Great Spa Towns of Europe announces major developments in Vichy

The Great Spa Towns of Europe (GSTE) has revealed extensive thermal redevelopment plans for the spa town of Vichy in France.

A transnational Unesco World Heritage Site, the GSTE is comprised of 11 spa towns from seven countries – Austria, Belgium, Czechia, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.

Its goal is to preserve and enhance European spa culture for todays’ wellness travellers.

Vichy, the only spa town in France to be part of the group, is undergoing extensive restoration to preserve its rich spa heritage.

The town has used its world heritage status to attract investment and funding, which has been channelled back into heritage-friendly spa regeneration.

Vichy spa redevelopments

Referred to as the ‘Queen of the Spa Towns’, Vichy contributed greatly to the creation of 19th-century European spa culture.

The Parc des Sources – a major heritage monument and the epicentre of the town – was reopened last summer with new water features.

The six-hectare space now features 11 dancing fountains that evoke the 11 spa towns in the GSTE.

“The spa district is the heart and soul of Vichy,” said Frédéric Aguilera, mayor of Vichy.

“With nearly €100m invested by the city of Vichy, this spa district is being revitalised and is once again becoming the city’s vibrant heart of Vichy.”

Vy Resort Thermal & Spa

The Thermes Les Dômes and the Callou Thermal Baths have been remodelled following a €50m investment, both now directly connected to the Mercure and Ibis hotels.

At the Thermes Les Dômes, the grand bathing establishment modelled on Iranian architecture, guests can have medical and preventative treatments to target obesity and joint diseases.

Facilities include a swimming pool and thermal hot tubs, a sauna, hammam and halotherapy room.

The Callou Thermal Baths has recently reopened following 18 months of restoration as a centre of expertise in thermal medicine, with a health auditorium alongside thermal baths with Vichy’s reviving mineral water.

The baths can now accommodate up to 150 guests a day, offering therapeutic cures centred on health restoration.

In addition, Thermal Spa Célestins, one of the largest spas in Europe, is focused on lifestyle medicine, based on Vichy’s mineral water.

The spa also has a dedicated corner of Vichy Laboratories, as well as anti-aging treatments from SkinCeuticals.

Together they form the Vy Resort Thermal & Spa, an extensive and ambitious redesign dedicated to offering holistic spa experiences in authentic surroundings.