people of Marseille in just 6 months. Challenge accepted! It was the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Interior of the time who came to inaugurate our Frioul Islands Holiday Center. Thus putting our association, and through it all social and solidarity tourism organizations, in the spotlight.
1977 ➞ Ramatuelle, Social Tourism comes to the French Riviera
Spending holidays on Pampelonne beach, in the Saint-Tropez Peninsula: a dream for so many French people. And the dream becomes reality. In July 1977, nearly five hundred vacationers, mostly families, brought life to this brand new, barely constructed holiday village, in the shade of Ramatuelle. All coming from everywhere, families meet and social diversity reigns.
Aiguilles en Queyras, Risoul 1850, Calvi, Bouillante and all our current establishments are witnesses to our history and the expertise we have acquired through long experience.
Vacances Léo Lagrange – Creator of memories
“More and more vacationers are looking for meaning in their choice of stays. Their aspirations are even more strongly affirmed regarding sustainability, local experiences, living together and the impact on the territories where the tourist operators they choose are located.
For 40 years, even if it hasn’t always been trendy, Vacances Léo Lagrange has consistently defended a model of committed tourism, advocating for energy efficiency, respect for local populations, enhancement of territories, citizenship, and the fight against all forms of discrimination.
Our teams are dedicated to working on both the quality of your hotel stay and fostering intergenerational connections, developing a policy of discovery, and access to quality culture and leisure activities that promote exchange and solidarity.
The Tourism industry offers a wide range of diverse options. For Vacances Léo Lagrange, tourism should be both a means of individual empowerment and a true lever for territorial development. By promoting short supply chains, prioritizing recruitment in our areas of operation, and working closely with local authorities, we believe that our role as a tourism operator should actively contribute to the sustainable development of our territories.
Finally, to meet our cultural ambitions and promote live performances, we work daily with numerous artists to offer you quality programs that combine emotions, reflection, sharing, and conviviality. Attending a show obviously has an emotional dimension, but also a social one. We rarely go to a theater alone. This moment is often a great opportunity to share an instant with those we love and with other spectators. To find oneself in a community of place, time, and emotions. This is what we offer you when staying with us.
Because there’s no age limit for getting away, Vacances Léo Lagrange offers you, in partnership with ANCV, stays specially designed for people 60 years and older, at reduced rates and with full board.
Travel worry-free: everything is included so you can fully enjoy your vacation. Comfortable accommodation, delicious meals, friendly activities, cultural events, and access to our facilities… everything is designed for your well-being.
Our establishments, located in the most beautiful regions of France, offer an ideal setting to relax, make new acquaintances, and discover the local heritage. Need advice or ideas for outings? Our teams are at your service to assist you and make your stay unforgettable.
With Vacances Léo Lagrange, treat yourself to a serene, warm, and discovery-filled break.
