Predicament

A dilemma: 

What to do when soaking in natural waters is your hobby and you are located far-far away from such opportunities? 

Or what to do when you've been made curious by other natural water and/or heat based therapies?

Or you notice that the effects of soaking are to be equated by other more obvious choices?

Then sometimes you'll opt for what might be perceived as second choice, but actually is an all new experience, which need not to be thermal related. 

So that's how we come to slowly become fans of public sauna's.

With this in mind the Hôtel Le Moulin De La Wantzenau, located just north of Strasbourg (Alsace region) was another of these places we actively sought out, as a case of French sauna bathing experience. And as being a smaller resort, the intended stay is perceived to be much better (usually) than the various hotel chains. And as it's located close to the French border and Strasbourg is the Ville Européenne one could expect a more liberal sauna culture, akin to France's north/northwestern neighbours. Because, if you haven't noticed yet, we are more fans of liberal/socialable bathing opportunities.

The hotel itself is highly acclaimed: an old watermill which has been tastefully reconstructed with considerable attention to details. For instance, in the hallway are small windows in the floor through which you can view the rushing water which passes under the building.

It's a bit out of the local town, so if you prefer to stay in, you'll be dependent on what's on offer. That said, a vegetarian curry was cooked up, despite France having a (well-earned alas) reputation for lack of vegetarian options. Overall customer service was excellent.

Lost

Then over to the wellness on offer, as that what's interests you (and us) the most.

From their own website (in English):

'Come and enjoy a true voyage of discovery in the heart of the country!

Our spa and relaxation area, built from natural materials, provides a delightful break and unique experience with its forest, nature and river themed areas..

You can relax in a 300 m² intimate, exclusive setting, with a sauna decked with wooden loungers, and which opens onto the rural landscape, a 400 year-old millstone that is now the seat in the hammam, an outside terrace spa built from natural wood, opening directly onto the gardens and surrounding natural landscape'.

So what did it entail? 

A single hallway with various amenities which connect through. 

First off changing room / bathroom (nothing special), then on your right: a relax space dominated by straw (photo below) and the hamman. 

coco_spo

Échappée du vendredi fin d'après-midi 🤗

Spa, dîner 🥂

Magnifique endroit et de qualité

#lemoulindelawantzenau#alsacemylove

While on the left are seperate showers and the sauna. In the corner a larger ensuite relax space. And outside an in-built large jacuzzi on a wooden veranda opening up to a garden.

Permission

How was the experience?

Well, I'd like to say that the efforts put into details ensured this was an excellent experience, but somewhere the details seem to have conquered the customer experience.

Let's start with clothing expectations. I had expected clothesfree was the way to go; there's nothing to contradict this. Their own website notes (in original English):

'Access to the SPA, from 16 years of age / bathing trunks not permitted'.

The German original refers to 

'Bermuda und Badeshorts nicht zugelassen'.

The photo's from the website could also  be intepreted as such, there are no clothes in sight (but many towel encapsuled models). 

While as we are in France one could experience a clothed situation, it seems what can be expected here. 

As we were just 4 kms from the border of liberal thinking Germany and it was not a very open-to-public experience (the public from outside the hotel were required to pay €49 for three hours; that might explain the lack of shares from outside experiences) one could presume the impression made was indeed correct.

But it was very clothes de rigueur.

Other points:

• Shower water pressure was poor.
• The sauna could be hotter and it was noticable that the glass wall leaked heat big time as well as the door failing to close correctly.
• The hamman was not very on temp.
• The outside jacuzzi could be warmer.
• Early closing time, even for hotel guests.

Other users (just a few) were not helping the experience either; loud and very inconsiderate: one person entered the sauna, dumped a bucket of water on the heater and then left two minutes later! Is this the French way of sauna?

Notes

Overall reviews gave this a 4.6 stars (from 300+ reviewers) on google, though not much on the wellness experience.

Booking.com gives the hotel an 8.7 (from 250+ reviews), other than comments on the spa exterior, no sauna user.

Tripadvisor notes 4.5 stars from just below 200 reviews, again only the brief remark on the spa, none recent on the wellness experience.

