Sustainable Travel ON TOUR
HOTELS
Capital Gains
JOYRIDES IN GERMANY
Grenoble is 2022’s European Green Capital for good reason, says Insight Vacations’ sustainability officer, Valérie Furphy. The city, also known as the French Alps’ capital, was the first in France to adopt a climate plan some 15 years ago, and, she adds, “It has shown a consistent commitment to creating a green experience for residents and visitors.” This begins with an abundance of gardens and parks, including the city’s largest, Parc Paul Mistral. Travelers can roam its 52 acres – and spot peregrine falcons that have made the park’s Perret Tower their home – on Insight’s 16-day guided tour of France. They’ll also join a raclette dinner at a bistro belonging to the Association Française des Maîtres Restaurateurs, a national organization emphasizing local and homemade cuisine. On the menu in Provence: wine and olive oil tastings at an organic estate. Departures: Multiple dates, April 2 through October 1; from $5,075.
Guests of Frankfurt’s 163-room Villa Kennedy, Munich’s 160-room Charles Hotel, and Berlin’s 145room Hotel de Rome can now get behind the wheel of the Rocco Forte properties’ new high-performance, hybrid-electric Polestar 1 and allelectric Polestar 2 vehicles. Yes, the cars go from zero to 60 in slightly over four seconds, but slowing down to see the surrounding landscapes promises its own set of thrills, particularly on these scenic spins suggested by The Charles’ director of guest services, Claus Banczyk: FROM VILLA KENNEDY: The Rhine Valley, a magnificent UNESCO World Heritage site, is easily accessible from Frankfurt by car. A worthy stop along the Rhine River is Worms, one of Germany’s oldest cities and famous for its eleventh-century cathedral.
FROM THE CHARLES HOTEL: The German Alpine Road winds along mountains and lakes for some 280 miles, from Lindau to Berchtesgaden. Mustsees include the Ettal Abbey near Oberammergau and royal castles near Füssen.
FROM HOTEL DE ROME: Only 45 minutes from Berlin lies the university town of Potsdam, with castles and lakes galore, which Quentin Tarantino chose as the setting for Inglourious Basterds.
Green lights (clockwise from left): Grenoble explorations, a Polestar 1 hybrid-electric coupe, the German Alpine Road, and Explora Torres del Paine.
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(GRENOBLE) DAMIENLAMY/GETTY IMAGES
