Spa Breaks in France

Aix-les-Bains – Historic thermal spa in the Savoie

Known as the ‘Riviera of the Alps’ for its stunning lakeside setting, Belle Epoque architecture and wealthy clientele, Aix-les-Bains is steeped in spa history. People have bathed in Lake Bourget – the largest inland lake in France – since ancient times, and the first thermal spa was opened in the late 18th century. 

Aix-les-Bains has two thermal baths today – Chevalley, the former national baths – and Marlioz, each offering a host of treatments, saunas and hot thermal pools. The Spa of L'Incomparable is the leading spa hotel on the lakeside. 

Enghien-les-Bains - Lakeside wellness hub

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 - Classic thermal tradition

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 - Modern thermal complex

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 - Forest-side thermal retreat

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 - Historic Roman baths

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 - Alpine lakeside spa

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 - Vineyard spa getaway

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 - Eco-focused forest spa

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 - 5-star Provençal wellness 

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.

Charming spa towns in France

Vichy

Known as ‘little Paris’, Vichy is perhaps France’s most famous spa town, nestled on the River Allier and full of elegant buildings from its heyday in the Belle Époque. The ‘sparchitecture’ is stunning – the art nouveau Opera House, the Hall des Sources, housing the drinking stands for the five springs of Vichy, not to mention the promenades and walkways laid out by the town’s greatest patron, Napoleon III. 

Évian-les-Bains

You’ll know the brand, one of the world’s most famous mineral waters, and seeing the town of Évian itself, in the Haute-Savoie, does not disappoint. From its elegant gardens to the Palais Lumière, the luxury thermal spa built in 1902, Évian-les-Bains epitomises health, wellness and refinement. The main attraction is free – filling up your bottle at the natural spring, Source Cachat. 

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!