EXPERT
(this was entirely reimbursed by the SÉCU and my mutuelle insurance and the fee included all three visits) and set off to be cured. It was all quite functional and not especially luxurious. I think there are newer and more appealing establishments to be found among the 15 in Dax, but the staff were excellent and the treatments were effective. I was prescribed baths,
The Fontaine chaude spa waters in Dax emerge at 64ºC; every curiste uses 880 litres of thermal water
you’ll be given a personal cure card that details all your treatments and the timings involved. You will need to carry this with you as you move around the centre so that treatments can be ticked off and you also know where you are meant to be and when. You will need to provide your
own swimwear, swimming hat and claquettes (slip-on plastic poolside shoes) for walking around the spa; they will provide bathrobes and towels. You may also be offered the cure de boisson where you drink a specific quantity of mineral water during the 18 days. The first couple of days can be confusing but you should quickly get into the swing of spending much of the day in your bathrobe, and start to feel relaxed as a result! Many people find la cure so
relaxing that they go back year after year. This is when it might be tempting to buy a property in your favourite thermal town. It can be a very sensible investment. Outside the larger thermal centres, property can
be very affordable and even in the bigger thermal destinations, such as Dax, property is still reasonably priced. Buying in a thermal town
will mean you can stay in your property and dip in and out of spa treatment programmes at your leisure with your accommodation already sorted. There’s also a ready- made rental market for curistes
“Many people find ‘la cure’ so relaxing that they go back year aſter year”
who return year after year and often prefer to book the same accommodation, meaning that once established, you have a reliable income stream. The rate of return on short-term rentals in spa towns is pretty good and there are numerous concierge services available for property owners. Some of these will handle bookings and reservations as well as cleaning and change-over services. Short-term rentals mean you
don’t have any of the hassle that can come with long-term lets, the property is there for you to enjoy when you want to and it is providing you with a regular income to boot.
The thermal spa at Eugénie-les-Bains
MY CURE I did my first ever thermal cure last year when my GP who is also a médecin thermal, suggested it for an ongoing
76 FRENCH PROPERTY NEWS: January/February 2024
shoulder issue. I have to admit that living in Dax, a thermal town, and having seen vast numbers of fairly elderly curistes out and about in the town, I was quite sceptical about any actual benefits. I didn’t need to worry about
accommodation, which made things easier and having got my paperwork in order, I opted for la cure de soir, which took place from 5-8pm, six days a week including Saturdays. This cure is promoted as being ideal for working-age people who can’t afford to take three weeks off work. I expected it to be full of
people around my age, not ‘elderly’ but old enough to be suffering from various aches and pains. As it turned out, I was entirely wrong! My fellow curistes were all retirees and seasoned curistes and chose the evening option as it was much quieter than the morning or afternoon sessions. I paid my GP the €70 for the initial medical appointment
DAX AND BEYOND
If the sound of la cure is tempting, why not come to Dax, the leading thermal destination in France? The 15 thermal establishments here and St-Paul-lès-Dax (Grand Dax), along with nearby Saubusse, provide treatment for 60,000 curistes every year. The thermal water – which can be experienced in the town centre at la Fontaine chaude – emerges at 64ºC and provides the 880 litres of thermal water that are used by every curiste. Those taking la cure also get through 44kg of the special Dax
mud – known as le péloïde – per person and the curistes in Grand Dax collectively get through a whopping 1,200,000 litres of water every year!
GETTING TO DAX
By train: TGV Paris–Dax – 3hr 20 TER Bordeaux–Dax – 1h 15 By plane: Biarritz – 65km
Pau – 85km Bordeaux – 150km By car: A63 motorway – exit 9 A64 motorway – exit 6
massages, showers, swimming pool sessions and of course le péloïde, the famous Dax mud, which is unique in France. This was applied to my neck and shoulders and, on occasions, my entire body, and was a hot and messy experience! Different establishments have different protocols but this one required the curistes to be naked for the application and hosing off afterwards.
THE VERDICT As most treatments involve some degree of dressing and undressing, I recommend wearing a two piece rather than a swimsuit as it makes things much easier! I didn’t have to pay any money upfront; the bill was sent straight to my caisse and my top-up health insurance paid the balance – just over €300. Six months later, I am
pain free for the first time in over a decade and will definitely be going again next year. It seemed like a lot of organisation but it will be much simpler next time as I know what I am doing and I’m convinced of the benefits. ■
© SHUTTERSTOCK
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