A stay with a private spa, near Lille

From October to May, when the outdoor pool is closed and night falls early, the spa takes over. You come back from a day in Lille or a walk in Flanders, cross the courtyard, and the session begins in the warm: the sauna rises to between 80 and 95 °C, the jetted spa stays around 37 °C.

The space has no window. Temperature and humidity are held constant whatever the weather outside: a session in January feels like a session in June.

It is also the time of year when the spa is most in demand: agree your time slot with us as soon as you book your nights. The pool, for its part, reopens in mid-May.

The inspiration comes from a stay in Bali. The materials — stone, exotic wood, stabilised plants — evoke tropical lushness in a raw, minimalist spirit. At the centre of the space, a custom-made stabilised eucalyptus tree structures the whole: its branches, dressed with eucalyptus and threaded with fibre optics, shelter the herbal tea corner beneath their canopy.

The polished concrete floor, the warm intimate lighting, the diffused sound and the constantly maintained temperature and humidity compose a space held together in all circumstances. No window, no outside noise: the session takes place in a volume conceived to slow the pace and let go of the sense of time.

You change in a dedicated changing room before accessing the spa; robes, slippers, towels and toiletries are provided. The session begins there — not in the sauna or in the bath, but in this transition between outside and inside. The space is sized for two: no sharing, no awkwardness, no waiting.

The jetted spa — what is commonly called a jacuzzi — made by Be Well Canada, seats two to three people in water kept around 37 °C. Two reclined seats, one upright. Each position has its own jets — multi-jet hydrotherapy for back and legs, dorsal jets and leg bubbles — to ease the neck, lower back or calves depending on the day.

Built-in chromotherapy, via submerged LEDs, lets you choose the colour: amber for late afternoons, deep blue for quiet evenings, or a gentle alternation for those who prefer not to choose. The water is sanitised with bromine, gentler on the skin than chlorine, for a consistent water quality.

The ideal session alternates sauna and jetted spa in short cycles (8–12 minutes), interspersed with a quick shower and a pause at the herbal tea corner. The spa is kept ready on arrival, with no preheating to request.

Set under the eucalyptus tree that anchors the centre of the space, the herbal tea corner is a pause between two sessions. Two armchairs and a low table, under the leafy, glowing canopy, invite you to sit down, rehydrate, let a few minutes pass before resuming.

At the exit of the sauna or at the end of the session, custom-made wooden recliners with comfortable mattresses let you lie down fully. Each recliner has back panels that diffuse a soft, targeted warmth towards the back and lower back — the effect is immediate on the neck and lower back after a day spent on your feet.

A selection of herbal teas is available — verbena, rosemary, seasonal blends — along with fresh water. No music imposed: a Bluetooth speaker is available if you want your own, otherwise silence is held by the materials.