We aren't lying when we say you can travel to France and return home looking younger each time.
Hotel Les Sources de Caudalie, Bordeaux, South west of France
Who knew that you could reap benefits from wine without even consuming it? In the middle of the Bordeaux wine country, on the grounds of the Château Smith Haut-Lafitte vineyard, rests Les Sources de Caudalie, a decadent escape that brings to you a form of relaxation expertly designed on grape and wine-based treatments for the face and body in the heart of the Bordeaux Nouvelle Aquitaine region. The pioneer of vinotherapy techniques, the idea behind the award winning world's first wine spa is simple – Combine the beneficial effects of vine and grape extracts along with hot spring water to revitalize your skin. Detoxifying wraps such as the Merlot wrap and Honey & Wine wrap not only sound delicious, but are also enriched with grape extracts having deep-cleansing properties, leaving your skin smooth and supple. The elements are all natural and environment friendly thanks to the region's mineral-rich thermal springs. For the spa's signature therapies- natural spring water is drawn 540 metres beneath the earth and the vine and grape extracts that are utilized, come from the vineyards of Bordeaux, Champagne and Burgundy. A decadent experience indeed!
Dior Institut at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris
Dior's haute-couture expertise reflects in its bespoke beauty treatments and its palatial spa situated in the luxury 5 star Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris. A private carpeted stairway that gives way to the white-marble floor, (heated to make your barefoot walk super comfortable), Dior fashion shows playing on tall screens on the wall of the reception, and designated Dior Institut Beauty Experts who, after an in-depth examination of your skin and lifestyle habits, gently tuck you into high thread-count cotton sheets embroidered with the Christian Dior logo. A relaxing back massage that straightens your posture, a shaping exercise to firm your body and a gentle hand massage to awaken your senses forms part of the Dior Institut's 'art of touch' philosophy. All skincare procedures use Dior products and are completely made-to-measure for the guest's needs. As all good things must come to an end, the Dior Institut ensures that the 'finishing touch' to your spa experience includes a makeup and perfume application, that will have you runway ready!
Guerlain Spa at Hôtel du Palais, Biarritz and Sofitel Biarritz le Miramar Thalassa Sea & Spa, Biarritz
Around the mid eighteenth century, the ocean at Biarritz was found to possess particularly therapeutic qualities, and consequently, the resort town of Biarritz in Nouvelle Aquitaine at the Atlantic Ocean, built a reputation for thalassotherapy, health and well-being. Hôtel du Palais continues to reinforce this. Built in 1855 as a vacation home called Villa Eugenie by Napoleon III for his Spanish wife Princess Eugenie, the reconstructed Hôtel du Palais is nobly elegant, and boasts of the Imperial Spa Guerlain – beauty treatments that are Guerlain-infused and salt-water baths that would leave you with a certain joie de vivre glow. Admire the magnificent views of the Atlantic Ocean as you dip into the salt-water pool, and enjoy the magical experience of the Guerlain SPA, where Guerlain's delicate fragrances and properties of floral ingredients are appreciated daily with the use of Guerlain Beauty Treatments.
Next, head to Sofitel Biarritz le Miramar Thalassa Sea & Spa for some more sea water spa treatments, this time, accompanied by fitness exercises. Indulge in targeted water fitness, led by a physical therapist and see what wonders aqua aerobics, underwater jets or aqua stretching can do for you or opt for a toning hydromassage with a variable-pressure jet of heated seawater controlled by a hydrotherapist, for a stimulating and draining effect. With a host of different à la carte experiences to keep you rejuvenated and refreshed at all times, you can say goodbye to jet lags, and return home feeling energized.
Fashionable spa towns of Vichy and Le Mont Doré, Auvergne
Auvergne, the birthplace of Vichy and Clarins beauty products, was a fashionable spa resort in the 19th century, when visitors flocked to the thermal springs renowned for their health benefits. Within the city of Vichy is the Thermes des Dômes spa where you can take a thermal bath in the famous mineral-rich Vichy waters that are said to cure illnesses. Outside of Vichy, you will find a wide range of spa resorts. The largest resort is Le Mont-Doré outside of Clermont-Ferrand. Inspired by the Caracalla baths in Rome, the exquisite neo-Byzantine spa facility offers a variety of spa treatments, hydrotherapy, and a swimming pool. Châtel-Guyon is a modern resort with a mineral and thermal spa. Bourbon-l'Archambault is a thermal spa that focuses on rheumatology and gynecology treatments. The Bourbon-Lancy spa is an elegant historic resort that has hosted famous guests, including Julius Caesar, Catherine de Medicis, King Louis XIV, and Maupassant.
Thalasso & Spa Barrière by Thalgo La Baule, Loire Valley at the Atlantic Ocean
The thalasso programmes at the Thalasso & Spa Barrière by Thalgo in La Baule in Val de Loire make it perfect for the traveller who is constantly on the go- and wants to explore more of France and at the same time, regenerate his mind and body by partaking in a sensorial experience. Whether it's a 6-Day Thalasso programme or a 3-day fitness break, all these luxurious experiences are devised by a scientific community. There are programmes that help prevent a burn out or help you stop smoking. You can also avail a post natal treatment or treat your children to gentle spa therapy or simply take a balneotherapy bath; every spa ritual is authentic and ensures you leave feeling pampered and peaceful.