Kris and Dad had to work today.
One of Kris's projects during the CWT is to explore wellness and aesthetic medicine around the world—seeing how different countries approach longevity, beauty, recovery, and the increasingly expansive concept of “wellness.” France, with its long tradition of spa culture and balneotherapy, was obviously going to require some serious field research.
So, regrettably, professional obligations compelled us to drive to the beautiful Mediterranean beach town of Bandol and spend several hours receiving treatments at the Île Rousse Hôtel Thalazur.
The sacrifices we make for science.
The specialty here is thalassotherapy, a wellness tradition particularly associated with France that uses seawater, marine minerals, seaweed, and other elements of the coastal environment for therapeutic treatments. The word derives from the Greek thalassa, meaning sea. France helped transform the practice into an organized wellness industry, particularly along its Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, where specialized thalassotherapy centers became destinations in their own right.
Naturally, comparative research demands direct observation.
We began soaking in a hot saltwater jacuzzi, followed by a seaweed wrap, in which we were slathered in marine vegetation and cocooned while whatever restorative alchemy was supposed to occur presumably occurred. We concluded our rigorous research protocol with massages, emerging several hours later relaxed, exfoliated, and smelling faintly like exceptionally well-maintained sea creatures.
We will need to review the literature, but preliminary results were favorable.
An unexpected bonus was discovering Bandol itself. We'd come primarily for the spa but found a relaxed, handsome seaside town wrapped around a harbor, with beaches, restaurants, and that languid Mediterranean atmosphere we've grown increasingly susceptible to. It immediately felt like somewhere the girls would enjoy.
We left already discussing whether we could squeeze in another visit before leaving Provence—this time bringing them along for a proper beach day.
One of the pleasures of traveling slowly enough to have unscheduled days is that occasionally a place you barely knew existed that morning earns itself a spot on the itinerary by afternoon.
Today we went to Bandol for research. Further study may be required.