Spa breaks in France
What is a holiday if not a chance to relax, and what can be more relaxing than a spa break in France? Recharge the batteries with a relaxing short stay or weekend in a spa town or go further afield for a full on week of wellness in one of France’s many luxury spa hotels in spectacular surroundings.
Whether you are interested in shifting the pounds, need treatment for a specific condition or just want to melt into a soft sea of calm and relaxation, specialist packages are available in all the resorts below. Whatever you are looking for, LeShuttle will get you there stress-free, ready for you to unwind in style.
Halcyon Retreat Golf & Spa Resort
Limousin, the ‘land of a thousand lakes’, is the beautifully unspoilt setting for the Halcyon Retreat Golf & Spa Resort. The exquisite Château Hotel was once the residence of the French President Francois Mitterrand on his visits to the area. Guests can totally relax in the sumptuous rooms of this luxury hotel and dine in style in the restaurant where Limousin beef is a speciality.
The luxury spa is located in a historic fairytale château building. A range of signature health spa treatments are available, and guests can indulge themselves in an aromatherapy steam room, salt therapy room and indoor and outdoor swimming pool.
Let yourself unwind completely on your spa break
Enghien-les-Bains
Just 14km from the centre of Paris, this commune was founded after an 18th-century priest discovered a hot sulphur spring near the lake of Enghien.
Thankfully things have moved on since the time when the area was just a warm marsh. Now you can enjoy all the pleasures of a luxurious spa break at the Diane Barrière Health, Sport and Spa Centre, part of the Grand Hotel complex on the lakeside.
Guests benefit from a huge variety of therapy programmes and facilities to help them achieve their goals. The Spa complex boasts 24 treatment rooms, a beauty bar and enough pools, steam rooms and saunas for you to lose yourself in.
Vittel
It turns out bottled water isn’t just good for drinking – you can bathe in it too. The picturesque commune of Vittel is situated in the Lorraine region of northeast France.
Get straight to the source of the world famous mineral water at the thermal spa, with a range of rejuvenating therapies on offer (though we wouldn’t recommend drinking from the swimming pool).
Give your body an all-over service with programmes including hydrotherapy, detoxification and stress removal and seaweed wraps; therapy treatments focus on every area, from your face to your hands and feet.
There are several spa hotels in Vittel offering spa services, catering for most budgets and treatments.
Saint-Amand-les-Eaux
The town of Saint-Amand-les-Eaux grew on the site of an ancient monastery in northern France, near the border with Belgium. The nearby spa is situated on the edge of a national forest and offers exceptionally beautiful surroundings in which to take a therapy break.
Temperatures in the spa’s natural thermal spring have been recorded as high as 26.2˚C. Locals claim the minerals in the water, particularly the high sulphur content, make it an ideal treatment for joint conditions such as rheumatism.
The surrounding forest offers an excellent opportunity for exercise in the fresh air, with 450km of paths and tracks running through it. The Royal Hainaut Spa & Resort Hotel offers the most exclusive treatments, but there are a range of spa hotels in the area.
Bagnoles-de-l'Orne
The spa resort at Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, famous for its hydrotherapic baths
This commune in the Orne department of northwest France is famous for its hydrotherapic baths and the legends which surround them.
Rumoured to have given miraculous health boosts to notable figures including King Arthur, the prestigious waters have played host to many famous names. For this reason Bagnoles-de-l’Orne markets itself as a combined spa and resort, with a busy cultural calendar of exhibitions, theatre, music and lectures.
The spa itself offers specialist thermal treatment for phlebological (surrounding veins), rheumatological and gynaecological conditions. Visitors can also experience Nordic walking, which claims to burn as many calories as jogging with less of the negative effects.
Plombières-les-Bains
Plombières-les-Bains claims to be Europe’s anti-stress city.
The hot springs in the southern Vosges mountains were first discovered by the Romans and, similarly to Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, over time they have played host to a variety of notable figures from history including Napoleon Bonaparte, Napoléon III and the composer Berlioz.
As a result the area is steeped in history and guided tours can be arranged directly from the spa if you want to take a break from your treatment.
The resort offers a range of packages focused on various ailments, including muscle conditions, digestive disorders and joint pains. Of course you can just relax and enjoy the therapeutic spa facilities, which include hot pools, massage rooms and sauna.
Les Trésoms Lake Resort and Spa
Breathtaking views make your spa retreat at Annecy even more memorable
Nestled between Lake Annecy and the Massif des Bauges Regional Nature Park is Les Trésoms Lake Resort and Spa. The spa resort offers breathtaking views over the lake and mountains. The hotel has 52 rooms, all with forest or lake views, with the most exclusive featuring a balcony and balneotherapy bath. There are also two luxurious villas available which can sleep up to 8 adults and 6 children. Non-residents at the resort hotel can also book treatments at the spa.
There are so many luxurious treatments available, including essential oil massages and Scandinavian sauna sessions, that you could happily stay within the resort for days. However, if you do feel like venturing out, there are lots of walking trails in the park and around the lake. You could also explore the nearby town of Annecy, known as ‘the Venice of the Alps’ because of its charming canals and beautiful buildings.
Château des Vigiers
Set amid the Dordogne’s rolling hills and vineyards, Château des Vigiers is the magical setting for this hotel, beauty and wellness centre and golf club. The 16th-century building is everything you’d expect from a French château, with its vine-covered walls and manicured lawns.
The beauty and wellness centre is housed in a dedicated modern building which offers a complete range of beauty and relaxation treatments, as well as health and well-being activities. The facilities include a spa, indoor pool, two heated outdoor pools, hydrotherapy pool, sauna, fitness room and jacuzzi. The beauty treatments include salt scrub and re-mineralising face treatments.
Prepare to be pampered and find complete rest and relaxation in this isolated and magical place. Read our guide to France’s best châteaux.
La Clairière Bio and Spa Hotel
The Northern Vosges is a stunning setting for your spa break
Lying at the foothills of the Vosges mountains in the Alsace, the Northern Vosges Nature Reserve is a stunning area of woodland, wetland and medieval villages. There are several spas in the region but one of the most popular is the La Clairière Bio and Spa Hotel, an oasis in the forest.
La Clairière offers traditional holistic treatments (Naturopathy, Chinese medicine, Ayurveda), special programs (detox, yoga, weight loss) and a restaurant that serves up nutritious food and local wine.
The hotel’s rooms perfectly complement the peace and tranquility of the forest surroundings, giving guests the chance to inhale the woody fragrance of the forest and mountain air.
Terre Blanche Hôtel Spa Golf Resort, Provence
The Terre Blanche Hôtel Spa Golf Resort really does offer the best of both worlds. Happily situated in the heart of the rolling, lavender-filled countryside of Provence, it’s the perfect country wellness retreat, yet it’s also only 35 minutes away from glamorous Cannes on the French Riviera, if you fancy a romantic night out. That is, if you ever want to leave the 5-star hotel and spa!
The hotel offers 14 treatment rooms, including two suites designed for couples’ treatments, and an impressive laconium sauna with mint water sprays and crushed ice baths to cool down in. Plus, there is not just one prestigious golf course but two within the 750-acre resort, should you fancy getting a round in between facials or massages.
Revitalise body and mind on your spa break in France
Plan your spa break with LeShuttle
From countryside retreats to lakes and mountains, this wonderful country has it all for spa break locations. Let LeShuttle take you on your spa break in France and help revitalise your mind, body and spirit. We can almost smell the candles and feel the bubbles!