Traveling in France: Vichy (Part 3 of 3)

Our visit to Vichy continues.

Vichy is best known as a spa destination.  Vichy is located near the Massif Central, a large plateau that is an ancient site of volcanic activity.  That activity is the source of Vichy's thermal springs and mineral-laden water.  

The springs have been active since pre-history.  They were popularized in the 1670's when the famous Marquise de Sévigné, an early "influencer", wrote in her letters about their curative powers.  

The Vichy home of the Marquise de Sévigné

Over the the next two centuries, Vichy's springs became increasingly popular and the city grew as a result.  By the mid-1800's, Vichy was a full-fledged spa destination.   

We toured Vichy and spotted many interesting sights along the way.  One was the Sources des Célestins, a spring named for the former Célestins monastery that was located nearby.

  

The building over the source was completed in 1908.  The architectural style is neo-Louis XVI.

Below is a photo of the Source, a sort of ornate fountain with faucets for filling bottles.  The water is free. 

If you have ever tasted Vichy water, you know it is consumed for its curative powers, not its taste.

We also visited the Grand établissement thermal, a large spa building in the center of Vichy.  It was completed in 1903 in the neo-Moorish style.

In the building, we discovered an ancient Roman stone road marker on display.  It was found near Vichy.  

According to Patrimoine Vichy, "This milestone itinerary of the emperors Philippe dates from 249 AD. It is a monolith in arkose which measures  2.35 meters from above. It was found in 1880 in the old cemetery of Moutier (present Callou thermal baths), and indicates that Vichy is 21 leagues away (XXI Leugas  :50.7 kilometers) from Clermont (City of Arvernes)."

Recently, Vichy has joined with 10 other Great Spas of Europe to seek addition to UNESCO's World Heritage List.

  

While strolling in Vichy, we also spotted other noteworthy places, including medieval buildings and an Art Nouveau building.

Along the way, we enjoyed seeing some blooming flowers.  (We visited in April.)

Other interesting sights in Vichy included an antique shop, another shop that sold absinthe and some other noteworthy discoveries.

A classic Citroen

Street art on the gate of a shop

An AED (automated external defibrillator) on the street?  A very good idea.

A local Vichy cafe wants you to leave your pet blaireau at home.  A blaireau is a badger.

French hospitality is wonderful.  Our hosts Eliane and Jean-Charles welcomed us into their lovely home and offered us some excellent cuisine.  

Our hosts also showed us their art collection, which included a painting of the Grand établissement thermal.  

Thanks for visiting Vichy with us.  We hope that you enjoyed the visit as much as we did.

P.S.  Below is a collection of photos from our visit.

The flower in Marie-Chantal's hand is muguet, traditionally given on May 1 for good luck.

Above, Jean-Charles displays two of his many talents.  Many train stations in France have a piano, in case passengers want to serenade others.  The pianos were installed for a while, then removed and then restored by popular demand.