Pamper Yourself

Wake up (but not too early), don some comfortable robes and meander through the park to a grand thermal spa set amongst beautiful chestnut and plane trees, to take the waters and feel alive! Sounds like heaven.

This is a common activity in picturesque Vichy, located on the banks of the river Allier in the Allier department in the north of the Auvergne region in France. The famous Vichy name is reflected in the grand and beautiful spa buildings and parks of this attractive town.

The Romans were the first to recognise the healing properties of Vichy water but the town fell into obscurity after this and it was not until the 17th century that the spas were resurrected. The spas were frequented by the French nobility in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. One of the most prominent and frequent visitors was Napoleon III, positively influencing the towns status among the elite. Since the Second Empire the town has been a popular retreat for countless celebrities.Many of the grandest buildings were constructed at the turn of the 20th century and have been restored and are protected by statute to preserve a rich part of France's cultural and architectural heritage. A fantastic range of architectural styles are exhibited in the town reflecting the design influences of the period, from Byzantine to Alpine chalets. The Parc des Sources, designed under the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte in the late 18th century, is the epicentre of the towns spa district, and connects the main springs. On the south edge of the park is the Grand Casino-Theatre which opened in 1865. Originally housing various assembly rooms and gaming halls it was among the buildings renovated and extended in the early 1900's century at which time a theatre and opera house were added. The sumptuous Art Nouveau interior and Belle Époque façade overlooking the park, to which it is linked by a beautiful flight of steps, make this one of the grandest buildings in Vichy. Today, the original gaming hall has been extensively renovated to provide modern conference facilities.

The six Vichy thermal springs contain primarily bicarbonate of soda and carbonic acid and the waters are used to treat a variety of conditions such as diabetes, migraine, digestive disorders and rheumatism. The hot springs provide the basis for the Vichy drinking cures. The waters in the Grand Grille rise at a temperature of 40ºC/104ºF from a depth of 1,000-1,200m. The Chomel (41ºC/106ºF) spring was captured in 1750 by a doctor and bears his name. A third hot spring, the Hopital (33ºC/91.4ºF) rises in the pavilion behind the casino. The Parc is a 'cold' spring (24ºC/75ºF) which rises in the Parc des Sources. The cold spring, the Lucas (24ºC/75ºF) is another spring named after a doctor, although he bought rather than discovered the spring in the early 1800's. The third cold spring is the Celestins (21.5ºC/71ºF), named after the Celestins monastery founded in 1410. It is the waters of this spring which are bottled and sold commercially worldwide. All six springs are brought together in the Hall des Sources, the symbolic centre of the spa. One of the largest of the thermal establishments is the Centre Thermal des Domes which, in keeping with its surroundings, is of architectural note. The gold enamelled roof tiles over the central dome and roof cupolas are one of this buildings many stunning features, designed in the neo-Moorish style by Charles Lacour. Up to 2500 people can be treated in these pump rooms each morning.

The beautiful Auvergne region contains many other spa towns providing a variety of treatments and cures. Among these are La Bourboule, Le Mont Dore, Royat, and St. Nectaire, each towns waters being best suited to a different type of treatment or cure.

So, if you require a healthy retreat in beautiful surroundings, then Vichy, or any of the other spa towns in the Auvergne, could be the perfect place for you.


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