Spa architecture and the Belle Époque in the Sancy

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SPA ARCHITECTURE IN LA BOURBOULE

A stroll through La Bourboule, Queen of Arsenic

Probably known since Antiquity, the use of La Bourboule's thermal waters is documented from the 15th century, but it was in the 19th century, as everywhere in Europe, that the spa town truly emerged around its arsenic-rich waters.

Many buildings still bear witness to this Belle Époque architectural blossoming:

• The façade of the former Rozier pastry shop (1920-1923), covered in mosaics and listed as a historic monument
• The caryatids of the town hall
• The Italian-style theatre and its monumental staircase
• The casino and its Art Deco slot machine room with stucco decoration, column capitals and pilasters
• The Grands Thermes in neo-Byzantine style, opened to the public in 1879

In summer, join the guided tour of La Bourboule “Queen of Arsenic”, a clever mix of little stories and anecdotes from the Belle Époque.

• Many former grand hotels with Art Deco, neoclassical or baroque façades, turrets and troubadour-style watchtowers…
• The bandstand

Le Mont-Dore, the VIP resort of the 19th century

A very fashionable resort in the 19th century, with grand hotels, thermal baths and luxurious villas lining the streets. George Sand, Honoré de Balzac, Marcel Proust and Georges Clemenceau are some of the celebrities who made the spa town internationally famous.

In Le Mont-Dore, the thermal baths and the funicular are the main examples of Belle Époque architecture:

• The thermal baths, partly listed as a Historic Monument, are an architectural marvel in neo-Byzantine style that can be visited from April to October. The Mont-Dore thermal baths are among the largest and most beautiful in Europe.
• The funicular, built in 1898, is the oldest electric funicular in France. At the top station, in the machine room, the great toothed wheels evoke Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times. It runs from May to October – a little trip through history! The Belle Époque architectural style of Le Mont-Dore reflects the elegance and wealth of that prestigious era. The spa villas, with their ornate façades, wrought-iron balconies and mansard roofs, show the prestige given to these thermal establishments. Auvergne spa architecture is characterised by a remarkable fusion of therapeutic function and refined aesthetics. Public spaces such as the spa galleries and waiting rooms were designed to offer comfort and luxury to visitors from all over Europe. This Auvergne spa architecture remains a living testimony to the heyday of European spas and continues to attract lovers of history and architecture.

• Spa architecture in Le Mont-Dore

A walk through the most natural spa town: Saint-Nectaire

Volcanic water – some forty springs in all – and its thermal properties made Saint-Nectaire's spa successful in the Belle Époque and shaped its present appearance.

In Saint-Nectaire, the Grands Thermes and Belle Époque villas invite you to step back in time:

• The Grands Thermes (now the tourist office), in neo-Renaissance style, dominate Saint-Nectaire-le-Bas. The three semicircular pavilions look onto a small park and a rotunda housing three thermal springs.
• The Villa Russe, next to the Grands Thermes, was built in 1890 to host a Prince Orlov. The villa stands out with its orientalist architecture.
• The Bains Romains (now the Hôtel Mercure) were the oldest thermal establishment in Saint-Nectaire. Fine mosaics in the hall and 19th-century architecture.
• The Bains du Mont Cornadore in Saint-Nectaire-le-Haut have been listed as Historic Monuments since 2011.