ABOVE: Slimming in the Alps
France on a High - Slimming in the Alps
When you’ve indulged in the calorific Savoyard specialities of raclette, tartiflette and fondue, a few runs down the nearest ski slope usually follow if you want to burn off those calories. Skiing is, after all, a great way to exercise, but it is a little tiring. Wouldn’t it be great, then, if those calories could also be shifted by doing something a little less strenuous, like, for example, drinking a glass of water? Impossible you might think. Yet, in Bridesles- Bains that is exactly the prescription for those wanting to shed a few pounds. For here, in this small town which nestles just below the ski resort of Méribel, the water has a remarkable laxative effect that can aid slimming and is used to help treat hundreds of people every year.
Of course, treatment isn’t limited to just the drinking of water – if only it were so easy – at Le Grand Spa des Alpes, the town’s treatment centre, the water is also used in a strange array of machines that spray, sprinkle, spurt and jet the water at one’s body to improve circulation, pummel cellulite and aid relaxation.
Used as part of the intensive slimming programmes, which also include dietary advice and exercise regimes, the treatments help more than 1,500 French people lose weight every year. Indeed, the French government will pay for up to 18 days’ worth of treatment for citizens suffering from obesity, if they fulfil certain criteria.
However, the spa’s services aren’t limited to weight loss programmes. Being located so close to the Trois Vallées ski area means there are plenty of people wanting a postpiste pamper and the water jet machines are ideal for soothing away aches and pains. I’ve opted for a jet bath called a hydroxeur that is supposed to improve circulation and cellulite, but I have a feeling it’s going to take more than the allotted 15 minutes to see a difference. As I step into a long, elevated jet bath, I’m wondering what the experience of slimming, French-style, might have in store. I lower myself into the warm water and the spa assistant instructs me to lie down, hold the handles and to place my feet on the two small platforms inside the bath. She leaves the room and the bath begins to whirr. Small bubbles start to jet out of the small holes that perforate the bath and I am tickled from head to toe for about 15 minutes by a variety of bubbles and jets. It’s not unpleasant, but the bubbles are colder than the water and it isn’t long before the bath starts to get a bit chilly. When the whirring has finished, the bath starts to drain and I head for the hammam, where I am enveloped by the warm, menthol-scented vapours. The hammam (North African-style steam room) is just one of the spa’s attractions. Although there is no swimming pool, there is a steam room, water jets and a Jacuzzi as well as a variety of massages and holistic treatments.
Massage moments
The next day, after a morning’s skiing, I book in for a Thai massage to ease my own post-slope aches and pains. My masseuse, surprisingly, is blind and while she is softly spoken as she instructs me in a mixture of French and English, she is by no means soft in her massage technique. As I lie on my front on a comfortable mat on the floor, she pushes and pulls my arms and legs into a variety of contortions to the sound of the chill-out music coming through the stereo. It’s just what my tired limbs need and if this is the French way to lose weight and de-stress, then I’m all for it.
Of course, the 600 kilometres of ski slopes just up the road are a draw in themselves and, thanks to the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics using the town as its residential village, Brides-les-Bains has become a destination for skiers as much as spa-goers.
This is just what the doctor ordered; the town enjoyed its hey-day during the Belle Époque in the late 19th century and its visitors came from all over Europe to take les cures. The town boasted casinos, theatres and other entertainments, but when the tram closed in 1965 the town’s facilities fell into disrepair and Brides-les-Bains was largely forgotten by tourists. As part of the Olympics, a gondola was installed to link the town with Méribel ski area and the town was re-born.
The gondola ride over snow-dusted mountains takes just 25 minutes and is worth doing because it means that visitors can take advantage of the cheaper hotel prices in the town, yet still enjoy the skiing that comes with a premium for those staying on the mountain. While there are bars in which to enjoy the après-ski atmosphere, Brides-les-Bains is quieter than the main resorts, making it a good destination for those wanting to rest, rather than party, after a day on the slopes. As well as Méribel, which is good for intermediate skiers in that there are plenty of blue runs and lots of challenging red ones, skiers can also try Courchevel and Val Thorens-Les Menuires, which each offer spectacular views and plenty of natural snow. And as I glide down the mountain, I feel exhilarated and toned and, if I admit it, rather hungry for a filling lunch of tartiflette and fondue. But then again, perhaps I’d better go for a salad this time.
WHERE TO STAY
Hôtel Athena Rue du Pont Rouge 73571 Brides-les-Bains Tel: (Fr) 4 79 55 31 01 www.hotel-athena-brides.com This clean and friendly two-star hotel offers 30 rooms and is a five-minute walk to the spa, main street and ski lift to Méribel. It also offers its own Jacuzzi and hammam.
LE GRAND HÔTEL DES THERMES
Parc Thermal 73571 Brides-les-Bains Tel: (Fr) 4 79 55 38 38. www.gdhotel-brides.com Set in the heart of the resort, this three-star hotel has 98 modern-decorated rooms and is right next to the spa and télécabine to the ski slopes.
GETTING THERE
Fly to Lyon, Grenoble or Chambéry. The nearest train station is Moutiers, a few kilometres from the resort.
SKI AND SPA PACKAGES
Packages with ski pass and hotel for a week cost from €435. There are several equipment hire shops in the town. Visit www.brideski.com for more information. Two-day spa packages, with four treatments, cost from €128 per person. Treatments can also be booked individually. Tel: (Fr) 4 79 55 23 44 or visit www.thermes-brideslesbains.fr
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
In order for French citizens to qualify for treatment, the patient needs a medical certificate written by their GP, explaining their condition. The doctor chooses which cure is right and the spa establishment and gives guidelines about treatment required. Then the patient’s medical insurer has to agree that the patient qualifies for funding, for a maximum of 18 days of treatment. Only the treatment is paid for. Transport, food and accommodation are paid for by the patient.