Lou Calen is a year-round economic engine for the village of Cotignac. Between October 2024 and September 2025, the hotel hired 120 employees — over 5% of the village’s population — and 69.7% of these contracts are long-term (CDI), providing stability in an industry typically dominated by short-term employment. By remaining open throughout the winter months, Lou Calen ensures continuity of income for staff and sustained activity for local businesses, preventing the seasonal dormancy that often affects rural communities.

The hotel extends its economic impact beyond direct employment by partnering with local artisans, wellness practitioners, and cultural organisations. 

In 2025, it hosted 44 workshops and ateliers, welcoming 186 participants, 87% of whom were external to the hotel. It provided 13 internships through local hospitality schools, supported apprenticeships, and donated €32,450 to eight local organisations, including €30,000 to Cotignac Côté Culture. 

The hotel also offers free housing to up to ten young staff members, helping reduce living costs and encouraging long-term retention. Through these initiatives, Lou Calen demonstrates that hospitality can be a vehicle for structural economic growth, cultural enrichment, and community resilience.

At Lou Calen, responsible consumption is embedded into every layer of operations. The Michelin Green Star restaurant, Le Jardin Secret, works exclusively with suppliers within a 60-kilometre radius, eight of which are certified organic, while the estate’s permaculture garden provides fresh vegetables and herbs. The menu changes daily, reflecting seasonal availability to reduce food waste, and all vegetable scraps from both kitchen and garden are composted to enrich the soil. Bread is sourced locally on foot, beer is brewed on site, and wine comes from nearby vineyards, closing the loop between production and consumption.

Across the entire hotel, single-use plastic has been eliminated, refillable bathroom amenities replace disposable bottles, and stainless steel flasks combined with filtered water stations remove the need for packaged water. 

Digital tablets replace printed materials, second-hand furniture reduces embodied carbon, and a linen program — with data showing that 96.9% of guests opt for minimal changes — saves water and energy while providing guests with a choice. 

By integrating circular principles into both food and operations, Lou Calen transforms resource efficiency from an abstract goal into measurable practice, proving that sustainable luxury can be intentional and systemic.

Lou Calen approaches climate action through permanent infrastructure and measurable outcomes. The hotel installed a pioneering glass roof with Onyx Solar photovoltaic panels in 2023, the first of its kind for a hotel in France, projected to generate over 400,000 kWh over 35 years. 

Beneath the estate, a geothermal heating and cooling system powers underfloor heating across the tennis court and olive groves. Centralised energy systems, motion sensors, and automated air conditioning ensure efficient electricity use, while LED lighting reduces unnecessary consumption outdoors.

Transport emissions are minimised through electric vehicle charging stations, electric golf carts, and an eight-seat electric shuttle van that replaces multiple smaller journeys. Centralised delivery logistics further reduce traffic and emissions in the village. 

Water and energy conservation are integrated through solar-powered irrigation, closed-circuit canals, dual-flush toilets, tap aerators, and a water retention pond under construction to irrigate gardens and support biodiversity.

Beyond infrastructure, Lou Calen actively restores local ecosystems, protecting cliff habitats in consultation with Natura 2000, maintaining organic gardens, and creating sustainable walking paths from recycled pine paper resin. Climate responsibility at Lou Calen is long-term, systemic, and measurable, demonstrating how a historic rural estate can lead in renewable energy and low-carbon operations without compromising guest experience or heritage.