The Huttopia Foundation
Support projects in the field of ecotourism.
Mission
Showing that people are enriched both by contact with nature and by their differences with Others.
Created in 2018, the Huttopia Foundation’s purpose is to encourage entrepreneurial, cultural, educational and social actions related to the development of Responsible Tourism. These projects help demonstrate that, on one hand, nature is beneficial for people and it is therefore in their interest to take care of it, and on the other hand that people are enriched through contact with others. The Foundation seeks to promote initiative, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit in connection with sustainable tourism. Thus, the Huttopia Foundation supports initiatives aimed at making holidays in nature accessible to as many people as possible.
Actions
Supporting initiatives related to Ecotourism
TINY HOUSE CONTEST
See you in 2026 for the fourth edition of the contest.
After “The Tiny House, a Quest for the Essential” in 2020, “How to Design Tiny Houses for Hot Climates?” in 2022 and “Tiny House, Towards an Architecture and Design of the Essential, Beyond Utopia” in 2024…We will soon announce the theme for the next edition of the contest.
TINY HOUSE CONTEST
Encouraging innovation in habitat and ecotourism equipment
The Tiny House trend reflects a need to live a simpler, more sustainable life closer to nature – a need that Huttopia identified over 25 years ago.
Long a niche interest, the Tiny House movement has been gaining momentum as environmental awareness grows in our societies. This movement increasingly appeals to those seeking affordable housing while reducing their environmental impact. Increasingly viewed as a “way of life,” the Tiny House advocates a return to essentials and a slower lifestyle.
The Huttopia Foundation decided to encourage thinking around Tiny Houses by launching a competition open to all, offering winners the technical and financial means to build their prototype while giving all candidates the opportunity to showcase their work.
While the first two editions, launched in 2020 and 2022 respectively, received between 70 and 80 submissions from creators of all backgrounds, the third edition, launched in November 2023, received 112 submissions from candidates worldwide (representing 18 nationalities).
THE FOUNDATION SPORT DANS LA VILLE
Inspiring young people to become entrepreneurs in Responsible Tourism
In 2019, Sport dans la Ville and the Huttopia Foundation became partners to create a holiday center which opened in 2021 in the Drôme Provençale region. Its goal is to welcome 800 young people annually from disadvantaged neighborhoods that most have never left before. The Foundation also offers skills-based sponsorship by supporting these young people in their academic and professional development. The objective of these programs is to help young people leave their neighborhoods, create opportunities for change, encourage and facilitate access to employment in the tourism industry, and particularly to inspire them to become entrepreneurs.
L’ENTREPRISE DES POSSIBLES
Beyond that, becoming a “civic actor” by helping the most vulnerable homeless people
Huttopia is a founding member and administrator of L’Entreprise des Possibles. L’Entreprise des Possibles is a collective of committed companies working alongside their employees, public actors, and associations to help homeless and vulnerable people.
Our objective is to mobilize human, financial, and real estate resources to amplify the work of associations on the ground and find solutions to help people off the streets. L’Entreprise des Possibles has contributed, for example, to the development of a temporary and mobile housing village that accommodates 80 residents on land made available by a developer for 2 to 3 years. Other projects are advancing to accommodate young mothers leaving maternity who have no housing solution.Beyond Huttopia’s financial support, our employees can offer their services through skills-based sponsorship.
LES EDITIONS DE L’AUBE
The Foundation has also set itself the objective of encouraging reflection on more sustainable tourism. In 2024, a partnership with Jean Viard and Editions de l’Aube was established to create a collection called “Tourism in Debate.” 4 books have been published: “Journey to the Land of Overtourism” by Linda Lainé, “Reconciling Tourism and Nature” by Raymond Desjardins, “How Do Our Travels Speak About Us?” by Jean Didier Urbain, and “When Tourism Awakens” by Linda Lainé and Jean Viard.