Contents of article "Water pleasure - spas of the region"
Long ago and spa away
Balneotherapy and thalassotherapy
Some thalassotherapy centres in the PO
Spas
Le thermoludisme
Long ago and spa away
..
Water - vital for life and one of the four great elements of nature along with earth, air and fire
According to ’The Ancient Greek Doctrine of the Elements’ by John Opsopaus ’Psychologically, water is likely to be the predominant element in people who tend to be flowing, flexible, oriented toward harmony or union, and inclined toward deep feeling.’
The Greek physician, Hippocrates, who died in 377BC, was known for setting down the ethics and codes of conduct applied today to modern medecin. He discovered that sea water was a precious healing element, useful for treating wounds, burns and skin conditions, and revigorating for face and body. Many years later, doctors of the Middle Ages used seawater to heal the ill and the wounded returned from the crusades but it was not until the early 19th century that the first centre for water therapy and treatment opened up, in Dieppe in 1822.
The technique for the Dieppe hydrotherapy was based on the work of British doctors who were at that time using baths of seawater to heal depression, asthma and nervous conditions. More of these centres opened up along the coast, but the actual term ’thalassotherapy’ (from the two Greek words - treatment and sea) was coined and extended in 1865 by professor Joseph de la Bonnardière from the medical school of Montpellier. The first centre to open on the Mediterranean coast was in Sète.
Human beings spend their first nine months in liquid that is chemically very close to sea water. It has been proven that, following a seawater drowning, the chances of ressuscitation are still possible up to 30 - 40 minutes after the heart has stopped as opposed to 10 minutes in a still water drowning. This is because of the minerals in sea water.
In 1894, the eminent scientist and physiologist, René Quinton, published articles in the scientific magasines, stating that, because water is the medium from which the first living cell flourished, a scientific link must exist between water and blood plasma. Today, his scientific publications are still very much a bible for water therapy treatment.
Sea-water treatment was acknowledged as being effective for therapeutic purposes in three areas: joint, respiratory and skin conditions. Whereas water cures are based on the combined effect of "water, steam and mud", thalassotherapy exploits the benefits of marine treatment, in other words, the virtues of not just seawater (rich in the iodine essential for the thyroid to function efficiently), but climate (sea air is full of negative ions and thus encourages efficient cellular activity) and seaweed (applied to various parts of the body or eaten), which contains minerals and amino acids.
It was not until the 1960s that thalassotherapy started to be seen as more than a rehabilitation and treatment cure and today more and more people are aware of the value, both in terms of treatment and relaxation and well being.
There are many types of water centres in the Pyrénées-Orientales. Some offer ’cures’ and treatment for various medical conditions, others are purely for relaxatiion and ’pampering’ Below, I take a look at the various options.
Balneotherapy and thalassotherapy
Thalassotherapy (seawater therapy - also called hydrotherapy) is a treatment that uses all aspects of the sea - not just the water. It takes full advantage also of sea air, mud, sand, seaweed and sun amongst other things. Some thalassotherapy treatments provide relaxation and fight stress, others combat the physical signs of aging, and still others reduce the appearance of cellulite and help regenerate the body. It is also said to aid circulatory diseases such as hypertension and arteriosclerosis, respiratory diseases such as asthma and bronchitis, post traumatic disorders skin problems and chronic inflammation such as rheumatic arthritis.
Balneotherapy(spa therapy) - literally means ’treatment by bathing or soaking in mineral waters of hot springs’ and is based on bathing in thermal or mineral waters at temperatures of about 34 C. The hydrostatic force of the water is thought to bring about pain relief, which may result from taking stress off the affected joint, relaxation or other factors. It is most commonly prescribed for patients with psoriatic or rheumatoid arthritis but also recommended for relaxation and general well-being.
Some thalassotherapy centres in the PO
Thalacap - Banyuls-sur-Mer
Open all year round, and offering all manner of formulas, both short and long stay, Thalcap overlooks the sea and marine reserve. Visitors may stay on site, meaning that they can pop back to their rooms for a nap and relax between treatments (which are apparently quite tiring!)
Thalacap, Ave de la cote vermeille, Banyuls-sur-Mer. Tel: 04 68 98 36 66
Institute Thalassol - Port Barcarès
Originally a centre for rehabilitation, Thalassol still offers a varied programme to suit all needs, both medical and ’spiritual’
Avenue de Thalassa, Cap de Front Tel: 04 68 04 74 55
Spas
The water treatment centre is no longer purely a treatment centre - it is often fashionable, a place of relaxation, combining massage, beauty treatments and pleasure. Where the centre is no longer medical, it is classed as a spa, the word coming from the Latin, ’sanitas per aqua - health by water.
In the PO, the largest spa can be found at Caldéa in Andorra. Fun with water rather than a treatment centre, is the principle here along with the opportunity to be pampered and achieve that feeling of well-being with sauna, steam, massage and much more.
Caldèa, Principauté d’Andorre, Escaldes Engordany, Andorra la Vieille, 10, Parc de la Molla, Tel: 00376 800 995
Le thermoludisme
- Just for fun
Usually spas, these centres make no pretention at being anything but relaxation and fun. Natural, thermal springs, with soft and sulphurous water, it is recommended nevertheless that you do not spend more than an hour at a time in the water because of the sulphuric acid present. They are particularly known for maintaining a soft and smooth skin. Dorres, Llo and St Thomas are three such centres in the PO
Look out for Qualicert, the label which testifies to the quality, hygiene, security and natural products of a water centre. It is not obligatory but if a centre has this lable, it reflects a certain standard as a thalassotherapy centre has to abide by a quality charter set out in the QUALICERT guidelines for thalassotherapy quality.
Le Boulou
Amélie-les-Bains
