Thalassotherapy and Spas in Biarritz

Biarritz Fund

Located in the south-west of France and the gateway to the Basque Country and Spain, Biarritz is the perfect city to pamper yourself: enjoy the natural benefits of the sea and treat yourself to a session at the excellent local spas. A long tradition of sea cures has made Biarritz’s many thermal establishments a success.

In the 1700s, Biarritz began to earn the reputation it has today: as a center of relaxation and rejuvenation. Doctors began to recommend the area for its coastal location and sea breeze as the perfect therapeutic getaway for patients suffering from illness or stress, with some even saying that the sea in that particular area had qualities that would help heal patients. of his various ailments. This advice led many sick people to make a pilgrimage to Biarritz in search of a path of recovery. During this period, many notable figures visited Biarritz, including several members of the British royal family as well as European royalty.

Biarritz today is still synonymous with health and wellness, and you will see many signs advertising thalassotherapy centers. True thalassotherapy spas must be no more than half a mile from the sea and pump fresh seawater for all their treatments, making Biarritz (with its beautiful long coastline) an ideal situation for it.

What is Thalassotherapy?

Thalassotherapy (from the Greek word thalassa, meaning “sea”) is the medical use of seawater as a form of therapy. Developed in the coastal cities of Brittany, France, during the 19th century, the therapy was originally based on the theory that the properties of seawater have beneficial effects on skin pores; when the trace elements of magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium and iodide found in seawater are absorbed through the skin. The therapy is applied in various ways, seawater baths or underwater showers, application of marine mud or algae paste, mud and algae wraps, hydromassage and exfoliations based on seawater, algae and other derivatives of the ocean ( all are cleaned and purified before spent); each designed to tone, hydrate and revitalize the body and skin and, in many cases, to improve circulation.

What is thalassotherapy for?

Different forms of thalassotherapy are recommended to help you: relax, tone muscles, cleanse the skin, reduce the appearance of cellulite, boost the immune system and improve sleep quality.

Thalassotherapy is also believed to help people with:

* circulatory problems (such as hypertension and arteriosclerosis)

* respiratory conditions (such as asthma and bronchitis)

* post-traumatic disorders (such as muscle atrophy)

* chronic inflammations (such as rheumatic arthritis).

Medical problems like these have specific treatments recommended for them, such as ionization; a thalassotherapy where seawater is ionized with negative ions and inhaled or sprayed, used to heal upper respiratory tract problems.

Vinothrapie is a treatment that combines thermal water and inigo-elements with wine and grape extracts to strengthen blood vessels and improve circulation. Balneotherapy uses seawater to improve circulation.

There is no scientific evidence for the efficacy of thalassotherapy, although many people provide anecdotal evidence of how it has helped them, as with any complementary treatment, perhaps the emphasis should be on psychological well-being. However, it is this medical aspect of the treatments that is often cited as the reason for the unusually high percentage of male participants (many spas note a 50/50 ratio between men and women).

What to expect from thalassotherapy

If you’ve opted for a kelp wrap, expect to be wrapped for about an hour in kelp and herb-soaked cloths. You’ll probably be swaddled from your toes to your chest (arms are always optional) as you lie on a heating blanket to keep you warm. Before you start to feel like a dry old barnacle, your therapist will untangle you and massage your body to improve circulation.

Alternatively, if you fancy a ‘walking pool’, you may find yourself submerged in seawater, wading against a gentle current that is alternately warm and cool. This is designed to improve blood circulation in the legs.

Or maybe you have chosen to try a water gym. The firm jets will target your various muscle groups as you gently work out in a pool, your body supported by the resistance of the water. After your treatment, you may have that fresh-off-the-beach feeling, with fingers wrinkled like plums and sand between your toes. You will probably feel very fresh and relaxed, or you may feel tired and sore after working out in the water gym and being sprayed with underwater jets.

No matter how you’re feeling, enjoy a long, rejuvenating shower in fresh water and take some time to enjoy the oceanic serenity.

Where to go?

The Hotel Mirmar in Biarritz includes a 25m seawater pool, sauna and hamam. Most of the rooms have views of the Atlantic and the seafood is superb. Treatments are individually tailored, but there are also recommended courses for certain groups, postpartum rejuvenation, men’s fitness, and “Reaching 50.”

The Hotel du Palais is a 5-star spa hotel that was once the holiday residence of Emperor Napoleon III of France and his wife, Empress Eugénie, and still uses Guerlain products, which for many years was Guerlain’s personal eau de toilette. Eugenia. The spa covers an area of ​​3,000 square meters and is distributed over five floors. It has a 15-metre-long indoor pool with views of the Atlantic, a jacuzzi, a sauna, a fitness room, a make-up area with Guerlain products, a hairdresser’s and, finally, the Eugenie Room, a tea room where you can relax and take in the views. .

Sofitel Biarritz Le Miramar Thalassa is a hotel and thalassotherapy institute. There is a wide range of treatments, a varied low-calorie menu and impeccable service.

Hellianthal Thalasso & Spa is located right on the ocean and offers personalized treatments. Their thalassotherapy team includes doctors, hydrotherapists, physiotherapists, massage therapists, dietitians and beauticians.

Thermes Marins de Saint Malo includes a 5,000 m seawater Spa with 80 cabins and individual hydrotherapy and physiotherapy, 16 Spa cabins, six swimming pools, including a seawater pool and an Aquatonic recreational trail.

Get there

Biarritz airport has daily direct flights from London airports, and Baboo, Ryan Air, Easyjet and Air France fly there regularly from all over the world. Traveling from the airport to your hotel couldn’t be easier with regular buses to the city center or private transfers throughout the region available online. Bordeaux airport is also just a 2-hour drive away.

As well as being full of excellent spas and wellness centres, Biarritz today is an eclectic mix of proud Basque heritage, shameless luxury, bohemian life and surf paradise. Sleek Art Deco hotels and facades, sidewalk cafes, surf shops and chic boutiques combine with the ever-present ocean to create a unique style and character that makes it an unforgettable place to visit.