Salon les Thermalies 2024 - Carrousel du Louvre

Have you been to a spa?

Yesterday I went to Les Thermalies (spa) salon at Carrousel du Louvre (the Louvre’s shopping mall).

A 5-day event selling 1-3 week stays at spas all over France🇫🇷, Italy, Tunisia, Maroc. 

For a first day it was crowded. People were signing up in droves.

I visited the salon in 2013 and was fascinated.

January is detox month after the holiday excesses. Time to plan for rejuvenation.

In France, say you have arthritis, diabetes, sciatica 🖐️, migraines, high blood pressure, lower back pain, earaches, MS, Parkinson, fallen arches, depression etc., etc.

You go to the doctor. They write a prescription for a thermal cure at a water spa. You fill out forms. Present them to the national health service. Ét voila! The government will subsidize up to 65% of the cost!

At the Salon I saw discounts of 15-35% off, if you sign up on the spot. No wonder it was so busy. 

As for signing up, there are give-aways offered. Fill in the form, put it in the box & you may win a free spa stay 🤸🏾‍♀️

Along with selling the Spas, are many products to ease your post-holiday angst.Test out Music-Care, a kind of musical hypnosis.

I didn’t buy this illuminated wand (costs 1,500€ at the show, 5,000€ elsewhere) that removes age spots, wrinkles, crow’s feet from Eneo. They offered a test. I was too chicken.

I did try snail rejuvenating cream (59€ 30€) on my hand, but didn’t bring any 🐌 home. It’s called l’Hélicithérapie.

I’m always intrigued by the elaborate ‘therapy beds’ at the salon. 

This brave soul was willing to test & loose stress for 14 minutes inside the pod. I got stressed just looking 🫣

Water spas in France have been popular since the 1800s

Who knew Chanel was a ‘water girl’ at Vichy spa in 1906?

It was the Romans who started the water health trend. Have you visited Bath?

Thalassotherapy is practiced exclusively along the coastline, especially Brittany and Normandy, using seawater-based treatments, algae, salt and seafood 🦞 to restore you.

Thermalism spas are located near springs, often in the mountains but the Mediterranean has thermal spas too. Each spring has its own properties, specific minerals, advantages.

Vichy spa is one of the largest spa towns in France, known for its alkaline waters.  Napoleon visited here SIX times. I learned this and other info from Lauren Collin’s story in The New Yorker.

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Coming home from Thermalies Salon last night, I was glad I live near water…the Seine…very calming.  I see people sitting on benches gazing at the Seine for hours.

                       🌊 Bonne Friday PBers 🌊