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Guide to Vittel, France | |
| A health spa since Roman times, Vittel is still famous for its medicinal waters, and for the gracious atmosphere of a 19th-century European resort. | ||
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The Romans took the curative waters at Vittel in ancient times, but the town's mineral springs were later abandoned until 1854 when Louis Bouloumié rediscovered the spring of Gérémoy, convinced that it had medicinal effects for gout, diabetes, urinary and renal ailments and others. The SpaGrand spa hotels were constructed in Vittel, 352 km (219 miles) east of Paris and 86 km (53 miles) southwest of Nancy (map), to lodge the flood of visitors, ailing and not-so-ailing but sociable, who came to take the waters, meet, greet, eat and enjoy the summer. The spa expanded into a full Victorian-era summer resort, with thermal baths, a casino, hippodrome, villas for wealthy families, and a grand train station to receive its wealthy and fashionable guests. The town grew as well, adding to its stock of Catholic churches a Protestant one and a synagogue, and a grand cinema called The Alhambra. In preparation for the 1972 Olympic Games, Vittel added many new facilities—a gymnasium, stadium, golf courses and more—to be used for French Olympic athletes in training. Club Med now operates a holiday village in Vittel. What to See & DoThe historic thermal spa is set in a spacious, gracious park dotted with grand buildings, some of them designed by Charles Garnier, architect of the famous Palais Garnier (Paris Opéra). To enjoy all of the resort activities—health treatments, swimming, golf, etc.—you'll want to join a Club Med program. If you just want to drink in the gracious 19th-century ambience, wander downhill from the train station, past the Continental (formerly a grand hotel, now mostly rental apartments/flats, with one wing the Hôtel Mercure Vittel), and into the Parque Thermal. Wander as you like among the trees and lawns. More... TransportationDespite its grand train station, these days Vittel is not so easy to reach by train from Paris. The normal journey is by fast TGV or Ouigo train from Paris's Gare de l'Est to Nancy (1.5 hours), and from there by bus to Vittel (1.5 hours), so the entire trip takes nearly four hours. More... Where to StayMost of Vittel's grand hotels have been converted to rental apartments/flats and condominiums, but the grand Hôtel d'Angleterre survives, now renting 55 guest rooms. The hotel is only a short walk from the spa, the park and the golf course. More... Many of Vittel's lodgings are bed-and-breakfast houses, all of which are described, with prices and availability, here.
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The Grand Hotel, Vittel, France,
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