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    Recreational spas

    Take thermal water, put it to purely recreational use and you get what we call thermoludisme and you call pure indulgence! Occitania / Pyrenees-Mediterranean is home to France's greatest concentration of these establishments, with 10 recreational spas. Located in the splendid setting of the Pyrenees, they feature among Europe's finest recreational spas.
    Show the list of recreational spas

    They include Aquensis in Bagnères-de-Bigorre, Les Bains du Couloubret in Ax-les-Thermes, Sensoria in Saint Lary, Balnéa in the Louron Valley and more…; 10 recreational spas have opened in Occitania / Pyrenees-Mediterranean since 2000, and they are proving increasingly popular. A recreational spa is a relaxation and well-being establishment that features recreational pools for group bathing and water features supplied with thermal water.

    Located in the unspoilt surroundings of the thermal spa resorts of the Pyrenees, right in among the mountains, these centres are dedicated exclusively to relaxation and well-being in thermal water.

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    Jardin des Bains - Argelès Gazost (Hautes-Pyrénées)Balnéa - Génos-Loudenvielle (Hautes-Pyrénées)Thermes de Luchon (Haute-Garonne)Sensoria - Saint-Lary (Hautes-Pyrénées)Aquensis - Bagnères de Bigorre (Hautes-Pyrénées)Aquensis -Bagnère de Bigorre (Hautes-Pyrénées)Bains du Rocher - Cauterets (Hautes-Pyrénées)Luzea - Luz-Saint-Sauveur (Haute-Pyrénées)Cieléo - Barèges (Hautes-Pyrénées)Thermes de Luchon (Haute-Garonne)Jardin des Bains - Argelès Gazost (Hautes-Pyrénées)

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      Jet pools, geysers, aquatic seats with massaging bubbles and jets, waterfalls, musical baths and tropical showers, jacuzzis, Oriental steam baths and more… Here you are surrounded by luxury with an original touch, which applies not only to the facilities but also to the architecture, the fine building materials used and the themed ambiances, which are always different from spa to spa.

      Aquensis, for example, takes you on a journey to Finland and the Orient. Sensoria leads you through surroundings evoking the canyons of Aragon. Les Bains du Couloubret wraps you up in the elegant ambiance of ancient Roman baths.


      The entire range of spa services

      A particularly broad range of spa services is on offer in these recreational spas, enabling you to benefit from local expertise in thermal pleasures but also the latest innovations in massage, sculpting massage and body and facial treatments.

      Lastly, don't forget that these recreational spas are fed with thermal water that is naturally warm (33°C on average) and not mains water as is the case for balneotherapy centres. 



      Recreational spas: a runaway success

      • Over the last 10 years considerable investment has been made across the region to encourage a boom in the recreational spa industry, and this has been enthusiastically received by the public. Visitor numbers to recreational spas in Midi-Pyrénées are increasing year on year.

        This is because recreational spas are providing what people want these days: an opportunity to indulge in a feeling of well-being and pleasure. They are also proving popular because of their architectural quality, their environmentally friendly nature and their design concepts, unique in every case.

        All this gives these establishments an identity and heritage value that makes them an integral part of the thermal culture specific to Midi-Pyrénées. And with 17 resorts, Midi-Pyrénées is France's fourth thermal region.

      What is a recreational spa?

      • These establishments are open all year round (except during maintenance periods, generally in late November/early December). They are open to the public and accessible to people of all ages, including children (subject to the terms and conditions at the different recreational spas).
        Admission is for a set time, generally two hours, or in the form of various membership subscriptions.

        Where there are recreational spas in a thermal resort, these are separate from the thermal healthcare establishments included in agreements under the French social security system.

        Recreational spas feature water-based facilities and a collection of water features in pools approximately 1.3 metres deep: hydromassage jets, aquatic seats with high-pressure jets, geysers, cross-current features, etc.
        Group physical exercise and relaxation classes such as gym, aquagym, sophrology, etc. are often available.

        These centres also offer "spa and well-being" products. These are individual services usually comprising beauty massages, relaxation therapies and body treatments.

        Recreational spas are very different from public swimming pools and water parks: they are not designed for swimming or diving and do not feature facilities such as water slides.
        Recreational spas are not supplied with mains water. The water used is certified mineral water or non-certified thermal water. In both cases, these establishments can only operate with the authorisation of the local Préfecture.
       
      Project co-financed by the European Union. Europe is partnering Midi-Pyrénées with the European Regional Development Fund.