If someone had told me that one day I would be travelling to a spa resort in the French Alps in the middle of summer, that I would be eating on a diet by my choice and dancing in the pavilion in the centre with a group of seniors, that I would be hiking and doing Pilates without complaining… I would have told that person that she has an overactive imagination. Still, life beats imagination, so here I am telling the story of my trip to Brides Les Bains.
Before my departure, whenever I was asked where I was going, my answer put everyone in a difficulty. Nobody had heard of Brides Les Bains. Neither had I, until the press conference organised by Atout France in Bucharest in March 2024. In June, at the invitation of the regional tourist office, I set off to discover this little seaside resort. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew that it was hard to go wrong with a destination in the french Alps.
Where is Brides Les Bains and what is its history?
Brides Les Bains is in the Savoie region of France, two hours from Lyon. The thermal springs of Brides (I sometimes use the short name because that was the name of the place until 1847) have been known since ancient times for their qualities, especially in treating obesity. In the late 1870s, the first proper diets were introduced in the hotels and doctors prescribed large quantities of the waters for their digestive benefits. As the resort developed, international personalities such as Queen Elizabeth of Spain, the Countess of Montgomery, Baron Rothschild, members of French, British, Italian, Russian and American aristocratic and business families began to arrive.
Between the two World Wars, Brides Les Bains was a chic resort, frequented by Americans. Among the souvenirs you’ll find many posters and candy boxes with the most interesting advertisements of that period.
The holistic approach to wellness: thermal water, spa, nutrition, exercise and nature.
As I told you, my trip took place in the summer, so I was able to discover the Brides Les Bains wellness concept. A model that I like to share, hoping that it will be a source of inspiration for my beautiful country, Romania.
Brides is one of the leading thermal destinations in Europe, specialised in the treatment of obesity. It is a small resort with 450 inhabitants and 600 hotel rooms. By the way, the hotel we stayed in, the Golf Hotel, a beauttifull a building from the 1920s with a beautiful view.
Every morning I woke up with the image of the Vanoise massif and fell asleep to the sound of the rushing water of the Doron de Bozel. It was the time of year when the snow melts in the Alps, there have also been a few rainy days and this stream constantly sounded like a waterfall. And what was really incredible was that no matter how hot it was outside, when you got close to the water of the Doron it was like sitting next to an air conditioner.
The major attraction of Brides-Les-Bains is the Thermal and Spa Center, where the French seniors come with a doctor’s recommendation and with treatments paid by the state.
But in addition to the thermal center where there are many specific treatments, there’s also a spa accessible to everyone, offering a wide range of services from thermal baths and saunas to massages and beauty therapies.
At the spa, my favorite spot was the two hot tubs on the outdoor terrace, a place I would have stayed for hours. Actually, I did. 🙂
What really sets Brides Les Bains apart from other spa resorts is that they invented and introduced, in 2013, the “Label Diététique” concept. An idea that reconciles foodies with balance and offers them dietetic but tasty meal options! 73 criteria must be met by restaurants offering this menu, including using fresh and local produce.
10 restaurants have signed up to the initiative, each of which has 42 menus creted in collaboration with nutritionists, meaning there are 420 recipes to try if you’re staying in Brides for a longer stay.
And it’s not the diet that’s new, it’s the taste! I’m more than a gourmand before coming here I thought they will just give me nothing but boiled broccoli. But everything was delicois! Nowhere did I feel that the food was a diet regime, the taste was incredible everywhere, everything was fresh, there was no shortage of desserts, but the secret was in the ingredients and the portions. I think it’s the only place where I would be able to go on a diet! And in the 5 days I was there, I did it with pleasure.
Another great thing is that all summer long there are various festivals, activities, workshops on nutrition, so that people go home with information and even learn how to cook healthily.
Part of this holistic approach are other kinds of activities organized by the local administration for FREE all summer long. Dance classes, yoga classes, pilates classes, nature hikes, they all have a clear timetable that you can find at any hotel and anyone can join in, no sign-ups, no fees. Need I tell you that after a few days I had already made friends with a group of ladies from the dance class?
The small resort also has a central park, where concerts and other entertainment events are often organized. There was also a music festival during my visit, but it was held in the multi-purpose hall because the weather didn’t allow it to be held outside.
Two faces of the same destination
Today, Brides Les Bains is a resort with two distinct personalities: in summer, it’s all about treatments (especially weight treatments) and well-being. In winter, the resort transforms into a winter sports paradise as part of the vast Les 3 Vallées ski area, where skiers can find accommodation at a much lower price than in the big resorts nearby and have a cable car that takes them to Meribel in 20 minutes every day. As well as hotels, there is a fairly generous supply of apartments for larger groups or families. We visited several run by Alticimes, all in excellent condition.
In conclusion, I can tell you that I was impressed by the whole concept of Brides Les Bains. Due to the fact that French seniors benefit from a state subsidy, it is certainly much more affordable for them than it is for a tourist from Romania, for example. But the model is one to be followed and admired and I can tell you from the bottom of my heart that, although I stayed for a short time, I really felt a sense of well-being during the days I spent in Brides Les Bains and, above all, my body thanked me for the healthy meals, the fresh air and the daily exercise.
About the French Alps during the winter you can read more here French Alps | Vacation in Les 2 Alpes or if you search for a summer destination, also with great food, you can read 20 places to visit in Corfu.
There is more on my blog, but most of my articles are only in Romanian. Google translate can help if you find something interesting.
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This trip was made at the invitation of Atout France and Bride Les Bains Office Tourism. The articles and opinions expressed are entirely my own and they are not part of a contract or influenced by the organisation. All collaborations on danagont.ro are selected to correspond to my preferences, rigours and values I believe in.
