Water, life-blood, covers two third of our planet. Water represents about 70% of the human body and without a good hydration, one would soon die of thirst. Water is a source of regeneration for the body and the spirit. Water, in all forms, is a life elixir that is easing, relaxing and healing.

Nothing is more human-rated than water, life-sustaining element, to heal and resource the body.

The concept of therapy with warm-cold contrast was first experimented in Germany 150 years ago, when Reverend Sebastian Kneipp applied and confirmed the therapeutic values of water. Affected by tuberculosis,  having virtualy no chance of surviving, he decided to try a radical treatment. He went for an immersion into the icy waters of the Danube, believing in the benefits of cold water ablutions. The doctors were absolutely certain that the man would not survive, but after a while, he did heal completely. His experiments were the first fruits of the concept of therapy with warm-cold contrast. Its action, based on alternation between warm and cold, stimulates the bloodstream and the nervous system while strenghtening the immune system.

The Roman Empire introduced the public steam bath tradition and called them thermae, from the Greek word for heat. Thermae soon became the favorite subject of all Roman emperors, trying to outdo each others by building huge baths, more and more spacious, luxuous and popular. To ensure a great popularity and the notoriety of the emperor, the admission fee was extremely low. The modal program would start with an intensive sport period in the palestra (courtyard), where several sports and activities were practiced to relax the body by stimulating the bloodstream. The customer would then go through three successive rooms, that is from the tepid to the warmer where his body was coated with oil. Once the body was well warmed and relaxed, a dynamic massage was provided to the customer, followed by an exfoliation with a strigil. Then, the last steps were a good rince and an immersion into the pool of the frigidarium (cold bath).

When the Roman Empire fell, the Arabians discovered the Greek baths and the Roman balneas. They emulated these baths to created the Turk baths, named hammam, meaning "that spreads heat". The Prophet Mohammed believed that heat was increasing fertility and thence facilitating reproduction. The hammam soon became an outbuilding added to mosques and was used to comply with hygiene and purification rules of Islam. There were always good reasons to purify itself and pray Allah. The hammam had thus to be ready before aurora to enable the faithful to bath before the morning prayer. In 1032, the Caliph Al’Qu’imin wrote "The bath can heal smallpox and many other hiden diseases" and was then nicknamed the "silent doctor". As in the case of the roman baths, the hammam became a meeting place. An Arabian historian once said : "Your city is not perfect as long as you don't have baths".

However, the tradition of a warm bath followed with a cold one, as we know it today, comes rather from the Scandinavian countries. The Finnish sauna sessions are conducted according to a specific ritual and enable the customers to clean themselves, relax and exchange with others. This relaxing activity in nature is yet practiced since many generations.

Based on these long-standing traditions, we find today the Nordic spa, a perfect mix between the Roman baths, the hammam and the Finninsh sauna. Nowadays, it still the best place to get healed, resourced, purified and relaxed.