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CONTACT Thalasso Douarnenez Tel: +33 8 25 00 42 30 Fax: +33 2 98 74 45 68 www.thalasso.com

A tourist office brochure provides an indispensable guide to what’s what across the region – simply call 0800 085 7739 (UK) and ask for a copy.

Brittany may have been synonymous for generations with its crisp apple cider, but in recent years it has been the region’s less appetizing liquid that has attracted high praise. So-called ‘sea therapy’ using Brittany’s mineral-rich seawater has been heralded for its health-giving benefits. Not that extolling the virtues of saltwater is anything new: the Greeks and Romans swore by seawater cleansing and the sea has been used in healing since ancient times.

Said to contain 120 chemical compounds in the form of salts and dissolved gas, seawater is a powerful natural detoxifier. Through osmosis, the skin absorbs nitrogen, oxygen and helium, plus over 50 different mineral particles, trace elements and negative ions during seawater therapy. Today, Brittany’s coastal waters have been incorporated into a range of well-being therapies, from marine mud and algae treatments to hydrotherapy, massage and lymphatic drainage. Restorative and rebalancing, salt water is also hailed as a bodily rejuvenator that enhances vitality, augments physical strength and agility and gives energy a boost. Many also believe that Brittany’s fresh sea air is laced with untold curative benefits so walking the shoreline, inhaling deeply, allows the capillaries to deliver minerals directly to the bloodstream.

Meaning Sanitas Per Aquum (health through water) from which the acronym was derived, the spa was originally created using only the curative powers of Mother Nature. Thalassotherapy centres and spas are strung along the coastline from Mont St-Michel to La Baule. Most, like the Thalasso Douarnenez, boast a vast number of seawater therapies, many focusing on stress-free relaxation – the perfect foundation for romance.

Almost every marine-inspired beauty product range on the planet uses seaweed from Brittany’s shores. More than 50,000 tonnes per annum is collected from the pollution-free coast. Once harvested, it is transformed from its natural state into a more absorbable product, taking care not to alter its health-giving properties in the process. When applied to the body, this rich source of potassium, magnesium, amino acids and iodine helps establish nervous and muscular equilibrium – so the benefits are far from merely cosmetic. One of the most popular body therapies uses a masque of algae, marine mud and seaweed. After being first softened with warm seawater and coarse salt grains, the skin is lavished in the mixture and wrapped in clingfilm. After being left to lie under a heated blanket, the client is cleansed in a cool marine shower before being gently massaged and moisturized. Just as relaxing are Brittany’s expansive scenic views that encapsulate it’s craggy, aquatic landscape rich in marine birds and wildlife.

A glorious sunset in the Finistère region of Brittany.