Page 27 - DIVA_1_2014

Villa Strauss that was also used by for skin health and beauty. There is Celéstin and other spa facilities for
Napoleon III during the emperor's a Nutritional Centre offering speci- health and well being.
first visits to Vichy. Under his patro- fic dietary programmes and related
nage the Neo-Gothic style Church of treatments. Mineral Celéstin Vichy The European Historical Thermal
Saint-Louis was built in 1865. water is bottled and exported around Towns Association (E.H.T.TA) was
the world from the site of the emer- created in Brussels on 10 Decem-
In the first half of the twentieth gence of the most famous source. ber 2009. It is a network of thermal
century many mansions and hotels towns which possess a pre-nine-
were built in a variety of architectu- Traditional Vichy lozenges contain teenth century architectural heritage
ral styles mainly set in the old town natural mineral extracts to sooth the and mineral waters recognised in
and close to the thermes. The Belle
Epoque marks the period in Vichy
when elegant wrought iron struc-
tures were erected over walk ways
in the park and to cover the Hall des
Sources around the emergence of two
springs (the Chomel and the Grande
Grille). In 1903 the Great Opera
House, the Hall des Sources and the
Moorish Grand Thermal Establish-
ment were officially opened when
Vichy became known as the summer
capital of music in France. The five
springs prescribed for the spa water
drinks cure are. housed in the vast
metal-framed Hall des Sources. It is
a popular meeting place with chairs
and benches for rest and relaxation
close to the park and thermes. stomach and saturate the acids of the Europe. In 2010 it received the pres-
digestive system. They were made tigious certification of the Council
The new town has several museums, in a large variety of flavours, today of Europe. The European Route of
a cultural centre, art galleries and principally mint, lemon and aniseed. Thermal Heritage consists of twenty-
theatres in addition to the Valery At the place of a famous source, a re- five towns situated in Belgium,
Larbaud municipal library with a nowned liqueur was prepared by the Croatia, Czech Republic, France,
state of the art resource and research Celéstin monks at the Monastery of Germany, Hungary, Italy, Romania,
centre. From 1960 a massive invest- Vichy, Le Monastère de la Sainte Tn- Spain and the United Kingdom. u
ment programme was launched to nité des Celéstins, founded in 1440.
diversify Vichy's industrial base and ITA MARGUET, October 2013
create new attractions in anticipa-
tion of the relative decline of tra- Historical Note: Acknowledgement is given to
ditional spa treatments. With the sources used in preparing this text
construction of the Centre of Omnis- and cultural town including a *pocket Guide (1879)
ports and its huge rowing lake, Vichy titled Vichy and Auvergne by Pro-
has become a major centre for hos- Thousands of curists and tourists fessor Gros, nine years' Professor
ting sport and other national and discover a harmonious blend of of French language in Vichy. It fol-
international events. It has a century lovely buildings in the setting of lows a six day visit to the Thermes
old golf course and a modern eques- lush greenery and an eclectic mix of at Vichy, October 2013. Other texts
trian race course. Byzantine, Moorish, Venetian, Neo- include Health and Wellness: Baths
gothic architecture in a hybrid of in Saillon, Leukerbad, Switzerland
The Vichy Laboratories are dedica- rich and contrasting styles. A heri- (2010), and Doctor Richard Barter:
ted to developing cosmetic and der- tage circuit offers many principal Hydropathy in Ireland (2012) by Ita
matological products that include attractions and buildings comprising Marguet.
the use of thermal spa water with fif- the old quarter of Vichy, the renow-
teen mineral salts and trace elements ned thermes, the extensive modern

PUBLICITE

Audio Video Systems - Home Theater - High-end Hi-Fi

videc-Ilifitec St
ff

1 rue de Lyon 1201 Genève - info@videohifitec.ch - Phone: 022 733 7333 / 079 606 2222
4
u"Vt*V4
g4 qm~g":