The gateway to serenity
Taking care of one’s body (and mind) is no longer a non-affordable luxury.
Taking care of one’s body (and mind) is no longer a non-affordable luxury. So why not concoct a tailormade programme combining relaxation and gourmet fare ?
The Givenchy Spa on the top floor of the Martinez Hotel blends elegant surroundings with comfort and calm. First you’ll opt for a soothing facial or a phyto-therapeutic wrap, followed by a massage. Regenerated, you’ll head for the Relais Martinez with an atmosphere suggesting both Art Deco and the movies, for a dietetic lunch. No need to fret : dietetic doesn’t mean frugal or dull. Every day, chef Christophe Patenotte dreams up an original menu such as fish preceded by creamy carrot soup with cumin, all followed by a fresh coconut dessert with exotic fruit.
At the Royal Riviera, you’ll find the same approach and the same name for the package, except that here you’ll dine rather than lunch. And sleep, necessarily. Everything starts with a “tête-à-tête” at the Panorama restaurant, with Mediterranean recipes inspired by seasonal produce from the market. The next two days are given over to massages, two hour-long sessions or four half-hours. Massages with names like “After travel”, “Discovery”, relaxation for the back or the whole body, aromatic, dispensed by two or four hands. In between, treat yourself to luxury by the Med !
Stéphane Raimbault needs no introduction. But the owner/chef of L’Oasis is also culinary consultant for L’Etoile des Mers, the restaurant at the Miramar Beach Hotel. And there’s great complicity between Raimbault and Jilali Berrekama, formerly his second at… L’Oasis. Here, to complement a session at the hotel’s thalasso-energy centre, the “Estérel” menu is comprised of low-calory dishes. Thalazur Antibes proposes “Pleine forme” and “Diététiques” menus, plus a wide choice of cures at the institute : “Thalazur”, “Harmonie Energie Anti-stress”, “Circulatoire”, “Spéciale dos”, “Eveil des sens”, personalized treatments as well as short stays... If you really need to get away from it all, head for Corsica and the Grand Hôtel de Cala-Rossa. This 4-star “Relais & Châteaux” has introduced fitness packages ranging from two to seven nights for its “Evasion” programme. Combine the effectiveness of the treatments with that of light cuisine signed Georges Billon. Just over the border in Monaco, Les Thermes Marins de Monte-Carlo has an ambiance all its own. The 1-day “Marine Spa” programme revolves around the regenerating and tonic effects of seawater and is complemented by a “Health” or “Market-fresh” menu at the Hirondelle restaurant with its enchanting view of Monaco's yacht harbour.
Body care and gastronomy
Do you know where Shiseido opened its first spa in Europe ? In Mougins, at the Mas Candille, to be precise. Designed by Brigitte Dumont de Chassant, it nestles at the heart of a small Japanese garden with bamboo, Judea trees and agapanthus. Prepare to indulge in a “QI” treatment. Then, even though Serge Gouloumès doesn’t propose a dietetic menu, his cuisine is certainly worth the detour ! His fillets of sole with young leaks will delight just about any dietician… Finally, at the Domaine de Fayence, the Aquaroma spa consists of a sauna, hammam, two booths for massages and treatments, a balneo booth and cardio-training room. The Domaine also proposes massages with essential oils. An excellent idea for a soothing weekend in the countryside of the Var !
Address-book
Grand Hôtel de Cala-Rossa, route de Cala-Rossa, Porto-Vecchio (04 95 71 61 51). 7 nights, 7 breakfasts, 7 dinners and 10 treatments + 12 hrs of stretching or aquagym : 1,225 €/pers. Hôtel Royal Riviera, 3 avenue Jean Monnet, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat (04 93 76 31 00). “Bien-être” package, 2 nights for 2, dinner and choice of massages over 2 days : from 780 €. Le Domaine de Fayence, boulevard des Claux, Fayence (04 98 10 50 00). Spa and fitness centre : from 14 € per day. “Terracotta" restaurant : à la carte from 14 to 30 €. Le Mas Candille, boulevard Clément Rebuffel, Mougins (04 92 28 43 43). “Zen” discovery experience : 99 €, “Fugue” : 380 €/pers. Thalazur, 770 chemin des Moyennes Bréguières, Antibes (04 92 91 82 00). “Pleine Forme” cure, 6 days without accommodation : 516 €/pers. Les Thermes Marins de Monte-Carlo, 2 avenue de Monte-Carlo, Monaco (00 377 92 16 49 46). “Marine Spa”, 1 day, 175 €. Hôtel Martinez, La Croisette, Cannes (04 92 98 74 10). “Bien-être“ package : 2 treatments at the Spa Givenchy/pers. Package 1 night + breakfast from 232 €/pers. Les Roches, 1 avenue des Trois Dauphins, Le Lavandou (04 94 71 05 07). Massages : 35 € for 30 mins. or 70 € for 1 hour. Restaurant : à la carte approx. 84€.
By Cécile Olivéro - photos : L. Saleri - press.
