At Hôtel Saint Nicolas ****, we are convinced that a pleasurable stay can also be meaningful. For several years now, our hotel group Cosy Hotels is actively committed to limiting its environmental impact and supporting concrete initiatives to help the planet. With this in mind, we are launching the fourth consecutive year, operationOcean Lovers» a romantic weekend in La Rochelle, under the banner of Valentine's Day and protecting the oceans.
To mark the Valentine's Day in La Rochelle, every booking made directly for a stay between Friday 13 and Sunday 15 February enables you to support three associations committed to preserving the oceans.
So, by booking your holiday directly on our website, by telephone or by email, you are taking part in a charity initiative and giving your other half a holiday to remember. romantic weekend in La Rochelle, A romantic and responsible holiday. Through Ocean Lovers, we want to encourage more sustainable tourism and involve our customers in protecting the environment. Let's find out more about the associations supported by this initiative.
Operation Ocean Lovers: how to get involved?
Our weekend Ocean Lovers takes place every year around the Valentine's Day in La Rochelle. For the 2026 edition, the operation takes place from 13 to 15 February. During this period, 15 % of the amount of each reservation made online is donated to the three partner associations: ECHO-MER, Surfrider Foundation and La Grande Collecte. By booking via our website, by telephone or by email, you are making a real contribution to preserving the oceans.
Ocean Lovers is much more than a simple romantic weekend in La Rochelle It's a way of celebrating love while supporting a strong environmental cause.
Book your stay between 13 and 15 February now and take part in this adventure of solidarity. Together, let's celebrate Valentine's Day in La Rochelle while acting for the planet and future generations! Find out more about the 3 associations we support.
ECHO-MER: working for a more sustainable future
Founded in 2001, the association ECHO-MER has been working for over twenty years to reduce the impact of human activities on the environment, and on the oceans in particular. Its action is based on awareness-raising, education and citizen involvement. The teams at the Hôtel Saint Nicolas took part in an “Épuise ton déchet” operation just over a year ago. This association based in La Rochelle actively fights against plastic pollution and the excessive use of chemical products, and works to recycle materials. We are also taking part in their cork recycling campaign, collecting all the used corks from our bar.
Located just a stone's throw from the La Rochelle Tourist Office and the Hôtel Saint-Nicolas, the ECHO-MER boutique is a showcase for recycled creations. You'll find objects made from neoprene, used sails and oyster bags, transformed in local workshops. Made in France, these products are part of a responsible consumption and waste reduction approach.
Surfrider Foundation: preserving the ocean for today and tomorrow
La Surfrider Foundation is a leading NGO working to protect the marine environment. It has been active in the field for 30 years, working on a daily basis to defend the oceans from pollution, coastal development, climate change and the deterioration in water quality. Its aim: to ensure a healthy marine environment for present and future generations.
The association regularly organises waste collections, awareness-raising events and lobbies for changes in regulations to protect the ocean. Our Events Officer Margaux has been volunteering with Surfrider since 2022, so it was only natural that we wanted to become a partner of this NGO. In collaboration with the Surfrider Charente-Maritime,In 2023, our Cosy Hotels group took part in a clean-up operation on Les Minimes beach, and we occasionally host the local branch for their meetings. This commitment reflects our desire to actively contribute to sustainable and responsible projects.
La Grande Collecte: limiting the environmental impact of textiles
The third association supported by Le Saint-Nicolas is The Great Collection, a local initiative that tackles the environmental impact of the textile industry, one of the most polluting in the world. For example, this sector accounts for almost 4 % of the world's drinking water consumption and generates around 500,000 tonnes of microplastics every year. With this in mind, La Grande Collecte is taking action to reduce textile waste by encouraging its collection, re-use and recycling.
In the La Rochelle region, the association recovers used textiles, particularly those from our establishment, in order to give them a second life. During the winter of 2024, a large proportion of our old pillows were recycled thanks to La Grande Collecte. We are convinced that these local partnerships play an essential role in the transition to a more environmentally-friendly model.