Spas like no other!

Time for... cocooning

Alliance Pornic

Nestled against the small cove of La Source, in Pornic (44), this thalassotherapy centre – once the town's casino – is now a haven of peace. Visitors can enjoy this very private setting, enjoying seaweed or clay wraps as well as gentle head and face massages, for example, or Japanese massotherapy and ayurveda, the house speciality. This 4,000-m2 wellness area has a hydrotherapy circuit, a seawater pool, a gym, a eucalyptus hammam and even a sauna with a luminotherapy system.

Time for... retro

Côte Ouest Les Sables-d’Olonne

There is a delightful ambience at this Sables d'Olonne (85) centre, attached to a hotel whose décor is inspired by 1930s cruise ships. The whole place is tucked away in the heart of a pine forest, not far from the ocean and the Lac de Tanchet. Facilities include a seawater pool heated to 32°C, a small fine sandy beach and old-fashioned bathing cabins. Visitors can also enjoy a hydromarine circuit, fitness and aromatherapy rooms, an Oriental hammam and even couples' treatments in a charming private space.

Time for... luxury

Le Château des Tourelles

Hidden away from the hustle and bustle of La Baule (44), on the Pointe du Bec, this magnificent 19th century château houses a splendid four-star hotel beloved by celebrities – it was even chosen as the base for the Swedish football team during the 2016 Euros. It sits alongside a park with hundred-year-old trees, a high-end restaurant and, most importantly, a spa centre equipped with a full-to-bursting hydromarine area that includes indoor and outdoor pools, hydrotherapy circuit, leisure pool, solarium, cardio-fitness centre, saunas, a hammam and more! The hydrotherapy treatments are performed in wonderful private suites.

Time for… innovation

Thalasso.com Saint-Jean-de-Monts

Located in the peaceful coastal town of Saint-Jean-de-Monts (85), this centre has one of the largest seawater pools in France and strives to offer cutting-edge treatments. Visitors can therefore experience hydrosensory treatments, which plays musical waves across a water "bed", or chromotherapy, a treatment method using colour. The place also makes use of the famous marine mud from the neighbouring bay of Bourgneuf to stock up on trace elements. It's worth noting that the Saint-Jean-de-Monts golf course, located nearby, is among the finest courses in France.

Time for... elegance

Thalasso & Spa Barrière Le Royal

Remodelled from top to bottom, hotel Le Royal, managed in La Baule by the Barrière group, includes a 1,000-m2 thalassotherapy centre where refinement is the order of the day. The centre features three heated seawater pools, a hammam, a sauna, a relaxation room overlooking the ocean and two VIP rooms. The treatments, developed by the company's doctors and dietician, help eliminate toxins, while the very little ones can enjoy massages and baby swim lessons.