Coming to ‘thermes’ with Amélie
Want to feel so laid back that you are horizontal?
Spas fall into two general categories, pampering and medical. The Medical Spa can provide a realistic alternative for those seeking to alleviate a wide range of adverse health conditions.
Not so long ago, the ‘station thermale’ at Amélie-les-Bains catered only for those with medical problems. Today, the resort is changing direction and working hard to become a centre offering leisure and relaxation, as well as enormous medicinal benefits. New this summer (2005) Amélie offers both relaxation packages and individual treatments.
There are in fact two separate buildings offering ‘les soins’ (treatments).
Les Thermes du Mondony
This is the busier of the two buildings with up to 2,500 customers per day using its facilities. Open from 06h until 17h, it is comparatively modern building, providing all the standard services.
Les Thermes Romains
The higher of the two buildings, situated at the very top of Amélie, this is the ‘luxury version’ of the Thermes du Mondony. Built upon the site of ancient Roman baths, a listed building, it provides visitors with soft towels, herbal tisanes and a general pampering, described by Eric Faliez, sales director, as “une cure ‘cocooning’”
Unlike Mondony, it receives a limited number of clients per day, an absolute maxium of 450, and charges a supplement of 13 – 18€ per day which is not reimbursed by the [Caisse d’Assurance Maladie->Claiming-back-your-medical]
The Amélie spa closes from December 22nd – January 28th .
About the ‘thermes’
‘La cure thermale’ – the treatment programme at a spa.
The medicinal and healing qualities of the Amélie waters has been recognised for thousands of years and evidence shows that prehistoric man benefited from its healing and restorative properties. Numerous sources flow down into the resort from the Serrat d’en Merle hills, supplying more than a million litres of thermal water per day Rich in sulphur, chloride of sodium, and carbonates of sodium amongst other elements, their natural temperature is around 44° – 66°.
Payment for your ‘cure thermale’
The medicinal and healing properties of the waters are taken very seriously in France. If your doctor recommends a spa treatment which would be beneficial for your health (see treatments available) the cost is reimbursed by the Caisse d’Assurance Maladie in the same way that fees for doctor, hospital and prescription is reimbursed (apart from the supplement of 13 – 18€ per day applicable at Les Thermes Romains) Your doctor will provide you with the necessary paperwork which you should send to your local Caisse d’Assurance Maladie.
Conditions treated at Amélie (not exhaustive and summarised by a non-medical expert! Please excuse errors in translation due to lack of knowledge!)
Arthritis, degenerative rheumatism
rheumatic conditions and paraplegia
degenerative articular and spinal disorders
bone fractures and soft tissue injuries
respiratory diseases
chronic bronchitis
Emphysema
Chronic bronchitis
Sinusitis
Laryngitis
Treatments available
‘Packages’ and prices
[|[(All prices and times based on 2006 information. It is worth ringing the Thermes first to confim and check on any changes.)]|]
Les Thermes Romains – General well being
Aqua Relax
This is the latest treatment to be instigated at the Thermes Romains. It consists of 10 – 15 minutes in a swimming pool with subaquatic jets which you control yourself, followed by a mudbath in ‘Dead Sea’ type mud (made up of spa water and kaolin – yes the tummy settler!) in which your body is virtually weightless.
-Treatment is from Monday to Saturday inclusive and you do not need to book. Simply turn up at the Thermes Romains just before the hour at 14h00 or 15h00 and join the group. (in high season there will also be a session at 16h00)
-Take with you a swimming costume, rubber shoes (flip flops for example) and a swimming hat. If you do not have these, the spa will provide you with shoes and hat.
-You must be 15+
-Towels are provided
COST: 15€
NB Beware! During very ‘low’ season, these are often moved to a morning session so well worth checking up beforehand (see contact numbers below)
Forfait Tonique
This consists of a choice of any four spa treatments per day from the following.
Mud bath
swimming pool
underwater jet massage (carried out by staff)
steam
jet massage shower
general shower
COST: 1 day – 40€ 5 days – 190€
Forfait Plein Souffle
Any four spa treatments per day from the following.
swimming pool
steam
jet massage shower
Inhalation treatments
Aerosol
Humage (treatment based on breathing the gas exhaled
from spring water.)
COST: 1 day – 40€ 5 days – 190€
Any four spa treatments per day from the above plus an ‘aquamodelage’ (massage carried out by a beautician under a shower of spa water.)
COST: 55€
Also available:
aqua-aerobic session
session of 30minutes in pool with physiotherapist
10 minutes underwater jet massage
COST : Special price of 43 euros per session for an eight session course open only to residents of the PO.
Click [here->Treatments-available-at-the] for details of all other treatments available at Amélie
Contacts
Further information and reservations – 08 25 82 63 66 (french)
Special number for English speakers only – Eric Faliez – 04 68 87 99 04
Also available:
New short ‘courses’ on:
Diet
Three sessions on the basic rules of diet,reading and understanding labels and contents of food products, making up menus, and food preparation with a head chef.
coping with back pain
Three sessions learning how to manage back pain on a daily basis.
For more information: 08 25 82 63 66 (french)
Special number for English speakers only – Eric Faliez – 04 68 87 99 04
