Thalassotherapy

The word thalassotherapy comes from the association of two ancient Greek words, ‘Thalassa’ meaning sea, and ‘Therapia’ meaning healing. Also known as a thalasso stay or a spa stay, thalassotherapy includes a spa treatment under the supervision of a health care professional together with accommodation at the heart of a spa resort or hotel. Making exclusive use of seawater and its derivatives, recognized for their healing properties, thalassotherapy can be considered as a natural medicine due to its soothing and curative effect, ideal for complete relaxation and marvellous spa holidays.

Discover all our destinations for thalassotherapy, everywhere in the world.

With more than half of the world’s thalasso centres established on its territory, France can boast to be the cradle of thalassotherapy whereby luxury spa treatments are delivered by almost all of its spa hotels or resorts scattered throughout the country.

In fact, thalassotherapy was born in ancient times when people were simply advised by doctors to have warm sea baths in order to get rid of and even cure many illnesses and diseases prevailing at that time. Even, the Romans made use of sea mud to cure certain diseases. It was however not before the 16th or 17th century that thalassotherapy (seawater treatment as it was then named) became popular when an English Doctor by the name of Dr. Russel carried out therapeutic tests confirming the beneficial effects of seawater. As such, sea baths became popular in England, from where it has been exported to other countries including France, where thalassotherapy gained much importance and recognition: from the setting-up of ‘maisons de santé’ by the sea in South of France, thalassotherapy gradually became big seaside resorts enjoyed by the high-class societies at that time. Thus, in 1867 the word ‘thalassotherapy’ came into existence and it was only in the late 19th century that the first thalassotherapy centre was built in Roscoff in France's Brittany region.

Consequently, it was much later in the 1960’s that thalassotherapy was associated with wellness and health tourism far from its original healing purposes and the baths of the previous century. As a result, thalassotherapy rapidly developed in France, be it nearby Paris along ‘the Channel’, along the Atlantic Ocean with its mild and ideal climate or along the famous Mediterranean borders. France is thus home today to more than 50 thalassotherapy centres, each unique and different but however proposing more or less the same types of spa treatments: pain reliever, relaxation, anti stress, etc…

Even if thalassotherapy originates from France and UK, it has however spread to other parts of the world, much beyond European borders. It is therefore not surprising to notice that countries like Thailand, Indonesia and islands like the Seychelles, Mauritius and the Maldives are now famous for their spa hotels and resorts offering high quality and luxury spa treatments, however derived from soft water rather than seawater (thalassotherapy). This new approach of using soft water associated with spa treatments has become popular and is in great demand be it in France itself or any other countries in the world. Indeed, a thalassotherapy centre as compared to a spa centre needs to comply with health regulations in order to operate. These conditions imply that a centre lies by the sea and makes use of seawater exclusively for its spa treatments and above all, the supervision and follow-up by a medical practitioner is a prerequisite for any thalassotherapy break in any thalassotherapy centres. However, thalassotherapy centres in France, for almost all of them, include also a spa centre.

Furthermore, along with new techniques borrowed from oriental traditions such as the Watsu or the Japanese Shiatsu or the Indian Ayurveda, traditional thalassotherapy has not been forgotten as in any parts of the world, all thalassotherapy or spa centres centres include the traditional whirlpool baths, algae wraps, hot mud applications and shower jets among a list of elementary thalassotherapy treatments.

Thalassotherapy can therefore be said to be a soft and natural medicine which scoops out water and reuses it to heal to bring comfort and well being. With its particular rich marine elements such as algae, sea mud and minerals (iodine, phosphorus, copper, zinc, calcium…), thalassotherapy blends all the necessary ingredients for successful spa and thalassotherapy holidays. Therefore, shall you go for a thalassotherapy stay, you shall profit from the beneficial effects of seawater coupled with pleasures of relaxation and utmost comfort while experiencing new sensations with Asian massages, innovative spa techniques and much more…

In reply to today’s hedonistic society, a thalassotherapy stay is surely the best solution to cope with everyday's strains.

If you still haven’t yet chosen your thalassotherapy destination, Thalassoline thus recommends you besides France, the other neighbouring European countries such as Italy, Spain, Greece, Switzerland, Ireland etc... which shall delight you by their thalassotherapy and spa centres.

For a complete change of scenery, go for Mauritius, the Seychelles, the Maldives or even Indonesia in the exotic Indian Ocean or encounter the Caribbean region and South America where Bahamas and Mexico await you…

Or how about indulging yourself in a most exciting spa holiday break in the mysterious yet so charming Asia with Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia?

Tempted by oriental scents? Morocco and Tunisia, welcome you to discover their fascinating countries during an outstanding thalassotherapy break.