Vals-Les-Bains: Thermal history and nature

Vals-Les-Bains can be considered for travel planning through its thermal history, the Source Intermittente and its various routes. Are you primarily interested in cultural history, exploring wellness options or making time for a tour? When looking for a hotel, it helps to first weigh which of these interests you want to shape your stay.

Thermal history, springs and culture

The first modern thermal baths in Vals-les-Bains were built in 1851 at the initiative of Professor Dupasquier. Another historic landmark is the Source Intermittente: it was discovered in 1865 during work to find new mineral water springs. Today, it is one of the Geosites of the Monts d’Ardèche Regional Natural Park. In the thermal park, the spring emerges several times a day as a rare natural phenomenon; the timing may vary. The Source therefore connects the history of spring exploration with a geological perspective.

In the Quartier du château, old cobbled lanes lead through Vals-les-Bains’ seigneurial past. The Maison Champanhet offers another way to discover the town’s history. It presents the history of the spa town and its mineral waters, along with traditional crafts and other skills of the inhabitants of the upper Cévennes of Ardèche. Individual visits last an average of about 60 minutes. Use this as a guide when planning your time, and check the current visiting arrangements in advance.

Nature and wellness

The Red Wood is a 54-metre-tall evergreen sequoia classified as a “Remarkable Tree of France.” For travellers interested in nature and heritage, this offers a focus distinct from the town’s thermal history.

The Séquoia Redwood Spa offers the “Les bassins du Séquoia” sensory experience and individual treatments in cabins. Its services include body and facial treatments, such as massages, scrubs, wraps and body sculpting. If wellness is part of your travel plans, these options give you a concrete idea of the treatments available. The exact range of treatments may change; check the current selection in advance.

Routes and time planning

The short version of “Le Rocher des Combes” is a 5.8-kilometre loop with 150 metres of elevation gain. It takes about one hour and 45 minutes along wide paths. The distance, elevation gain and approximate duration give you three concrete points of reference when estimating how much time to allow for a tour. Route details may change if trail conditions change; check conditions before setting out.

Other routes are described by the connections they offer or by a named starting point. “Tesseaux et les trois ruisseaux” links the Arlix and Bateau neighbourhoods with higher-altitude hamlets and several streams. The “Les 3 vallées” route starts in front of the Vals-les-Bains tourist office. The descriptions therefore differ: “Le Rocher des Combes” focuses on the specific details of a short loop, “Tesseaux et les trois ruisseaux” on the connection between neighbourhoods, hamlets and streams, and “Les 3 vallées” on its starting point.

Which of these themes fits your plans is a practical basis for choosing your destination and how much time to allow. History, wellness and routes offer different focuses, and you do not need to fit them all into the same stay.

Discover more destinations: Lachamp-Raphaël, Barnas, Cornas, Chalencon, Alboussière, Serrières Canton, Meyras, Lanarce

For the overview of the wider region: Ardèche.