Introduction

For people looking for a quick wellness break, thalassotherapy in Normandy should be an obvious destination, but seems to be overlooked by travellers from the UK.  Perhaps we are too eager to motor down to the warmer south so we roll off the ferry and hurry on our way without stopping to enjoy everything that Normandy has to offer.

Or perhaps it is that we do not really understand thalassotherapy and the benefits it can provide to our overall health and to specific complaints. Thalassotherapy and its related cousin Balneotherapy are no longer really understood here. I say “no longer,” because in times gone by, “Taking the waters,” was a well established cure for many an ache and pain. There are Thalassotherapy and Balneotherapy establishments all over the world, particularly in Europe where Baden-Baden and Hungary’s thermal bathing establishments are well known.

The purpose of this article is to look at Thalassotherapy in Normandy, what it is, why you should consider it, and, if you like the sound of what you are reading, to help you to book a stay there so that you make the most of your wellness break.

What is Thalassotherapy?

There is an old Music Hall song dating back to 1907 “Oh we do like to be beside the sea,” which extolls the pleasures of being by the seaside. There is something that makes us relax that little bit better beside the sea. Science suggests that it may be the salt and minerals in the water and in the air which we absorb by the sea, as well as the idea that, possibly sea air is less polluted than the air we normally breathe. There is also an element that most of us are on holiday when by the seaside so we are naturally more relaxed.

It is the salt and minerals that are the important feature here. Sea water contains a number of minerals that help our immune system to function better, such as calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. A well functioning immune system helps to improve sleep and helps the body regain energy and vitality. If this is coupled with good nutrition and sensible exercise we are onto a winner when it comes to wellness holidays.

Thalassotherapy is essentially therapies based around the sea and is products. It includes bathing or showering in sea water, although that water is likely to be heated. We relax more in warm water and perhaps absorb  more effectively those all important minerals in warm water.

It’s not just the water that is beneficial. Mud enriched from minerals in the sea, seaweed and sea salt are used to help tone and beautify us.

A thalassotherapy break is not limited to just swimming in seawater. It will include steam and sauna, emotional showers, massage and other treatments as well as good relaxation and good food. It’s effectively a spa weekend on steroids.

Benefits of Thalassotherapy

Thalassotherapy is not a miracle cure nor are the effects instant, other than, of course that general sense of wellbeing that we all have when we are relaxing.

The building blocks of good health go back centuries, and can be traced to many ancient civilisations. According to the father of medicine, ancient Greek Hippocrates, we need to focus on good food, good exercise and good rest. Many of our current ailments stem from the fact that our modern lifestyles find it hard to meet these three simple goals.

The most important benefit of Thalassotherapy in my opinion, and indeed the benefit of most wellness breaks and holidays, is that it gives us the time and opportunity to focus on those three qualities. A wellness break is a bit like an MOT for body and mind. Service yourself and you run better. Fail to do so and you will function less well, perhaps even leading to a breakdown.

Normandy

Normandy is close to the UK, with many different routes to get there. You can take the ferry from Portsmouth to Caen or to Le Havre, or from Newhaven to Dieppe. You can come through the Eurotunnel and then drive along the Norman coast or take the train from St Pancras International and change at Paris for Deauville, Lisieux, Cabourg or Caen.

Thalassotherapy in Normandy

Although Thalassotherapy is based on seawater, it is not essential for an establishment to be based on the coast. One of Normandy’s premier Thalassotherapy establishments is based in the city of Rouen in the Hotel Bourgtheroulde.

The swimming pool In the basement is perhaps the centrepiece of the spa in the hotel. It’s not just its impressive size and surroundings, it also boasts a counter-current swimming system. The spa has a sauna,  hammam, jacuzzi and a fitness room.

Nearby Forges les Eaux also has several spa and wellness resorts.

But if we head back to the coast, the most well known thalassotherapy spa in the area is the Cures Marines in Trouville sur Mer. Its website proudly claims that it is “Thalasso Reinvented.” Leaving aside marketing-speak, that title demonstrates how bathing in seawater is becoming much more mainstream in wellness circles.

The hotel itself is part of the M Gallery group with 103 rooms in a mix of modern and Belle Epoques styles.

The spa has some 34 treatment cabins.  Treatments might be preceded by a diagnosis of what you need to achieve your goals within the timescale you have available.

Trouville and neighbouring Deauville are fashionable seaside resorts, but popular all year round.

The Thalasso Deauville offers an equally extensive and worthwhile set of treatments. It partners with the Hotel Barrière Le Normandy group of hotels so you can either stay in one of the partner hotels or in accommodation of your choice. This gives you a good deal of flexibility both in terms of treatment but also cost.

Moving along the coast, we arrive at Cabourg, the Queen of the Fleurie coast. Writer Marcel Proust wrote some of his masterpiece A La Recherche du Temps Perdu in the Grand Hotel, and both hotel and town make the most of his renown. And they do it well. It is worth coming to Cabourg  just for that Proust connection, its Belle Epoque architecture and its glorious beach.

It also excels in Thalassotherapy. The Thalazur Group offers sea treatments for health and beauty. They have 9 establishments in France, of which two are in Normandy. Apart from their establishment in Cabourg, they also have one in neighbouring Ouistreham, both beachfront properties.