Depression

Europe's ever dwindling number of free and / or wild hot springs are increasingly becoming development abnormalities when commercialism has failed to impress. Or where the run-off of a commercial thermal baths has resulted in another free soaking possibility.

The town of Balaruc-les-Bains lies on the shores of the Thau Lagoon, inland and across the water from the city of Sète (France's Occitaine). The affixation "les-Bains" ensures that visitors will know that a mineral bath can be on the activities card.

From the Wikipedia entry on Etang du Thau we learn:

'It is about 21 km long and 8 km wide, with an area of 7,012 hectares (27.07 sq mi). The mean depth of the lagoon is 4.5 m, but in the central navigation channel it can be 10 m deep. Near Bouzigues there is a 100-metre diameter depression of 30 metres. This 'Fosse de la Vise' is the source of a hot spring that feeds the spa in Balaruc'.

The local website Balaruc-les-Bains adds:

'The thermal waters of Balaruc-les-Bains are among the hottest and most mineralized in Mediterranean Languedoc.

These warm waters, which contain trace elements, have proven healing properties (low sodium chloride mineral water, rich in calcium and magnesium), which allow better joint mobilization, as well as reduce edema and reduce functional disorders. are heavy legs and nocturnal cramps.

Balaruc-les-Bains thermal water is chlorinated, sodium, sulphated, calcium and magnesian. It is rich in bicarbonates and trace elements'.

Balaruc-les-Bains has in fact two commercial operating spa facilities. 

These are the Thermes Balaruc-les-Bains which reviewers from Google rate with 4.1 stars and those from Tripadvisor with 3.5 stars. 

Overall pretty stale, but for a French thermal establishment probably not bad.

The other is the spa with the name of  O'balia (Tripadvisor rates 3.5 stars and Google 4.2 stars).

And it's at the back side of the O'balia therme where the run-off / refuse enters the Thau Lagoon that entrepreneurial soakers have built a pool. 

But built as in past tense. Possibly O'balia were not so satisfied with the popularity of this pool and the construction of a back road gave them the possibility to destruct the pool. 

But as usual it's hard to keep soakers down and smaller pools hare reappeared.

It's quite odd that despite the spectacular site of Balaruc (on a peninsular in the Thau Lagoon), that the western shoreside has little to offer. 

The pool is accessible either from south or north and at the beginning of September was very quiet. Though the pool may not be the hottest, the opportunity to combine with a swim in the lagoon offers a great place to while away some time.

The pools seen from the north (above) and south (below)

Surprisingly there's little additional information / experiences from the internet to share.

There's this from 2018 with the until recently bigger (and deeper) pool.

And there's this from youtube. Note this dates back to 2017. The shown access has been closed.