French luxury comes with its own vocabulary. It helps to know three terms before you book: Palace, cure thermale and thalassotherapy.
The Palace distinction
Palace is France's top official hotel distinction, a rank above five stars, and the list is updated by the state. Cheval Blanc's French hotels are on the 2026 list. If you want the very top of the market, the official list is a better starting point than any hotel's own use of the word "luxury".
A cure is not a spa break
A cure thermale is a medical treatment. A doctor prescribes it, and it runs for 18 days of treatment at an approved thermal establishment, usually over three weeks. It can be reimbursed by French health insurance on that basis, and shorter stays are not reimbursed.
Most visitors want something different: a day or a weekend of thermal baths and treatments, sold as wellness. Many thermal towns offer this too, but check that you are booking a wellness stay rather than a medical programme.
Spa towns
- Vichy, in the Auvergne, is one of France's best-known spa towns.
- Dax, inland in the Landes about 30 km from the Atlantic, is known for mud treatments and rheumatism. With neighbouring Saint-Paul-lès-Dax it has the largest concentration of thermal establishments in France.
- Aix-les-Bains, in Savoie, is the classic Alpine thermal town.
- Évian-les-Bains, on Lake Geneva, is another well-known name.
Thalassotherapy
Thalassotherapy uses heated seawater, marine algae and sea air rather than mineral springs, and it is generally not covered by health insurance. It belongs on the coast, and the Atlantic is its home ground. Quiberon, in Brittany, is a major centre, and La Baule, in Loire-Atlantique, is the other big resort name on that coast.
Practical notes
- Swimwear: many French pools and thermal areas have strict rules for hygiene, and men may be asked to wear fitted trunks rather than loose shorts. Check with the spa, or bring both.
- Book treatments early: ask when you book the room, as popular slots go first.
- Check what is included: some rates include spa access and others charge for it, and treatments are usually extra.
- Medical conditions: if you are pregnant or have a health condition, tell the spa before booking treatments.
