Les Thermes Saint-Gervais-les-Bains

Local residents were aware of the existence of a peculiar tasting water source gushing from the depths of the Bonnant glen but it was a notary named Gontard who first made a commercial profit from this natural godsend.

In 1807, the results of tests in Geneva compared Saint-Gervais spa water to some of the best quality European waters. Gontard’s spa became rapidly successful. This excellent business man and developer of the hydrotherapy industry ran a very successful business up until 1838.

In the early part of the 19th century Saint-Gervais spa water was considered to be miraculous. Prescriptions were dictated on simple intuition. In 1815, Doctor Mattey was the first medic to observe the effectiveness of these waters in the treatment of darts, eczema and ulcers. The baths thus discovered their specificity and by 1829 they were successfully treating up to 300 bathers per season.

From 1838 to 1870, under the management of a certain Monsieur Demay, the baths gained in grandeur. The creation of several new buildings increased the frequentation to over 300. By the mid 1800s the spa was internationally renowned and attracted a wide clientele. Research proved that the spa could diversify its activities. The treatment of digestive problems and the treatment of children became frequent.

In 1883, the “Compagnie Général des Eaux Minerales et Bains de Mer” took over the baths in Saint Gervais. They were rapidly modernized. Hydrotherapeutic baths, showers and pulverization techniques were developed. This era marked the start of a change in attitude towards personal hygiene.

On the night of the 11th July 1892, the baths were entirely devastated by an exceptional, unpredictable natural disaster. A pocket of water was suddenly released from a small glacier and destroyed everything in its path below. Water and mud rushed from the Bonnant gorge devastating the baths and killing more than 100 bathers. The future of the activity in Saint-Gervais was very grey. However, by chance, the source was rediscovered under a thick layer of silt. Failing to be discouraged by recent misfortune the owners proceeded to rebuild a new establishment at the entrance to the dale.

In 1894, only two years after disaster had struck, the new baths were officially declared open to the public. Radically different in their conception, the new establishment was of a modern architecture, with a bright interior and technically advanced equipment. The designers decided to rebuild the baths well in front of the previous site. The water could no longer be used directly at its source. An 800m long pipeline was required to transport the water from the mouth of the source towards the new building. This prestigious achievement was very appealing and bathers regained confidence.

From 1920 onwards the baths in Saint-Gervais lost popularity. The economic climate at the end of the First World War was dismal. This was not, however, the only cause. Fragile and capricious, natural mineral water requires particular attention in order to maintain natural goodness. In the race to rebuild the baths this particular detail was overlooked. Poor channelling, hazardous transportation and the necessity to reheat the water in order to use it proved to be fatal errors. By 1930 the management company was on the edge of economic disaster..

The building at the entrance to the glen was abandoned and patients received their treatment in a new building at the mouth of the source. The management company guaranteed the distribution of high quality spa water. Doctors Paillet and Desaux, associates in the management of the new spa, promoted a modern and dynamic hydrotherapy industry. Unfortunately this new enthusiasm was shattered by the start of the Second World War.

1959 is an important date in the history of hydrotherapy. Over the past ten years Doctor Lépinay had regularly observed the healing powers of Saint-Gervais spa water in the treatment of eczema. He went on to use the same waters to heal badly burnt skin. However 20 years of hard work were necessary before the baths regained their regional status.

Over the past 20 years the establishment has undergone a series of important renovations. Drilling and new channelling have considerably increased the water resources. The new spa opened its doors in 1992 and can now welcome up to 10 000 patients.
If the success of hydrotherapeutic cures is undeniable in the field of dermatology and infantile pathologies, health and beauty now play an important role in the activity of the spa. If our spa water has been synonym of comfort and well-being for the last two centuries, since 1997, the cosmetic group Rivadis continues to ensure its prosperous future.