Their own Facebook page rates it as 4.7 stars from 230 plus reviews.

What sticks out is that virtually all are French guests / visitors with little real experiences of the wellness itself, most probably hotel guests, easily impressed even. Question mark. No sauna fans? But very liberal in dealing out compliments.

So what did we learn?

The French sauna experience is (based on what we experienced here) nowhere near to the more pleasant experiences of said neighbours above. Is this perception solely due to the abundance of clothes? 

Details do not always ensure that the experience is likewise; maybe I'm just too practical to be taken in by all schmuck.

florencetihaywalter, fully clothed in the designer sauna space:

A ce week-end pour nous dans ce cadre plus que parfait, merci mon amour ❤️

@lemoulindelawantzenau

#weekend #spa #detente #amour

So, I don't know how this sauna review section will pan out, so let's see if we can compare the experiences by adding a number to the visit. Six out of ten here?Based on impresssions near-perfect, but the practical experience itself was a let-down; I probably wouldn't adivise anyone to visit this hotel based solely on it's wellness spa. So a six seems fair.

Bubbles

Apologies. Yet another post on Baden's baden. This time we are going to share the free soaking experience to be had. Basically what this blog is about.

But let's see what we have posted over the past two years concerning Baden and it's thermal heritage:

• Relating Baden's Fortyseven Wellness Therme experience (26-9-22).
• Extensive news on Bad zum Raben crowd-funded purchase and Baden bathing developments (8-8-2022).
• News on the opening of Fortyseven Wellness Therme plus start up issues as well as the free bathing initiatives (8-1-2022).
• Short item on Roman finds (7-7-2021) while construction of Fortyseven Wellness Therme took place.

With reference to what's already been shared here (above), I'll try to move forward and describe how the free thermal experience really feels like.

Breathing fresh air into the millennea old thermal experience of Baden has been undertaken with the construction of the Fortyseven Wellness Therme over what has been the local thermal source. 

Additionally nearby apartments were  constructed and along the Limmat river a continuation of the riverside pedestrian boulevard took place, but minus the beautiful greenery elsewhere evident. Thus a new thermal district has come into existence.

Unfortunately this new set up contains huge amounts of cement and stone, not really enticing. But it  looks modern. And simultaneously fake.

As part of the rejuvenation the original thermal source (Limmatquelle Thermalquelle) which is located directly along the Limmat riverside, received a redevelopment:

Here you can witness the waters bubbling up. The Baden town website notes on this:

'Here, Baden's thermal water bubbles visibly to the surface.

What has been hidden for a long time is finally visible again: Baden's thermal water. The thermal water that represents Baden's origins and the birthplace of Baden's spirit. It is flowing powerfully out of the Limmat spring.

The redesigned spring pavilion encloses the only visible spring fountain in the public area. This bubbling fountain stands symbolically for the reawakening of the baths'.

Rush

From the Limmatquelle, continuing downstream just beyond the west turn of the Limmat river itself, three tubs have been constructed: deep, less deep and shallow. They are also correspondingly (too) hot, hot and warm. On a Saturday summer evening there were about 10-12 persons enjoying the baths, though the hottest tub was conspiciously empty most of this time.

The tubs are built right at the river edge, 2-3m above the Limmat river itself. 

One soaker (who has just enjoyed the the hot tub) cooled off by jumping over the river railing, heading into the chilly river water. It wasn't designed as such, the Limmat's river flow quite often too forceful to be safely enjoyed. But others have done likewise and now a rope is tied to the railing, enabling a return back to the (hot) tubs.

On the opposite river bank directly perpendicular to Baden's baths, there is the bath of Ennetbaden. Probably with less tourists, though note that both soaks as well as Baden city itself are not attracting many foreign tourists.

There are a few benches closeby where users leave their clothes behind after changing (more or less discreetly). 

Rinse oneself off, then head to the middle bath which is pleasantly warm and deep enough. 

After being heated up, it's the hottest and deepest pool that needs to be challlenged. 

All the time, bathers are coming and going, as well as pedestrians passing. Lots of chatter, while at the same time one can enjoy the views over the rushing Limmat river towards Ennetbaden.

