The healing qualities of Vichy’s rich-mineral waters have made this town famous all over the world, recognised for cosmetics, laboratories, octogonal soda pastilles and, of course, bottled water, today exported to more than 40 countries.
Throughout its history, Vichy has always developed, diversified and modernized. Today, it is a perfect destination for health and well-being seekers, a flowered town set along the course of the Allier river, full of green parks, cultural and sporting activities – since the 60s it’s famous for hostings international waters sports competitions – and a rich architectural heritage, rich in fine examples of refined classic spa building.
Vichy is one of the eleven Great Spa Towns of Europe, inscribed on the World Heritage List since 2021.
The Municipality of Vichy is a founder member of EHTTA.
Romans and Gauls were the first to discover the properties of Vichy’s springs, founders of Aquis Calidis, a town next to a passaage point upon the river Allier. In the Middle Ages several small villages grouped around a fortified castle and a monastery, forming two settlements: a feudal city on the Allier banks and, North-West of the castle, an open defenceless town.In the 8th and 9th centuries a primitive thermal establishmet operated between these two centers, close to the monastery .
The popularization of thermal water cures at the beggining of the 17th century moved King Henri IV to order the construction of Vichy’s first modern baths, the Maison du Roy, starting a long tradition of royal visitors to the budding spa town. The establishment was further developed through years, specially thanks to Victoire and Adélaide, daughters of King Louis XV, who in 1785 promoted major transformations, including better roads, the design of an esplanade and the contruction of new thermal facilities.
Laetitia Bonaparte, mother of Napoleon 1st, also visited Vichy in 1799, and her stay bring further improvements to the town: new buildings to protect the fountains and paved paths connecting them with the baths and the hospital. Trough the 19th century the thermal quarter began to take form, developing over the old medieval town, and concert halls, ballrooms, promenades and other enterntainments facilities began to spread.
The mineral springs of Vichy belong to the family of sodic bicarbonated – carbo-gaseous waters, and are rich in trace elements.
Six springs are used for the drink course of treatment, and are divided into two groups:
- Cold Springs: Célestins (22°C), Lucas (27°C)
- Hot springs: Hôpital (34°C), Chomel (43.5°), Grande Grille (39°)
Due to their rich mineral compositions, Vichy’s waters regulate the biliary flow, have antispasmodic effects on the intestines and have proved beneficial in many cases of food allergies. On the skin, they have a revitalising and tonic effect, and their anti-inflammatory qualities are also prized for the Laboratoiries Vichy and its dermocosmetic line, part of the world-famous L’Oreal brand.
The Vichy Thermal Spa Les Dômes offers traditional hydrotherapy and drinking cures for digestive, metabolic, rheumatic diseases and allergies, while the new Vichy Spa Hotel and Resort Les Célestins offers guests the latest skincare and beauty techniques, as well as hydrotherapy treatments using the Vichy spring water, in a modern complex overlooking the Napoléon III Park.
The Vichy Method approach health and well-being from an holistic point of view, where the water cures (ranging from 5 to 18 days) are complemented with exercise and workout at Vichy’s many sports facilities, wellness treatments like massages and modelling, peloid muds wraps, steam rooms and saunas, etc. and of course healthy diets. The Vichy Nutritional Centre is available for nutritional consultations, light cookery workshops, behaviour therapies and follow-up support for 6 months after the treatment.
Besides the drinking treatments, Vichy’s thermal tecniques include the famous Vichy shower, mud applications, water massages, carbonated baths, steams, and thermalwaters instillations.
In 1990s the town started a major investments programme to achieve “a renewed thermalism” that would bring back to the town its forer popularity as a health centre. Actions included the renovation of the springs hall and galleries, the creations of the Celestins thermal spa and its 4-stars hotel, and above all the protection and recovery of the old thermal facilities, sometimes giving them new moderns uses, like the Lady baths, which today house the University.
Nowaydays, thanks to this recovery strategy, visitors can still enjoy the view of great pieces of heritage like the Grand Casino and the Art Nouvau theatre and stroll around the banks of the Allier river,today home to great lush parks and sandy beaches, along with many sports facilities.