All 'n all, a very good vibe by which these small baths act as a good socializer.

Occupancy

Sharing from what can be delved from internet. 

Starting off with Baden's no. 1 info on soaking site, Bagno Populare, which is a website dedicated to crowd interest in Baden's thermal resouces. Translated:

'The two hot fountains have been open since November 6th, 2021 and are operated by the municipalities of Baden and Ennetbaden. They are warm every day from around 7 a.m. to around 10 p.m. The pools are between 37 and 43°C (depending on the weather) and are fed by undiluted, natural thermal spring water from the Schwanenquelle (Ennetbaden) or Heissem Stein/Limmat- and St. Verenaquelle (Baden). Every Monday , Wednesday and Friday they are cleaned and cannot be used at this moment'.

It notes a number of rules / regulations. These rules are also available on the Baden town website. 

Bagno Populare adds:

'The thermal water fountains were developed by the Bagni Popolari association and donated by the local community of Baden and the community of Ennetbaden. The wells are now entrusted to your personal care. Please treat and use them with appropriate care so that everyone can enjoy this wonderful gift! We thank you!

Google has reviews of both soaks. 

That of Baden notes a healthy 4.7 stars from 24 reviews. A good review:

'Hier ist das Wasser ungefiltert, ungekühlt, einfach Original. Das Wasser kommt ca. 47 Grad heiss raus und kühlt jedes Becken etwas ab. Das Angebot besteht nur aus 3 Betontrögen, ist jedoch kostenlos. Keine Umziehkabine, jedoch hat es in 50m Entfernung eine öffentliche Toilette. Ab 21 Uhr ist das Wasser abgestellt und die Becken kühlen ab. Die Belegung schwankt enorm 😋 mal geniesst man es alleine, mal sind es über ein Dutzend Personen. Da die Wannen nicht gross sind, füllen 4 Personen eine'

The Ennetbaden bath (photo below, taken from Baden) has fewer reviews (9) but with a marginal better score (4.8 stars). There's this feedback:

'Um die 40 Grad. 1 Becken. 5m entfernt ein sauberes WC / Umzieraum. Alles kostenlos & sehr gepflegt. Nebenann Sitzgelegenheiten mit Fussbad'.

Both are so new that Tripadvisor has no mention of these.

There's even an extensive Wikipedia entry solely dedicated to Baden's thermal resources, though only in German. Google translate assists a lot:

'Of the total of 21 springs, 18 are in Baden and three in Ennetbaden. The water has an average temperature of 46.6 °C and has a particularly high proportion of calcium and sulphates. With a total mineralization of 4450 mg/l, it is the richest in minerals in the entire country'.

Probably, if you're more interested in the history of the thermal baths, head here.

Another great source of historic info on Baden's Badkultur are articles published by archaeologist Andrea Schaer. For instance this published (Dec. 30, 2021) on the website of Stiftung Baukultur Schweiz which goes deeper into the background of the current construction for thermal purposes. Plenty of explanantion. 

Other of her articles concern more the various historic periods when the baths were in full schwung. A recent article (Sep. 22, 2022) for the Swiss National Museum describes the conditions of Baden's baths during the Middle Ages.

Finally, I'd like to add is that the addition of these free-to-use baths in themselves are just a very small development, but the feelgood factor towards Baden's own citizens is huge. In the times I passed here, there was always something going on with considerable social interaction. 

Public involvement concerning the whole redevelopment process has probably been enhanced by the main project being delayed too often. This meant there was sufficient time for the general public (read those passionate enough) to organize themselves and express their wishes. 

The result was increased cooperation between the public / private institutions concerned and public interest groups. It's also sustainable: the public groups are now actively seeking to gain access to more waters (read purchasing an older thermal establishment) and redevelop them such that they also become part of Baden's current thermal heritage simultaneously creating a public good (art installations / access to all).

A good lesson for all public institutions involved with (re-)developement whereever.

A good video of construction of and the recent opening of the Heisser Brunnen as well as explaining the philosophy behind the baths: